Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Massa Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Massa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,645 in Milan versus $1,602 in Massa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,044 in Milan versus $2,614 in Massa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,444 in Milan versus $3,626 in Massa.

Living in Milan is roughly 65% more expensive than in Massa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 92% above, Massa 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.76 €21.29

$17.61 €15.14

40.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.3 €83.7

$69.8 €60.0

39.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 €11.96

$12.02 €10.33

15.72%

Cappuccino

$2.13 €1.83

$2.28 €1.96

-6.58%

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

$4.02 €3.46

$2.41 €2.07

66.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.77

$1.14 €0.98

80.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.92

$4.76 €4.09

44.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 €5.98

$6.48 €5.57

7.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.50 €1.29

19.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.97 €2.56

12.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 €3.25

$2.81 €2.41

34.52%

Eggs

$5.07 €4.36

$4.80 €4.13

5.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.70 €20.37

$19.05 €16.38

24.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.03 €12.92

$13.29 €11.43

13.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.74 €20.41

$17.58 €15.12

35.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 €2.77

$2.31 €1.99

39.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$1.73 €1.48

47.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 €3.00

$1.94 €1.67

80.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 €3.94

$2.60 €2.23

76.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.12

$1.63 €1.40

51.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.84

$1.36 €1.17

58.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.78 €1.53

3.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.51

$0.57 €0.49

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 €6.47

$7.15 €6.15

5.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.35 €8.04

$8.27 €7.11

13.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.69 €1.45

21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.91 €1.64

23.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$1.75 €1.50

42.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.87 €39.43

$43.94 €37.78

4.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 €6.94

$5.96 €5.12

35.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.55 €1.34

52.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 €55.9

$28.60 €24.58

127.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.07 €1.78

3.86%

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

$38.3K €32.9K

$37.5K €32.2K

2.14%

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

$37.7K €32.4K

$36.4K €31.3K

3.60%

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

$267 €230

$231 €198

15.78%

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

$10.89 €9.36

$12.25 €10.53

-11.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.70 €26.39

$29.28 €25.17

4.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 €76.0

$57.9 €49.76

52.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.05 €29.27

$25.65 €22.06

32.75%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 €11.07

$9.99 €8.59

28.83%

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

$862 €741

$576 €495

49.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K €17.3K

$4,726 €4,063

325.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.5

$97.7 €84.0

8.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 €45.20

$43.97 €37.80

19.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$104 €89.7

12.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 €146

$161 €139

5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 €1,496

$647 €557

168.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 €1,051

$444 €382

175.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,638 €3,127

$1,099 €945

230.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,089 €1,796

$896 €771

133.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,550

$3,043 €2,616

265.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,102 €4,386

$2,137 €1,838

138.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,275 €1,956

$1,746 €1,501

30.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.17

3.46

-8.38%

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

Last update for Milan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Massa: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,740 in Milan and $647 in Massa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $97.0 in Milan vs $70.0 in Massa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $432 vs $345 per month, with Massa 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 Massa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Milan and Massa differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($2,645 vs $1,602 including rent). Massa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Milan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,740 in Milan versus $647 in Massa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Massa – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $97.0 in Milan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,645 per month in Milan versus $1,602 in Massa – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,602 in Massa versus $2,645 in Milan, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Massa but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Massa 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 Massa 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 Massa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.