Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Florence Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Florence

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,508 per month in Milan vs $2,128 in Florence, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,853 per month in Milan vs $3,310 in Florence, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,197 per month in Milan vs $4,493 in Florence, rent included.

Milan costs about 18% more than Florence, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Milan and Florence sit above the global median – Milan by 87%, Florence by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.84

$22.77 €19.59

1.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 €79.2

$92.9 €79.9

-0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 €10.95

$11.73 €10.09

8.53%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.87

$1.93 €1.66

12.44%

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

$3.23 €2.78

$3.34 €2.87

-3.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.62 €1.39

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.11

$7.06 €6.07

0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.92

$7.10 €6.11

-19.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.63 €1.40

12.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 €2.42

$2.30 €1.98

22.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$4.29 €3.69

-22.14%

Eggs

$4.31 €3.70

$4.36 €3.75

-1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 €16.98

$20.70 €17.81

-4.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 €11.20

$11.17 €9.61

16.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 €21.24

$20.76 €17.85

18.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 €2.45

$2.77 €2.38

2.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.85 €1.59

24.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 €2.90

$2.88 €2.48

17.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 €3.39

$3.57 €3.07

10.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.63 €1.40

58.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.72 €1.48

27.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.68 €1.44

-2.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.60

$0.55 €0.48

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.91

$7.03 €6.05

-2.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 €7.83

$8.25 €7.09

10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.66 €1.43

41.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.58

$2.45 €2.11

22.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$2.02 €1.74

23.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.58 €39.21

$43.22 €37.18

5.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 €6.99

$5.93 €5.10

37.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.77 €1.53

48.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.61 €34.08

$36.47 €31.38

8.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.12 €1.82

-3.30%

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

$33.4K €28.8K

$33.0K €28.4K

1.14%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$31.5K €27.1K

15.54%

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

$216 €185

$206 €177

4.84%

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

$11.71 €10.07

$13.67 €11.76

-14.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 €26.21

$34.98 €30.09

-12.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.1 €64.6

$85.5 €73.6

-12.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.13 €31.94

$23.85 €20.51

55.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 €10.10

$11.79 €10.14

-0.42%

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

$875 €753

$765 €658

14.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.4K

$19.6K €16.9K

-15.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €99.0

$88.3 €75.9

30.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €45.80

$31.84 €27.39

67.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.9

$85.1 €73.2

35.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 €147

$147 €127

16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,387

$1,117 €960

44.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 €978

$883 €759

28.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,138 €2,699

$2,272 €1,954

38.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,793

$1,528 €1,315

36.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,505

$6,579 €5,659

67.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,565 €4,787

$4,016 €3,455

38.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,270 €1,953

$2,061 €1,773

10.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

3.96

-17.93%

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

Last update for Milan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Florence: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Milan versus $1,117 in Florence. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Milan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in Milan versus $93.0 in Florence. Groceries tell a different story – $400 in Milan vs $360 in Florence – so Florence wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Florence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,508 in Milan, $2,128 in Florence – roughly 18% apart. Milan costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,762 per month in Milan and $3,191 in Florence. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Florence, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,508 in Milan and $2,128 in Florence. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Florence. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Florence, where all-in costs run around $2,128, than in Milan at $2,508. In Florence it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Milan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,128 in Florence to $2,508 in Milan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Florence. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Milan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.