Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Rome Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Rome

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,467 in Milan versus $1,986 in Rome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,845 in Milan versus $3,073 in Rome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,223 in Milan versus $4,159 in Rome.

Living in Milan is roughly 24% more expensive than in Rome, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 85% above, Rome 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.53 €20.61

$17.54 €15.37

34.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €80.1

$76.0 €66.5

20.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.72 €11.14

$11.67 €10.22

9.00%

Cappuccino

$2.10 €1.84

$1.77 €1.55

18.64%

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

$3.35 €2.93

$2.45 €2.14

36.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.27

$1.26 €1.11

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 €6.15

$5.75 €5.03

22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.94

$5.06 €4.43

11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.70 €1.49

4.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 €2.49

$2.07 €1.81

37.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 €2.87

$2.99 €2.62

9.70%

Eggs

$4.26 €3.73

$4.52 €3.96

-5.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 €17.31

$17.69 €15.49

11.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 €11.35

$11.75 €10.29

10.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.27 €21.25

$20.56 €18.01

18.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.48

$2.43 €2.12

16.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$2.36 €2.06

0.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 €2.92

$2.02 €1.77

65.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.42

$2.67 €2.34

46.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.23

$1.76 €1.54

44.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 €1.95

$1.85 €1.62

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.27 €1.11

29.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.56 €0.49

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$6.81 €5.96

4.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 €8.13

$3.96 €3.46

134.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.16

$1.94 €1.70

26.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 €2.75

$2.76 €2.42

13.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 €2.21

$1.72 €1.51

47.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 €39.26

$41.16 €36.05

8.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 €6.98

$5.23 €4.58

52.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 €2.33

$1.58 €1.39

68.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.69 €34.76

$34.86 €30.53

13.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.80

$2.03 €1.78

0.99%

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

$34.1K €29.8K

$29.0K €25.4K

17.46%

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

$36.1K €31.6K

$29.9K €26.2K

21.00%

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

$215 €188

$222 €195

-3.35%

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

$11.65 €10.20

$10.96 €9.60

6.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.28 €27.40

$30.99 €27.14

0.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 €66.6

$64.2 €56.2

18.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.56 €32.89

$23.99 €21.01

56.57%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 €9.96

$11.63 €10.19

-2.15%

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

$878 €769

$539 €472

62.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.3K

$10.7K €9,363

53.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €98.2

$73.1 €64.1

53.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 €46.73

$34.58 €30.29

54.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €101

$86.6 €75.8

33.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 €148

$119 €104

42.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,378

$1,328 €1,163

18.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 €984

$866 €759

29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,208 €2,810

$2,596 €2,274

23.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 €1,795

$1,602 €1,403

27.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K €9,333

$8,434 €7,386

26.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,344 €4,680

$3,464 €3,034

54.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,208 €1,934

$1,947 €1,705

13.43%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Rome: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Milan and $1,328 in Rome. 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 $76.0 in Rome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $333 per month, with Rome 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 Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 24% 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 $1,328 in Rome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $878 in Milan versus $539 in Rome. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Milan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,986 in Rome versus $2,467 in Milan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rome but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Rome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rome 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 Rome 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 Rome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.