Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Mestre Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Mestre

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,536 per month in Milan vs $1,977 in Mestre, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,851 per month in Milan vs $3,037 in Mestre, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,165 per month in Milan vs $4,097 in Mestre, rent included.

Milan costs about 28% more than Mestre, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Milan and Mestre sit above the global median – Milan by 89%, Mestre by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.57 €20.17

$22.73 €19.46

3.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €78.3

$93.1 €79.7

-1.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.80 €10.95

$12.21 €10.45

4.83%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.85

$2.11 €1.80

2.84%

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

$3.23 €2.76

$3.10 €2.65

4.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.66 €1.42

-11.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.76 €5.79

$5.95 €5.10

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$4.53 €3.87

27.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.58 €1.35

13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 €2.48

$3.00 €2.57

-3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 €2.74

$2.81 €2.40

13.88%

Eggs

$4.45 €3.81

$4.29 €3.68

3.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.58 €16.76

$16.69 €14.29

17.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.90 €11.04

$12.70 €10.87

1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.13 €20.65

$14.42 €12.35

67.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.42

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 €1.97

$2.03 €1.74

13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.88

$2.59 €2.22

29.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.35

$2.69 €2.30

45.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$1.86 €1.59

43.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.71 €1.46

22.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.84 €1.57

-8.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.63

$0.47 €0.41

55.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 €5.87

$6.58 €5.63

4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.46 €8.10

$7.10 €6.08

33.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.11

$1.52 €1.30

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.64

$2.08 €1.78

48.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 €2.24

$1.78 €1.53

46.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.82 €38.37

$48.10 €41.17

-6.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 €6.91

$6.97 €5.97

15.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 €2.20

$1.47 €1.26

74.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.65 €33.08

$45.63 €39.06

-15.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.75

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

$33.3K €28.5K

$31.2K €26.7K

6.92%

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

$35.6K €30.5K

$28.1K €24.0K

26.70%

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

$221 €190

$223 €191

-0.85%

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

$11.71 €10.02

$13.49 €11.55

-13.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.89 €26.44

$27.06 €23.16

14.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 €63.4

$60.0 €51.4

23.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.50 €31.24

$20.61 €17.64

77.10%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 €9.73

$11.46 €9.81

-0.79%

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

$900 €770

$570 €487

57.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$5,762 €4,932

187.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €96.0

$80.4 €68.8

39.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 €46.28

$46.62 €39.91

15.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 €96.6

$102 €87.1

10.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 €145

$144 €123

17.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 €1,363

$893 €765

78.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,128 €965

$747 €640

50.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,142 €2,690

$1,595 €1,365

97.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,088 €1,787

$1,291 €1,105

61.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K €9,429

$2,034 €1,741

441.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,295 €4,532

$1,617 €1,384

227.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,306 €1,974

$2,038 €1,745

13.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

4.9

-33.67%

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

Last update for Milan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mestre: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,592 in Milan versus $893 in Mestre. 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 13% 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 $93.0 in Mestre. Groceries tell a different story – $399 in Milan vs $329 in Mestre – so Mestre wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mestre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,536 in Milan, $1,977 in Mestre – roughly 28% apart. Milan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,804 per month in Milan and $2,965 in Mestre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mestre, 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 $2,536 in Milan and $1,977 in Mestre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Mestre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mestre, where all-in costs run around $1,977, than in Milan at $2,536. In Mestre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Milan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,977 in Mestre to $2,536 in Milan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mestre. 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.