Cost of Living Comparison Between Monaco and Italy Cost of Living Comparison Between Monaco and Italy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $9,590 in Monaco versus $1,718 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $9,535 in Monaco versus $2,623 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,479 in Monaco versus $3,527 in Italy.

Living in Monaco is roughly 458% more expensive than Italy on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Monaco 616% above, Italy 28% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Monaco: monthly costs span $5,106 to $12,769, compared to $1,195โ€“$2,531 in Italy. City choice carries more weight in Monaco.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Monaco
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.48 โ‚ฌ26.85
$17.20 โ‚ฌ14.67
83.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$168 โ‚ฌ144
$81.2 โ‚ฌ69.3
107.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.52 โ‚ฌ10.68
$11.40 โ‚ฌ9.72
9.82%
Cappuccino
$4.49 โ‚ฌ3.83
$1.91 โ‚ฌ1.63
135.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.84 โ‚ฌ4.98
$2.86 โ‚ฌ2.44
104.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.50 โ‚ฌ6.39
$1.33 โ‚ฌ1.13
463.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.75 โ‚ฌ8.32
$5.89 โ‚ฌ5.03
65.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.42 โ‚ฌ8.03
$5.12 โ‚ฌ4.37
83.98%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Monaco
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.14 โ‚ฌ1.82
$1.64 โ‚ฌ1.40
30.49%
White Bread (500g)
$5.33 โ‚ฌ4.55
$2.30 โ‚ฌ1.96
131.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.27 โ‚ฌ3.64
$3.03 โ‚ฌ2.59
40.92%
Eggs
$5.30 โ‚ฌ4.52
$4.09 โ‚ฌ3.49
29.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.46 โ‚ฌ14.90
$16.26 โ‚ฌ13.87
7.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$19.26 โ‚ฌ16.43
$12.24 โ‚ฌ10.44
57.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.98 โ‚ฌ16.19
$20.45 โ‚ฌ17.44
-7.19%
Apples (1kg)
$4.78 โ‚ฌ4.08
$2.55 โ‚ฌ2.17
87.45%
Banana (1kg)
$6.09 โ‚ฌ5.19
$2.12 โ‚ฌ1.81
187.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.70 โ‚ฌ3.15
$2.68 โ‚ฌ2.29
38.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.13 โ‚ฌ4.38
$3.38 โ‚ฌ2.89
51.78%
Potato (1kg)
$4.19 โ‚ฌ3.58
$2.00 โ‚ฌ1.71
109.50%
Onion (1kg)
$4.41 โ‚ฌ3.77
$1.88 โ‚ฌ1.60
134.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.76 โ‚ฌ3.21
$1.47 โ‚ฌ1.25
155.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$6.86 โ‚ฌ5.85
$0.54 โ‚ฌ0.46
1170.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.67 โ‚ฌ12.52
$6.75 โ‚ฌ5.75
117.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.21 โ‚ฌ9.56
$7.18 โ‚ฌ6.12
56.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 โ‚ฌ1.64
$1.80 โ‚ฌ1.54
6.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.15 โ‚ฌ4.39
$2.45 โ‚ฌ2.09
110.20%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Monaco
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.37 โ‚ฌ2.02
$2.02 โ‚ฌ1.73
17.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.14 โ‚ฌ21.45
$41.49 โ‚ฌ35.39
-39.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.60 โ‚ฌ5.63
$5.77 โ‚ฌ4.92
14.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 โ‚ฌ1.54
$1.53 โ‚ฌ1.30
17.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$104 โ‚ฌ88.4
$35.33 โ‚ฌ30.14
193.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.50 โ‚ฌ2.13
$2.12 โ‚ฌ1.81
17.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$56.5K โ‚ฌ48.2K
$32.3K โ‚ฌ27.5K
75.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$51.4K โ‚ฌ43.9K
$33.4K โ‚ฌ28.5K
53.99%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monaco
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$357 โ‚ฌ304
$224 โ‚ฌ191
59.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$60.7 โ‚ฌ51.7
$13.24 โ‚ฌ11.29
358.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.3 โ‚ฌ59.1
$30.96 โ‚ฌ26.41
123.77%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Monaco
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$390 โ‚ฌ332
$56.6 โ‚ฌ48.30
588.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$44.55 โ‚ฌ38.00
$25.11 โ‚ฌ21.42
77.42%
Cinema Ticket
$13.66 โ‚ฌ11.65
$10.32 โ‚ฌ8.80
32.36%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Monaco
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,726 โ‚ฌ2,325
$563 โ‚ฌ481
383.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$36.1K โ‚ฌ30.8K
$10.6K โ‚ฌ9,063
239.40%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Monaco
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$186 โ‚ฌ159
$90.1 โ‚ฌ76.9
106.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$84.1 โ‚ฌ71.7
$40.60 โ‚ฌ34.63
107.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$198 โ‚ฌ169
$100 โ‚ฌ85.4
97.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$688 โ‚ฌ587
$133 โ‚ฌ113
419.15%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Monaco
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$7,074 โ‚ฌ6,034
$864 โ‚ฌ737
718.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$8,041 โ‚ฌ6,859
$668 โ‚ฌ570
1103.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$32.1K โ‚ฌ27.4K
$1,473 โ‚ฌ1,257
2080.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$7,382 โ‚ฌ6,297
$1,088 โ‚ฌ928
578.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$70.9K โ‚ฌ60.5K
$3,808 โ‚ฌ3,248
1761.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$57.3K โ‚ฌ48.8K
$2,454 โ‚ฌ2,093
2233.55%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Monaco
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$9,734 โ‚ฌ8,303
$1,935 โ‚ฌ1,651
402.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.83
4.41
-35.83%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Monaco: April 21, 2026

Last update for Italy: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $3,616 in Monaco, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $8,397 in Monaco vs $1,366 in Rome.

National salary averages: $9,348 in Monaco, $1,935 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money โ€“ weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 387% higher in Monaco.

Dining out costs 112% more in Monaco.

Public transport is 110% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 383% higher in Monaco, giving Italy stronger purchasing power.

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
Monaco vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Monaco?
At $1,863 per month in Italy and $8,938 in Monaco, there's a 380% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city โ€“ the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Italy is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Monaco beats Italy across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Italy or Monaco?
In Italy, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In Monaco, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital โ€“ you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or Monaco?
It depends on what you're after. Italy wins on affordability; Monaco may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Monaco vs other spots: cost of living compared