Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Gent Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Gent

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,531 per month in Milan vs $2,257 in Gent, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,851 per month in Milan vs $3,445 in Gent, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,171 per month in Milan vs $4,634 in Gent, rent included.

Milan costs about 12% more than Gent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Milan and Gent sit above the global median – Milan by 89%, Gent by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.82 €19.46

$23.09 €19.70

-1.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.2 €80.4

$116 €98.7

-18.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.93 €11.03

$14.05 €11.99

-7.97%

Cappuccino

$2.12 €1.81

$4.27 €3.65

-50.35%

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

$3.39 €2.89

$3.40 €2.90

-0.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.26

$3.32 €2.83

-55.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €5.87

$5.76 €4.91

19.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 €4.90

$5.65 €4.82

1.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.28 €1.09

39.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 €2.42

$2.63 €2.24

7.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 €2.84

$2.32 €1.98

43.10%

Eggs

$4.25 €3.62

$4.19 €3.57

1.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.43 €16.57

$17.46 €14.89

11.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.07 €11.15

$11.63 €9.92

12.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.60 €20.98

$18.51 €15.79

32.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 €2.43

$3.01 €2.56

-5.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.03

$2.44 €2.08

-2.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 €2.76

$2.62 €2.23

23.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 €3.37

$3.16 €2.69

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 €2.15

$1.85 €1.58

36.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.34 €1.14

26.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.62

$0.91 €0.78

-19.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.96 €5.94

$12.91 €11.02

-46.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 €8.17

$9.44 €8.06

1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.11

$1.94 €1.66

27.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.56

$2.91 €2.48

3.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.58 €2.20

$2.83 €2.41

-8.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.45 €38.77

$57.6 €49.09

-21.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 €6.94

$10.87 €9.27

-25.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 €2.16

$2.62 €2.24

-3.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.15 €33.39

$54.3 €46.30

-27.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 €1.81

$1.86 €1.58

13.98%

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

$33.7K €28.8K

$34.2K €29.1K

-1.31%

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

$36.3K €31.0K

$37.4K €31.9K

-2.85%

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

$214 €183

$230 €196

-6.77%

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

$11.40 €9.72

$23.19 €19.78

-50.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.16 €26.58

$50.4 €43.01

-38.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 €63.0

$35.04 €29.89

110.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.05 €31.60

$13.53 €11.54

173.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 €9.83

$16.33 €13.93

-29.39%

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

$900 €768

$581 €496

54.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €13.9K

$19.0K €16.2K

-14.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €95.7

$111 €94.3

1.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 €45.73

$53.5 €45.60

0.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €99.0

$106 €90.4

9.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 €145

$165 €140

3.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,375

$1,047 €893

53.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 €954

$916 €781

22.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,177 €2,710

$1,763 €1,504

80.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 €1,751

$1,439 €1,227

42.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K €9,326

$5,556 €4,740

96.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,341 €4,556

$3,187 €2,719

67.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,317 €1,976

$3,345 €2,854

-30.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

3.74

-13.10%

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

Last update for Milan: April 20, 2026

Last update for Gent: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Milan versus $1,047 in Gent. 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 44% higher in Gent, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94 in Milan versus $116 in Gent. Groceries tell a different story – $400 in Milan vs $348 in Gent – so Gent 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 Gent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Milan is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,796 per month in Milan and $3,386 in Gent. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gent, 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 $2,531 in Milan and $2,257 in Gent. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 27% less in Gent. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Gent, where all-in costs run around $2,257, than in Milan at $2,531. In Gent it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gent – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Gent. 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.