Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and L'Aquila Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and L'Aquila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,508 per month in Milan vs $1,586 in L'Aquila, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,853 per month in Milan vs $2,454 in L'Aquila, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,197 per month in Milan vs $3,321 in L'Aquila, rent included.

Milan costs about 58% more than L'Aquila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Milan and L'Aquila sit above the global median – Milan by 87%, L'Aquila by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.85

$20.59 €17.73

12.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 €79.3

$73.8 €63.6

24.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 €10.96

$12.93 €11.14

-1.55%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.87

$1.79 €1.54

21.23%

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

$3.23 €2.78

$2.78 €2.39

16.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.34 €1.15

11.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.12

$5.63 €4.85

26.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.92

$5.62 €4.84

1.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.50 €1.30

22.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 €2.42

$2.86 €2.47

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.37 €2.04

40.93%

Eggs

$4.31 €3.71

$3.41 €2.93

26.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 €17.00

$13.32 €11.46

48.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 €11.21

$12.51 €10.77

4.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 €21.26

$17.35 €14.94

42.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 €2.45

$2.23 €1.92

27.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.85 €1.59

24.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 €2.90

$2.29 €1.97

47.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 €3.39

$2.94 €2.53

34.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.63 €1.40

58.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.64 €1.41

33.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.47 €1.27

10.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.60

$0.39 €0.34

79.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.92

$6.86 €5.91

0.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 €7.84

$5.76 €4.96

58.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.34 €1.15

75.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.58

$1.71 €1.47

75.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$1.75 €1.51

42.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.58 €39.24

$34.10 €29.36

33.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 €7.00

$5.18 €4.46

56.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.70 €1.47

54.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.61 €34.10

$25.90 €22.29

52.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.10 €1.81

-2.38%

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

$33.4K €28.8K

$32.9K €28.3K

1.53%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$33.7K €29.0K

8.05%

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

$216 €186

$183 €157

18.10%

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

$11.71 €10.08

$13.80 €11.88

-15.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 €26.24

$31.73 €27.31

-3.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.1 €64.7

$56.8 €48.93

32.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.13 €31.97

$28.86 €24.85

28.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 €10.11

$8.90 €7.66

31.91%

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

$875 €753

$538 €463

62.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.4K

$5,812 €5,004

187.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €99.1

$95.5 €82.2

20.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €45.84

$17.45 €15.03

205.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.9

$92.7 €79.8

24.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 €147

$81.8 €70.4

109.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,388

$627 €540

157.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 €979

$502 €432

126.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,138 €2,701

$950 €818

230.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,794

$797 €686

161.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,513

$2,870 €2,471

284.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,565 €4,791

$1,728 €1,488

222.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,270 €1,955

$1,964 €1,691

15.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

3.69

-11.92%

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

Last update for Milan: May 31, 2026

Last update for L'Aquila: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Milan versus $627 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 $92.0 in Milan versus $74.0 in L'Aquila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $400 vs $308 – making L'Aquila the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,508 in Milan, $1,586 in L'Aquila – roughly 58% apart. Milan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,762 per month in Milan and $2,379 in L'Aquila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 34% less in L'Aquila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $875 per month in Milan and $538 in L'Aquila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in L'Aquila, where all-in costs run around $1,586, than in Milan at $2,508. In L'Aquila 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 $1,586 in L'Aquila 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 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.