Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Lipari Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Lipari

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,536 in Milan versus $1,689 in Lipari.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,851 in Milan versus $2,587 in Lipari.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,165 in Milan versus $3,484 in Lipari.

Living in Milan is roughly 50% more expensive than Lipari, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 89% above, Lipari 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.57 €20.17

$17.28 €14.79

36.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €78.3

$74.3 €63.6

23.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.80 €10.95

$11.52 €9.86

11.11%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.85

$1.90 €1.63

14.21%

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

$3.23 €2.76

$3.07 €2.63

5.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.36 €1.16

8.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.76 €5.79

$5.62 €4.81

20.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$5.16 €4.42

12.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.62 €1.39

10.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.17 €1.86

33.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 €2.74

$2.80 €2.40

14.29%

Eggs

$4.45 €3.81

$4.08 €3.49

9.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.58 €16.76

$16.13 €13.80

21.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.90 €11.04

$12.19 €10.43

5.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.13 €20.65

$19.55 €16.73

23.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.42

$2.47 €2.12

14.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 €1.97

$1.99 €1.71

16.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.88

$2.65 €2.27

26.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.35

$3.15 €2.70

24.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$1.81 €1.55

46.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.77 €1.51

18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.50 €1.28

12.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.63

$0.49 €0.42

48.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 €5.87

Wine (Bottle)

$9.46 €8.10

$7.99 €6.84

18.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.11

$1.72 €1.47

43.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.64

$2.43 €2.08

26.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 €2.24

$1.70 €1.45

53.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.82 €38.37

$43.37 €37.13

3.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 €6.91

$5.93 €5.07

36.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 €2.20

$1.58 €1.36

62.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.65 €33.08

$34.78 €29.77

11.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.02 €1.73

1.49%

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

$33.3K €28.5K

$32.6K €27.9K

2.38%

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

$35.6K €30.5K

$33.3K €28.5K

6.75%

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

$221 €190

$222 €190

-0.11%

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

$11.71 €10.02

$13.21 €11.30

-11.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.89 €26.44

$31.24 €26.75

-1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 €63.4

$54.1 €46.29

36.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.50 €31.24

$23.05 €19.73

58.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 €9.73

$10.55 €9.03

7.77%

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

$900 €770

$564 €483

59.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$7,887 €6,751

109.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €96.0

$87.9 €75.3

27.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 €46.28

$38.64 €33.08

39.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 €96.6

$92.4 €79.1

22.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 €145

$127 €109

33.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 €1,363

$740 €633

115.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,128 €965

$585 €501

92.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,142 €2,690

$1,195 €1,023

162.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,088 €1,787

$922 €789

126.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K €9,429

$3,070 €2,628

258.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,295 €4,532

$2,096 €1,794

152.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,306 €1,974

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

4.45

-26.97%

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

Last update for Milan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lipari: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,592 in Milan and $740 in Lipari. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $92.0 in Milan vs $74.0 in Lipari for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $334 per month, with Lipari cheaper across the board.

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 Lipari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Milan and Lipari differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($2,536 vs $1,689 including rent). Lipari is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,804 in Milan and $2,534 in Lipari to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,592 in Milan versus $740 in Lipari. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,536 per month in Milan versus $1,689 in Lipari – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lipari runs roughly 3% less than in Milan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,689 in Lipari versus $2,536 in Milan, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lipari but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Lipari the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Milan and Lipari are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lipari gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.