Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Lecce Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Lecce

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,467 per month in Milan vs $1,567 in Lecce, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,845 per month in Milan vs $2,455 in Lecce, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,223 per month in Milan vs $3,344 in Lecce, rent included.

Milan costs about 57% more than Lecce, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Milan and Lecce sit above the global median – Milan by 85%, Lecce by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.53 €20.61

$17.23 €15.09

36.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €80.1

$73.0 €63.9

25.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.72 €11.14

$10.54 €9.23

20.68%

Cappuccino

$2.10 €1.84

$1.87 €1.64

12.30%

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

$3.35 €2.93

$2.12 €1.86

58.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.27

$1.20 €1.05

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 €6.15

$5.34 €4.67

31.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.94

$5.06 €4.43

11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.48 €1.30

19.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 €2.49

$2.00 €1.75

42.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 €2.87

$2.27 €1.99

44.49%

Eggs

$4.26 €3.73

$2.70 €2.36

57.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 €17.31

$14.32 €12.54

37.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 €11.35

$12.22 €10.70

6.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.27 €21.25

$16.79 €14.71

44.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.48

$2.27 €1.99

24.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$1.96 €1.72

21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 €2.92

$1.93 €1.69

73.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.42

$3.27 €2.87

19.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.23

$1.75 €1.53

45.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 €1.95

$1.78 €1.56

24.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.32 €1.16

24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.49 €0.42

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$6.75 €5.91

5.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 €8.13

$6.80 €5.96

36.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.16

$1.42 €1.24

73.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 €2.75

$1.99 €1.75

57.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 €2.21

$1.13 €0.99

123.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 €39.26

$40.80 €35.73

9.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 €6.98

$5.80 €5.08

37.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 €2.33

$2.05 €1.80

29.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.69 €34.76

$34.36 €30.09

15.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.80

$2.06 €1.80

-0.49%

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

$34.1K €29.8K

$35.9K €31.4K

-5.05%

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

$36.1K €31.6K

$26.7K €23.4K

35.17%

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

$215 €188

$177 €155

21.57%

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

$11.65 €10.20

$13.60 €11.91

-14.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.28 €27.40

$29.02 €25.42

7.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 €66.6

$73.4 €64.3

3.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.56 €32.89

$33.73 €29.54

11.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 €9.96

$8.86 €7.76

28.44%

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

$878 €769

$435 €381

102.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.3K

$8,156 €7,143

100.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €98.2

$88.2 €77.2

27.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 €46.73

$48.53 €42.50

9.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €101

$93.8 €82.2

23.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 €148

$101 €88.6

66.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,378

$613 €536

156.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 €984

$483 €423

132.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,208 €2,810

$1,268 €1,110

153.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 €1,795

$923 €808

122.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K €9,333

$3,161 €2,768

237.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,344 €4,680

$1,589 €1,392

236.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,208 €1,934

$1,624 €1,422

36.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

4.74

-31.43%

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

Last update for Milan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lecce: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,573 in Milan versus $613 in Lecce. 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 36% 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 $91.0 in Milan versus $73.0 in Lecce. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $301 – making Lecce 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 Lecce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Milan is pricier by about 57%, 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 $3,701 per month in Milan and $2,350 in Lecce. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Milan and $73.0 in Lecce. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,467 in Milan and $1,567 in Lecce. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lecce, where all-in costs run around $1,567, than in Milan at $2,467. In Lecce it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lecce – 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 Lecce. 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.