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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,657 per month in Milan vs $1,464 in Lecce, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,049 per month in Milan vs $2,365 in Lecce, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,441 per month in Milan vs $3,266 in Lecce, rent included.

Milan costs about 82% more than Lecce, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Milan and Lecce sit above the global median – Milan by 94%, Lecce by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.95 €20.87

$17.05 €14.86

40.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.4 €83.2

$68.9 €60.1

38.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €12.06

$10.47 €9.13

32.09%

Cappuccino

$2.11 €1.84

$1.97 €1.71

7.11%

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

$3.99 €3.48

$2.18 €1.90

83.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.19 €1.03

64.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 €6.08

$4.02 €3.51

73.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 €5.92

$3.57 €3.11

90.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.55 €1.35

17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 €2.99

$1.69 €1.48

103.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 €3.31

$2.26 €1.97

67.70%

Eggs

$5.18 €4.51

$2.59 €2.26

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.71 €20.67

$12.88 €11.23

84.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.49 €13.50

$10.69 €9.32

44.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.63 €20.60

$16.54 €14.42

42.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 €2.77

$2.16 €1.88

47.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 €2.21

$1.95 €1.70

30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 €3.17

$1.94 €1.69

87.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 €3.93

$3.63 €3.16

24.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.71 €1.49

38.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.79

$1.62 €1.41

27.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 €1.65

$1.34 €1.16

41.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 €0.51

$0.42 €0.37

40.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 €6.58

$6.76 €5.89

11.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 €8.11

$7.04 €6.14

32.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.75

$1.42 €1.23

41.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 €2.08

$2.48 €2.17

-4.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.17

$1.40 €1.22

77.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.35 €38.66

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 €7.14

$5.90 €5.14

38.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.27 €1.98

0.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.7 €54.6

$24.02 €20.94

160.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 €1.94

$2.01 €1.75

10.45%

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

$37.8K €33.0K

$37.5K €32.7K

0.79%

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

$36.6K €31.9K

$36.0K €31.3K

1.70%

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

$265 €231

$176 €154

50.35%

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

$10.78 €9.40

$11.96 €10.43

-9.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.61 €26.68

$29.14 €25.40

5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.2 €74.3

$84.4 €73.6

0.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.22 €29.83

$58.3 €50.8

-41.32%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 €11.26

$8.51 €7.42

51.82%

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

$887 €774

$584 €510

51.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K €17.2K

$5,247 €4,574

276.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €93.1

$84.9 €74.0

25.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 €46.73

$49.38 €43.04

8.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €102

$90.5 €78.9

29.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 €147

$81.7 €71.2

105.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 €1,538

$618 €539

185.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,173 €1,023

$486 €424

141.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,538 €3,084

$1,234 €1,075

186.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 €1,801

$928 €809

122.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K €9,492

$3,142 €2,739

246.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,080 €4,428

$1,605 €1,399

216.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,242 €1,955

$1,706 €1,487

31.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.17

4.82

-34.23%

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

Last update for Milan: September 15, 2026

Last update for Lecce: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,765 in Milan versus $618 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 31% 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 $95.0 in Milan versus $69.0 in Lecce. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $435 vs $287 – 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 82%, 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 $3,986 per month in Milan and $2,196 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,657 in Milan and $1,464 in Lecce. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $887 per month in Milan and $584 in Lecce. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lecce, where all-in costs run around $1,464, than in Milan at $2,657. 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.