Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Scalea Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Scalea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,626 in Milan versus $1,795 in Scalea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,008 in Milan versus $2,635 in Scalea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,391 in Milan versus $3,475 in Scalea.

Living in Milan is roughly 46% more expensive than in Scalea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 90% above, Scalea 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.92 €20.62

$17.63 €15.20

35.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.6 €83.3

$58.9 €50.8

64.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.23 €12.26

$11.79 €10.16

20.70%

Cappuccino

$2.20 €1.90

$2.30 €1.98

-4.35%

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

$3.93 €3.39

$2.98 €2.57

31.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.92 €1.65

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 €5.92

$7.04 €6.07

-2.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 €6.17

$4.40 €3.79

62.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.32 €1.14

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 €2.83

$1.68 €1.45

95.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 €3.26

$2.68 €2.31

41.04%

Eggs

$5.09 €4.38

$3.72 €3.21

36.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.17 €19.98

$11.84 €10.20

95.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.22 €13.12

$12.22 €10.54

24.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.76 €20.48

$16.46 €14.19

44.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 €2.76

$2.15 €1.85

48.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$1.73 €1.49

50.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 €3.02

$1.48 €1.27

136.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 €3.92

$2.76 €2.38

64.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 €2.07

$1.68 €1.45

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.31 €1.13

55.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 €1.58

$1.29 €1.11

41.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 €0.55

$0.45 €0.39

42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.71 €6.65

$6.84 €5.90

12.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.48 €8.17

$7.94 €6.84

19.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.81 €1.56

11.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.05

$1.65 €1.42

43.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 €2.26

$1.51 €1.30

73.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.60 €39.30

$43.61 €37.59

4.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.16 €7.03

$8.00 €6.90

2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 €1.95

$2.34 €2.01

-3.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.1 €54.4

$34.97 €30.15

80.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.06 €1.78

4.37%

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

$37.2K €32.1K

$37.4K €32.2K

-0.43%

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

$37.9K €32.6K

$36.6K €31.5K

3.54%

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

$261 €225

$322 €278

-18.90%

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

$10.96 €9.44

$11.00 €9.48

-0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.08 €26.79

$36.51 €31.47

-14.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 €76.4

$58.6 €50.5

51.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.85 €29.18

$27.53 €23.73

22.96%

Cinema Ticket

$12.64 €10.90

$10.23 €8.82

23.56%

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

$890 €767

$456 €394

95.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K €17.2K

$6,898 €5,946

188.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €94.4

$87.0 €75.0

25.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 €45.25

$34.85 €30.04

50.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €99.8

$88.0 €75.9

31.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 €145

$133 €114

26.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 €1,510

$650 €561

169.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 €1,022

$540 €465

119.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,575 €3,082

$1,361 €1,173

162.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,131 €1,837

$964 €831

121.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,608

$1,474 €1,270

656.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,132 €4,423

$1,208 €1,041

324.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,231 €1,923

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.17

3.55

-10.70%

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

Last update for Milan: September 7, 2026

Last update for Scalea: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,751 in Milan and $650 in Scalea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $97.0 in Milan vs $59.0 in Scalea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $432 vs $289 per month, with Scalea 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 Scalea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Scalea is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,938 in Milan and $2,693 in Scalea to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,751 in Milan versus $650 in Scalea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $890 in Milan versus $456 in Scalea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Milan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,795 in Scalea versus $2,626 in Milan, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Scalea but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Scalea the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Scalea 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 Scalea 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 Scalea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.