Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Modena and Rome

For one person, living is cheaper in Modena: $1,867 a month against $1,998 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rome outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Modena
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,867
/mo nomad
Rome
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,998
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Modena and in Rome

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Modena and in Rome actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,867 per month in Modena vs $1,998 in Rome, rent included.

  • Modena $1,867
  • Rome $1,998

A couple spends around $3,058 per month in Modena vs $3,117 in Rome, rent included.

  • Modena $3,058
  • Rome $3,117

A family of three spends $4,248 per month in Modena vs $4,236 in Rome, rent included.

  • Modena $4,248
  • Rome $4,236

Modena is about 7% cheaper than Rome, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Modena and Rome sit above the global median – Modena by 38%, Rome by 48%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Modena
Rome
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.97 €19.54
$16.69 €14.84
31.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.5 €79.6
$65.8 €58.5
36.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.30 €11.83
$11.08 €9.85
20.04%
Cappuccino
$1.90 €1.69
$2.10 €1.87
-9.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 €2.74
$2.91 €2.59
5.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 €1.43
$1.48 €1.32
8.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.64 €5.91
$5.62 €5.00
18.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.59 €4.98
$6.68 €5.94
-16.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Modena
Rome
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 €1.27
$1.72 €1.53
-16.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.14
$2.27 €2.02
6.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 €1.50
$2.99 €2.66
-43.81%
Eggs
$4.92 €4.38
$4.75 €4.23
3.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.68 €17.51
$14.53 €12.92
35.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.74 €12.22
$12.63 €11.24
8.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.61 €19.22
$19.86 €17.67
8.81%
Apples (1kg)
$2.58 €2.30
$2.64 €2.35
-2.27%
Banana (1kg)
$2.43 €2.16
$2.28 €2.03
6.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.13 €2.79
$2.46 €2.19
27.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.17 €2.82
$2.42 €2.15
30.99%
Potato (1kg)
$2.45 €2.18
$1.38 €1.22
77.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.73 €1.53
$1.55 €1.38
11.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.32 €1.17
3.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 €0.60
$0.55 €0.49
21.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.73 €5.99
$7.31 €6.50
-7.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.96 €7.97
$5.44 €4.84
64.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 €1.39
$1.58 €1.40
-1.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 €2.27
$2.62 €2.33
-2.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Modena
Rome
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.63 €1.45
38.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.70 €35.31
$39.26 €34.92
1.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.78 €6.03
$6.51 €5.79
4.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.68 €1.50
-13.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.76 €29.14
$33.24 €29.57
-1.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.89
$2.17 €1.93
-1.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K €32.2K
$35.3K €31.4K
2.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K €30.9K
$35.4K €31.5K
-2.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Modena
Rome
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$192 €171
$203 €181
-5.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.35 €11.87
$11.50 €10.22
16.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.52 €27.14
$32.03 €28.49
-4.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Modena
Rome
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$78.7 €70.0
$65.9 €58.6
19.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.86 €20.34
$22.89 €20.36
-0.13%
Cinema Ticket
$11.33 €10.07
$11.23 €9.99
0.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Modena
Rome
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$562 €500
$484 €430
16.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.2K €13.6K
$16.5K €14.7K
-7.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Modena
Rome
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.1 €73.9
$71.0 €63.1
17.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.39 €37.70
$36.51 €32.47
16.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.3 €87.4
$84.9 €75.5
15.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 €94.7
$122 €108
-12.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Modena
Rome
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$856 €761
$1,222 €1,087
-29.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$649 €577
$881 €784
-26.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,670 €1,486
$2,537 €2,257
-34.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,377 €1,225
$1,721 €1,530
-19.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,583 €3,187
$8,274 €7,360
-56.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,191 €1,949
$3,084 €2,743
-28.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Modena
Rome
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,076 €1,846
$1,942 €1,728
6.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.29
3.52
-6.53%

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

Last update for Modena: October 12, 2026

Last update for Rome: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Modena
$649
Rome
$881 35.8% $232
Groceries & Markets
Modena
$368
Rome
$329 10.6% $39
Eating Out
Modena
$302
Rome
$251 16.8% $51
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Modena
$236
Rome
$246 4.6% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Modena
$149
Rome
$141 4.8% $7.2
Sport & Entertainment
Modena
$101
Rome
$88 12.9% $13
Getting Around
Modena
$63
Rome
$61 3.3% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $856 in Modena versus $1,222 in Rome. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Modena, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Modena versus $66.0 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $329 – making Rome the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Modena
🇮🇹 Rome
🕒 Local time
17:40 5:40 PM
17:40 5:40 PM
Same time as Modena
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
184,973
2,848,084 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Modena Rome 330 km
From you
  • Modena
  • Rome

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Modena vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Modena or Rome?
Rome costs about 7% more than Modena, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Modena and in Rome?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,801 per month in Modena and $2,998 in Rome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Modena or Rome?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Modena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Modena and in Rome?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Modena and $66.0 in Rome. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Modena compared to Rome?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,867 in Modena and $1,998 in Rome. That's a gap of about 7%.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Modena or in Rome?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Modena, where all-in costs run around $1,867, than in Rome at $1,998. In Modena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Modena or Rome?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Modena costs $1,867 versus $1,998 in Rome. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Modena compared to Rome?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Modena or to Rome?
If budget matters most, go with Modena. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rome makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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