Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Modena Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Modena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,657 in Milan versus $1,956 in Modena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,049 in Milan versus $3,185 in Modena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,441 in Milan versus $4,415 in Modena.

Living in Milan is roughly 36% more expensive than in Modena, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 94% above, Modena 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.95 €20.87

$22.67 €19.76

5.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.4 €83.2

$93.2 €81.3

2.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €12.06

$13.94 €12.15

-0.79%

Cappuccino

$2.11 €1.84

$2.05 €1.78

2.93%

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

$3.99 €3.48

$3.16 €2.76

26.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.63 €1.42

20.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 €6.08

$6.86 €5.98

1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 €5.92

$5.76 €5.02

18.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.49 €1.30

22.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 €2.99

$2.59 €2.26

32.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 €3.31

$1.69 €1.48

124.26%

Eggs

$5.18 €4.51

$5.26 €4.59

-1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.71 €20.67

$21.16 €18.44

12.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.49 €13.50

$14.71 €12.82

5.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.63 €20.60

$21.99 €19.17

7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 €2.77

$2.67 €2.33

19.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 €2.21

$2.51 €2.19

1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 €3.17

$3.36 €2.93

8.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 €3.93

$3.26 €2.85

38.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 €2.05

$2.56 €2.23

-7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.79

$1.75 €1.53

17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 €1.65

$1.47 €1.29

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 €0.51

$0.74 €0.65

-20.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 €6.58

$6.99 €6.10

8.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 €8.11

$9.29 €8.10

0.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.75

$1.61 €1.41

24.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 €2.08

$2.68 €2.33

-11.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.17

$2.34 €2.04

6.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.35 €38.66

$39.81 €34.70

11.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 €7.14

$6.86 €5.98

19.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.45 €1.27

57.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.7 €54.6

$33.40 €29.12

87.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 €1.94

$2.12 €1.85

4.72%

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

$37.8K €33.0K

$37.4K €32.6K

1.20%

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

$36.6K €31.9K

$36.3K €31.7K

0.60%

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

$265 €231

$197 €172

34.71%

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

$10.78 €9.40

$13.48 €11.75

-20.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.61 €26.68

$32.53 €28.36

-5.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.2 €74.3

$80.3 €70.0

6.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.22 €29.83

$23.16 €20.19

47.75%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 €11.26

$11.70 €10.20

10.43%

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

$887 €774

$582 €507

52.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K €17.2K

$15.8K €13.8K

24.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €93.1

$85.9 €74.9

24.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 €46.73

$42.72 €37.24

25.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €102

$101 €88.1

15.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 €147

$108 €94.5

55.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 €1,538

$857 €747

105.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,173 €1,023

$692 €603

69.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,538 €3,084

$1,780 €1,552

98.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 €1,801

$1,384 €1,206

49.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K €9,492

$3,710 €3,234

193.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,080 €4,428

$2,285 €1,992

122.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,242 €1,955

$2,168 €1,890

3.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.17

3.29

-3.65%

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

Last update for Milan: September 15, 2026

Last update for Modena: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,765 in Milan and $857 in Modena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 3% 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: $95.0 in Milan vs $93.0 in Modena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $435 vs $388 per month, with Modena 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 Modena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Modena is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% 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: $1,765 in Milan versus $857 in Modena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $887 in Milan versus $582 in Modena. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Milan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,956 in Modena versus $2,657 in Milan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Modena but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Modena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Modena is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Milan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Milan and Modena 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 Modena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.