Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and L'Aquila

For one person, living is cheaper in L'Aquila: $1,573 a month against $2,560 in Milan, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Milan
🇮🇹 Italy
$2,560
/mo nomad
L'Aquila
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,573
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Milan and in L'Aquila

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Milan and in L'Aquila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,560 per month in Milan vs $1,573 in L'Aquila, rent included.

  • Milan $2,560
  • L'Aquila $1,573

A couple spends around $3,895 per month in Milan vs $2,426 in L'Aquila, rent included.

  • Milan $3,895
  • L'Aquila $2,426

A family of three spends $5,230 per month in Milan vs $3,279 in L'Aquila, rent included.

  • Milan $5,230
  • L'Aquila $3,279

Milan costs about 63% more than L'Aquila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Milan and L'Aquila sit above the global median – Milan by 90%, L'Aquila by 17%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Milan
L'Aquila
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.52 €20.03
$22.60 €20.11
-0.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.3 €79.4
$66.4 €59.1
34.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.16 €11.71
$13.58 €12.08
-3.09%
Cappuccino
$2.13 €1.90
$1.82 €1.62
17.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 €3.26
$2.77 €2.47
32.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.09 €0.97
66.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.65 €5.92
$5.56 €4.94
19.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.64 €5.91
$4.35 €3.87
52.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Milan
L'Aquila
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.51
$1.42 €1.27
19.72%
White Bread (500g)
$3.16 €2.81
$2.88 €2.56
9.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.54 €3.15
$2.24 €2.00
58.04%
Eggs
$4.88 €4.34
$3.39 €3.02
43.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.85 €20.33
$17.89 €15.91
27.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.72 €13.09
$12.31 €10.95
19.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.77 €20.25
$17.90 €15.92
27.21%
Apples (1kg)
$3.12 €2.77
$2.09 €1.86
49.28%
Banana (1kg)
$2.39 €2.12
$1.92 €1.71
24.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.39 €3.02
$2.19 €1.94
54.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.27 €3.80
$2.84 €2.53
50.35%
Potato (1kg)
$2.38 €2.12
$1.67 €1.48
42.51%
Onion (1kg)
$2.04 €1.82
$1.74 €1.54
17.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.75 €1.56
$1.55 €1.38
12.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$0.40 €0.35
42.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.46 €6.64
$6.26 €5.57
19.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.58 €8.52
$5.52 €4.91
73.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.01 €1.79
$1.27 €1.13
58.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 €2.19
$1.80 €1.60
36.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Milan
L'Aquila
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.38 €2.12
$1.72 €1.53
38.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.27 €38.49
$38.51 €34.26
12.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.67 €6.82
$5.31 €4.72
44.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.43 €1.27
58.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$65.2 €58.0
$24.84 €22.09
162.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.01 €1.79
9.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.5K €32.4K
$34.4K €30.6K
5.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K €31.5K
$35.7K €31.8K
-0.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Milan
L'Aquila
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$247 €220
$197 €175
25.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.21 €9.08
$14.90 €13.26
-31.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.16 €25.94
$31.36 €27.90
-7.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Milan
L'Aquila
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$82.4 €73.3
$54.8 €48.71
50.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.18 €30.41
$28.12 €25.01
21.55%
Cinema Ticket
$12.11 €10.77
$8.45 €7.52
43.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Milan
L'Aquila
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$857 €762
$135 €120
535.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.6K €16.5K
$12.4K €11.1K
49.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Milan
L'Aquila
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.2
$99.4 €88.4
2.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.8 €45.21
$35.44 €31.53
43.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 €104
$98.3 €87.4
18.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$167 €149
$111 €98.4
51.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Milan
L'Aquila
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,731 €1,540
$546 €486
216.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$431 €383
171.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,402 €3,026
$842 €749
304.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,036 €1,811
$691 €615
194.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.5K €9,376
$2,781 €2,474
279.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,240 €4,661
$1,653 €1,471
216.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Milan
L'Aquila
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,145 €1,908
$1,848 €1,643
16.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.18
3.02
5.30%

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

Last update for Milan: October 12, 2026

Last update for L'Aquila: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Milan
$1.2K
L'Aquila
$431 63.1% $738
Groceries & Markets
Milan
$417
L'Aquila
$320 23.3% $97
Eating Out
Milan
$314
L'Aquila
$295 5.8% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Milan
$286
L'Aquila
$243 15.1% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Milan
$196
L'Aquila
$155 21.2% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Milan
$107
L'Aquila
$72 32.8% $35
Getting Around
Milan
$72
L'Aquila
$58 19.4% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,731 in Milan versus $546 in L'Aquila. 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 16% 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 $89.0 in Milan versus $66.0 in L'Aquila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $417 vs $320 – making L'Aquila the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Milan
🇮🇹 L'Aquila
🕒 Local time
21:24 9:24 PM
21:24 9:24 PM
Same time as Milan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,394,798
69,753
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Milan L'Aquila 480 km
From you
  • Milan
  • L'Aquila

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 L'Aquila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Milan and in L'Aquila compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,560 in Milan, $1,573 in L'Aquila – roughly 63% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Milan compared to L'Aquila?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,841 per month in Milan and $2,360 in L'Aquila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Milan and L'Aquila?
Rent is clearly cheaper in L'Aquila, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Milan and in L'Aquila?
Public transport costs about 12% less in L'Aquila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Milan and L'Aquila?
Kindergarten costs $857 per month in Milan and $135 in L'Aquila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in L'Aquila, where all-in costs run around $1,573, than in Milan at $2,560. In L'Aquila it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Milan and L'Aquila?
It depends on your priorities. Milan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,573 in L'Aquila to $2,560 in Milan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Milan or L'Aquila safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Milan and L'Aquila?
If budget matters most, go with L'Aquila. 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.

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