Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Olbia Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Olbia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,467 in Milan versus $1,742 in Olbia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,845 in Milan versus $2,486 in Olbia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,223 in Milan versus $3,231 in Olbia.

Living in Milan is roughly 42% more expensive than in Olbia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 85% above, Olbia 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.53 €20.61

$17.08 €14.96

37.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €80.1

$82.4 €72.2

10.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.72 €11.14

$11.10 €9.72

14.59%

Cappuccino

$2.10 €1.84

$1.71 €1.50

22.81%

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

$3.35 €2.93

$2.91 €2.55

15.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.27

$1.35 €1.18

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 €6.15

$4.57 €4.01

53.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.94

$4.70 €4.12

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.58 €1.38

12.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 €2.49

$1.76 €1.54

61.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 €2.87

$2.75 €2.41

19.27%

Eggs

$4.26 €3.73

$2.40 €2.11

77.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 €17.31

$16.46 €14.42

20.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 €11.35

$10.69 €9.36

21.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.27 €21.25

$18.88 €16.54

28.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.48

$2.06 €1.81

37.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$1.73 €1.52

37.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 €2.92

$2.22 €1.94

50.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.42

$3.03 €2.66

28.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.23

$1.51 €1.33

68.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 €1.95

$1.44 €1.26

54.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.47 €1.29

11.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.43 €0.38

62.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$7.04 €6.17

1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 €8.13

$7.84 €6.87

18.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.16

$1.63 €1.43

50.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 €2.75

$1.41 €1.23

122.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 €2.21

$1.40 €1.23

80.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 €39.26

$26.00 €22.77

72.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 €6.98

$3.83 €3.36

108.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 €2.33

$1.11 €0.98

139.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.69 €34.76

$28.97 €25.37

37.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.80

$2.12 €1.86

-3.30%

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

$34.1K €29.8K

$32.8K €28.8K

3.73%

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

$36.1K €31.6K

$28.6K €25.0K

26.53%

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

$215 €188

$179 €157

20.04%

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

$11.65 €10.20

$13.09 €11.47

-11.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.28 €27.40

$31.39 €27.50

-0.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 €66.6

$54.1 €47.39

40.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.56 €32.89

$8.34 €7.30

350.36%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 €9.96

$7.91 €6.93

43.87%

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

$878 €769

$337 €295

160.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.3K

$8,086 €7,082

102.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €98.2

$91.0 €79.7

23.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 €46.73

$49.41 €43.27

7.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €101

$85.0 €74.5

35.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 €148

$120 €105

40.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,378

$943 €826

66.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 €984

$685 €600

64.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,208 €2,810

$1,416 €1,240

126.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 €1,795

$813 €712

152.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K €9,333

$3,344 €2,929

218.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,344 €4,680

$2,686 €2,352

98.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,208 €1,934

$1,948 €1,706

13.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

4.87

-33.26%

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

Last update for Milan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Olbia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Milan and $943 in Olbia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 13% 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: $91.0 in Milan vs $82.0 in Olbia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $303 per month, with Olbia 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 Olbia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olbia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $1,573 in Milan versus $943 in Olbia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $878 in Milan versus $337 in Olbia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Milan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,742 in Olbia versus $2,467 in Milan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Olbia but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Olbia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Olbia 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 Olbia 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 Olbia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.