Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Messina Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Messina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,508 per month in Milan vs $1,438 in Messina, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,853 per month in Milan vs $2,258 in Messina, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,197 per month in Milan vs $3,078 in Messina, rent included.

Milan costs about 74% more than Messina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Milan and Messina sit above the global median – Milan by 87%, Messina by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.84

$13.65 €11.74

68.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 €79.2

$58.2 €50.1

58.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 €10.95

$11.53 €9.91

10.41%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.87

$1.99 €1.71

9.05%

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

$3.23 €2.78

$2.21 €1.90

46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.22 €1.05

22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.11

$3.53 €3.03

101.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.92

$3.57 €3.07

59.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.34 €1.15

37.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 €2.42

$2.08 €1.79

35.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.65 €2.28

26.04%

Eggs

$4.31 €3.70

$3.33 €2.87

29.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 €16.98

$9.87 €8.49

100.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 €11.20

$9.97 €8.58

30.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 €21.24

$17.73 €15.25

39.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 €2.45

$2.83 €2.43

0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.73 €1.49

33.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 €2.90

$1.13 €0.97

198.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 €3.39

$3.04 €2.62

29.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$0.67 €0.58

286.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.25 €1.08

75.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.13 €0.97

44.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.60

$0.40 €0.34

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.91

$6.47 €5.56

6.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 €7.83

$5.83 €5.02

56.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.50 €1.29

56.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.58

$2.45 €2.11

22.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$1.70 €1.47

46.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.58 €39.21

$43.97 €37.82

3.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 €6.99

$4.65 €4.00

74.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.47 €1.26

78.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.61 €34.08

$45.90 €39.49

-13.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.98 €1.71

3.54%

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

$33.4K €28.8K

$35.6K €30.6K

-6.07%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$28.5K €24.5K

27.78%

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

$216 €185

$192 €165

12.07%

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

$11.71 €10.07

$14.24 €12.25

-17.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 €26.21

$27.42 €23.58

11.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.1 €64.6

$50.1 €43.05

50.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.13 €31.94

$17.30 €14.88

114.62%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 €10.10

$9.60 €8.26

22.29%

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

$875 €753

$351 €302

149.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.4K

$10.7K €9,188

56.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €99.0

$88.7 €76.3

29.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €45.80

$31.10 €26.75

71.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.9

$91.7 €78.8

25.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 €147

$129 €111

32.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,387

$631 €543

155.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 €978

$463 €399

145.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,138 €2,699

$1,000 €860

213.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,793

$879 €756

137.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,505

$2,220 €1,910

397.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,565 €4,787

$1,752 €1,507

217.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,270 €1,953

$1,834 €1,578

23.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

4.72

-31.14%

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

Last update for Milan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Messina: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Milan versus $631 in Messina. 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 24% 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 $58.0 in Messina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $400 vs $273 – making Messina 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 Messina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Milan costs about 74% more than Messina, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,762 per month in Milan and $2,157 in Messina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Messina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $875 per month in Milan and $351 in Messina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Milan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Messina, where all-in costs run around $1,438, than in Milan at $2,508. In Messina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Messina costs $1,438 versus $2,508 in Milan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Messina. 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.