Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Ferrara Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Ferrara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,508 in Milan versus $1,616 in Ferrara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,853 in Milan versus $2,515 in Ferrara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,197 in Milan versus $3,415 in Ferrara.

Living in Milan is roughly 55% more expensive than Ferrara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 87% above, Ferrara 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.86

$18.72 €16.12

23.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 €79.3

$68.3 €58.8

34.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 €10.96

$11.63 €10.02

9.46%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.87

$1.99 €1.71

9.05%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.78

$2.52 €2.17

28.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.29 €1.11

16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.12

$5.66 €4.88

25.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.92

$4.59 €3.95

24.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.50 €1.29

22.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 €2.42

$2.46 €2.11

14.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.79 €2.40

19.71%

Eggs

$4.31 €3.71

$4.29 €3.69

0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 €17.00

$14.71 €12.67

34.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 €11.21

$10.79 €9.29

20.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 €21.26

$19.70 €16.96

25.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 €2.45

$1.95 €1.68

45.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.85 €1.59

24.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 €2.90

$3.24 €2.79

4.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 €3.39

$3.53 €3.04

11.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.74 €1.49

48.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.68 €1.45

30.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.46 €1.26

11.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.60

$0.34 €0.30

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.92

$6.28 €5.41

9.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 €7.84

$4.56 €3.92

99.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.58 €1.36

48.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.58

$1.65 €1.42

81.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$1.72 €1.48

44.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.58 €39.25

$35.66 €30.71

27.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 €7.00

$8.02 €6.90

1.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.83 €1.58

43.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.61 €34.11

$34.39 €29.61

15.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.09 €1.80

-1.91%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.4K €28.8K

$37.7K €32.5K

-11.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.4K €31.3K

$40.1K €34.5K

-9.23%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$216 €186

$192 €166

12.02%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.71 €10.08

$13.00 €11.19

-9.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 €26.24

$31.31 €26.96

-2.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.1 €64.7

$34.05 €29.32

120.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.13 €31.97

$16.97 €14.61

118.80%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 €10.11

$8.99 €7.74

30.59%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$875 €753

$350 €301

150.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.4K

$6,852 €5,900

143.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €99.1

$82.3 €70.8

39.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €45.85

$40.75 €35.09

30.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.0

$106 €90.9

8.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 €147

$92.7 €79.8

84.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,388

$638 €549

152.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 €979

$570 €490

99.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,138 €2,702

$1,292 €1,113

142.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,795

$933 €803

123.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,515

$2,430 €2,093

354.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,565 €4,792

$1,849 €1,592

200.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,270 €1,955

$1,685 €1,451

34.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

4.44

-26.80%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Milan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ferrara: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Milan and $638 in Ferrara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 35% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $92.0 in Milan vs $68.0 in Ferrara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $315 per month, with Ferrara cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Milan vs Ferrara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ferrara wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Milan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ferrara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Milan pays 35% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,612 in Milan versus $638 in Ferrara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ferrara – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $92.0 in Milan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,508 per month in Milan versus $1,616 in Ferrara – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,616 in Ferrara versus $2,508 in Milan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ferrara but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Ferrara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ferrara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,616 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ferrara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Milan and Ferrara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ferrara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.