Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Lecce

For one person, living is cheaper in Lecce: $1,445 a month against $2,555 in Milan, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Milan, Italy
Lecce, Italy
Milan
🇮🇹 Italy
$2,555
/mo nomad
Lecce
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,445
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Milan and in Lecce

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 Lecce actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,555 per month in Milan vs $1,445 in Lecce, rent included.

  • Milan $2,555
  • Lecce $1,445

A couple spends around $3,859 per month in Milan vs $2,321 in Lecce, rent included.

  • Milan $3,859
  • Lecce $2,321

A family of three spends $5,163 per month in Milan vs $3,196 in Lecce, rent included.

  • Milan $5,163
  • Lecce $3,196

Milan costs about 77% more than Lecce, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Milan and Lecce sit above the global median – Milan by 88%, Lecce by 6%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Milan
Lecce
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.10 €19.79
$16.84 €15.08
31.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.0 €79.8
$68.1 €61.0
30.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.35 €11.96
$10.18 €9.12
31.14%
Cappuccino
$2.14 €1.91
$1.98 €1.78
8.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 €3.30
$2.16 €1.93
70.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 €1.74
$1.09 €0.98
78.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.96 €6.24
$3.87 €3.46
79.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.78 €6.07
$3.41 €3.06
98.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Milan
Lecce
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 €1.56
$1.43 €1.28
22.38%
White Bread (500g)
$3.19 €2.85
$1.82 €1.63
75.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.69 €3.30
$2.27 €2.03
62.56%
Eggs
$5.02 €4.50
$2.50 €2.24
100.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$23.30 €20.87
$12.38 €11.09
88.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.73 €13.19
$11.26 €10.09
30.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.89 €20.50
$16.31 €14.60
40.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.96 €2.65
$2.11 €1.89
40.28%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 €2.07
$1.94 €1.74
19.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.23 €2.89
$1.92 €1.72
68.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.30 €3.85
$3.50 €3.14
22.86%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 €2.03
$1.65 €1.48
36.97%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 €1.79
$1.61 €1.45
24.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 €1.59
$1.19 €1.07
49.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 €0.55
$0.38 €0.34
60.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.25 €6.49
$6.86 €6.14
5.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.77 €8.75
$6.73 €6.03
45.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.73
$1.43 €1.28
34.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 €2.13
$2.46 €2.20
-3.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Milan
Lecce
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.45 €2.19
$1.37 €1.23
78.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.45 €38.91
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.62 €6.83
$5.53 €4.95
37.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.19 €1.96
4.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$65.1 €58.3
$23.41 €20.97
177.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.09 €1.87
5.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.3K €32.6K
$35.7K €32.0K
1.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.4K €33.5K
$35.6K €31.9K
5.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Milan
Lecce
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$248 €222
$170 €152
45.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.29 €9.22
$11.62 €10.40
-11.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.70 €26.60
$27.90 €24.99
6.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Milan
Lecce
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$82.9 €74.2
$80.6 €72.2
2.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.55 €30.04
$56.3 €50.4
-40.36%
Cinema Ticket
$11.38 €10.19
$8.61 €7.71
32.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Milan
Lecce
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$939 €841
$567 €507
65.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K €16.8K
$5,021 €4,497
273.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Milan
Lecce
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.7
$82.0 €73.5
23.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.50 €44.34
$48.10 €43.08
2.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 €104
$88.0 €78.9
31.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$164 €146
$78.1 €69.9
109.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Milan
Lecce
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,764 €1,580
$603 €540
192.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,164 €1,043
$470 €421
147.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,429 €3,071
$1,205 €1,080
184.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,975 €1,768
$903 €808
118.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.6K €9,470
$3,050 €2,732
246.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,220 €4,675
$1,579 €1,414
230.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Milan
Lecce
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,162 €1,936
$1,602 €1,434
34.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.18
4.82
-34.02%

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

Last update for Milan: October 27, 2026

Last update for Lecce: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Milan
$1.2K
Lecce
$470 59.6% $694
Groceries & Markets
Milan
$419
Lecce
$284 32.1% $134
Eating Out
Milan
$313
Lecce
$228 27.2% $85
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Milan
$288
Lecce
$210 27.2% $78
Clothing & Footwear
Milan
$194
Lecce
$133 31.1% $60
Sport & Entertainment
Milan
$106
Lecce
$98 7.4% $7.8
Getting Around
Milan
$72
Lecce
$22 * 69.6% $50

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,764 in Milan versus $603 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 35% 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 in Milan versus $68 in Lecce. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $419 vs $284 – making Lecce the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Milan
🇮🇹 Lecce
🕒 Local time
23:14 11:14 PM
23:14 11:14 PM
Same time as Milan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,394,798
94,773
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Milan Lecce 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Milan
  • Lecce

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 Lecce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lecce cheaper than Milan?
Yes – Milan is pricier by about 77%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,833 per month in Milan and $2,168 in Lecce. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lecce, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $603 there versus $1,764 in Milan.
What are total monthly expenses in Milan and in Lecce?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,555 in Milan and $1,445 in Lecce. That makes Lecce about 43% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $939 per month in Milan and $567 in Lecce. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is Milan or Lecce more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Milan or Lecce?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Lecce. If higher salaries 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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