Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Ostia Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Ostia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,441 in Milan versus $1,690 in Ostia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,883 in Milan versus $2,587 in Ostia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,324 in Milan versus $3,485 in Ostia.

Living in Milan is roughly 44% more expensive than Ostia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 81% above, Ostia 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.10 €19.66

$17.20 €14.64

34.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.0 €78.3

$76.7 €65.3

19.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.00 €11.06

$11.56 €9.83

12.46%

Cappuccino

$2.21 €1.88

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

$3.40 €2.89

$2.26 €1.93

50.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.25

$1.08 €0.92

36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 €6.01

$4.51 €3.84

56.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 €4.79

$4.51 €3.84

24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.52

$1.71 €1.45

4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 €2.45

$2.19 €1.86

31.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 €2.73

$2.91 €2.48

10.31%

Eggs

$4.39 €3.73

$4.60 €3.91

-4.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.66 €16.73

$14.99 €12.76

31.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.17 €11.21

$10.34 €8.80

27.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.43 €20.79

$16.29 €13.86

49.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 €2.43

$2.46 €2.09

16.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 €1.95

$2.19 €1.86

4.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.86

$1.96 €1.67

71.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 €3.51

$2.68 €2.28

54.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 €2.26

$1.80 €1.53

47.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.82

$1.87 €1.59

14.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 €1.39

$1.26 €1.07

30.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.62

$0.52 €0.44

40.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.98 €5.94

$6.97 €5.93

0.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 €7.87

$5.19 €4.42

78.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.01

$1.86 €1.58

26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.62

$2.66 €2.27

15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.58 €2.19

$1.72 €1.46

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.57 €37.93

$43.87 €37.34

1.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 €6.98

$5.36 €4.56

52.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 €2.22

$1.59 €1.36

64.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.71 €33.79

$35.41 €30.13

12.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.75

$1.94 €1.65

6.19%

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

$33.5K €28.5K

$29.0K €24.7K

15.54%

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

$35.7K €30.4K

$29.8K €25.4K

19.67%

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

$218 €186

$224 €191

-2.43%

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

$11.69 €9.95

$11.00 €9.36

6.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.70 €26.13

$33.04 €28.12

-7.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.6 €65.1

$63.8 €54.3

19.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.94 €31.44

$23.12 €19.67

59.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 €9.76

$11.48 €9.77

-0.09%

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

$890 €757

$399 €339

123.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K €14.2K

$9,092 €7,737

83.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €96.2

$74.6 €63.4

51.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 €46.80

$34.37 €29.25

59.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €97.7

$84.8 €72.2

35.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 €148

$120 €102

45.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,626 €1,384

$748 €636

117.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 €953

$581 €495

92.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,194 €2,718

$1,235 €1,051

158.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 €1,769

$929 €790

123.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K €9,326

$2,840 €2,417

285.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,319 €4,526

$2,169 €1,846

145.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,284 €1,944

$2,157 €1,835

5.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

3.95

-17.72%

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

Last update for Milan: April 11, 2026

Last update for Ostia: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,626 in Milan and $748 in Ostia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 6% 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: $92 in Milan vs $77 in Ostia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $307 per month, with Ostia 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 Ostia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ostia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Milan pays 6% more on average, 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: $1,626 in Milan versus $748 in Ostia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $890 in Milan versus $399 in Ostia. 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 $1,690 in Ostia versus $2,441 in Milan, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ostia but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Ostia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ostia 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 Ostia 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 Ostia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.