Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Lucca Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Lucca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,508 per month in Milan vs $1,897 in Lucca, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,853 per month in Milan vs $2,783 in Lucca, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,197 per month in Milan vs $3,669 in Lucca, rent included.

Milan costs about 32% more than Lucca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Milan and Lucca sit above the global median – Milan by 87%, Lucca by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.84

$17.62 €15.16

30.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 €79.2

$73.4 €63.1

25.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 €10.95

$11.69 €10.05

8.90%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.87

$1.67 €1.44

29.94%

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

$3.23 €2.78

$2.72 €2.34

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.14 €0.98

31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.11

$5.93 €5.10

19.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.92

$4.51 €3.88

26.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.78 €1.53

3.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 €2.42

$2.51 €2.16

11.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.86 €2.46

16.78%

Eggs

$4.31 €3.70

$3.47 €2.98

24.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 €16.98

$18.30 €15.75

7.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 €11.20

$13.66 €11.75

-4.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 €21.24

$21.97 €18.90

12.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 €2.45

$2.44 €2.10

16.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.81 €1.56

27.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 €2.90

$2.67 €2.30

26.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 €3.39

$3.12 €2.68

26.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.82 €1.57

42.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.89 €1.63

15.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.80 €1.55

-9.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.60

$0.46 €0.40

52.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.91

$7.07 €6.08

-2.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 €7.83

$7.88 €6.78

15.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.86 €1.60

26.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.58

$2.44 €2.10

22.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$1.98 €1.71

25.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.58 €39.21

$35.20 €30.28

29.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 €6.99

$4.67 €4.02

74.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.16 €0.99

126.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.61 €34.08

$28.87 €24.83

37.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.01 €1.73

1.99%

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

$33.4K €28.8K

$33.0K €28.4K

1.16%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$33.7K €29.0K

8.10%

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

$216 €185

$245 €211

-11.92%

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

$11.71 €10.07

$13.39 €11.52

-12.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 €26.21

$29.94 €25.76

1.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.1 €64.6

$69.2 €59.5

8.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.13 €31.94

$22.83 €19.64

62.64%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 €10.10

$9.90 €8.52

18.59%

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

$875 €753

$515 €443

69.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.4K

$9,160 €7,879

82.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €99.0

$93.2 €80.2

23.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €45.80

$53.7 €46.21

-0.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.9

$88.7 €76.3

29.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 €147

$136 €117

25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,387

$796 €685

102.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 €978

$663 €570

71.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,138 €2,699

$1,546 €1,330

102.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,793

$951 €818

119.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,505

$4,151 €3,571

166.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,565 €4,787

$2,205 €1,897

152.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,270 €1,953

$1,817 €1,563

24.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

4.6

-29.35%

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

Last update for Milan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lucca: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Milan versus $796 in Lucca. 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 25% 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 $73.0 in Lucca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $400 vs $359 – making Lucca 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 Lucca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Milan is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,762 per month in Milan and $2,845 in Lucca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lucca, 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 $2,508 in Milan and $1,897 in Lucca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 29% less in Lucca. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Lucca, where all-in costs run around $1,897, than in Milan at $2,508. In Lucca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lucca – 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 Lucca. 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.