Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Naples and Bologna

For one person, living is cheaper in Naples: $1,820 a month against $2,168 in Bologna, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Naples
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,820
/mo nomad
Bologna
🇮🇹 Italy
$2,168
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Naples and in Bologna

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

A single person spends $1,820 per month in Naples vs $2,168 in Bologna, rent included.

  • Naples $1,820
  • Bologna $2,168

A couple spends around $2,772 per month in Naples vs $3,357 in Bologna, rent included.

  • Naples $2,772
  • Bologna $3,357

A family of three spends $3,724 per month in Naples vs $4,546 in Bologna, rent included.

  • Naples $3,724
  • Bologna $4,546

Naples is about 16% cheaper than Bologna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Naples and Bologna sit above the global median – Naples by 35%, Bologna by 61%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Naples
Bologna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.55 €14.72
$22.66 €20.16
-26.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.0 €64.9
$87.8 €78.1
-16.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.37 €10.12
$13.46 €11.98
-15.53%
Cappuccino
$2.19 €1.95
$2.24 €1.99
-2.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 €2.12
$3.52 €3.13
-32.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 €1.11
$1.81 €1.61
-30.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.53 €4.92
$6.68 €5.94
-17.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.64 €4.12
$5.63 €5.01
-17.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Naples
Bologna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.94 €1.72
$1.40 €1.25
38.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.92 €1.71
$2.99 €2.66
-35.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 €2.90
$2.89 €2.57
12.80%
Eggs
$4.52 €4.02
$4.01 €3.57
12.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.28 €14.48
$20.41 €18.15
-20.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.29 €10.93
$12.24 €10.88
0.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.73 €18.44
$21.03 €18.70
-1.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.50 €2.23
$2.48 €2.21
0.81%
Banana (1kg)
$2.12 €1.89
$2.40 €2.13
-11.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$2.55 €2.27
-12.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.72 €3.31
$3.31 €2.95
12.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.70 €1.51
$1.88 €1.67
-9.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.76 €1.56
$1.71 €1.52
2.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.35 €1.20
6.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 €0.52
$0.56 €0.50
3.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.75 €6.00
$6.88 €6.12
-1.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.12 €5.44
$7.96 €7.08
-23.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.91 €1.70
-3.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 €2.83
$2.83 €2.52
12.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Naples
Bologna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.69 €1.51
$2.63 €2.34
-35.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.96 €39.99
$42.76 €38.03
5.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.59 €4.08
$4.64 €4.13
-1.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 €1.07
$1.65 €1.47
-27.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.56 €20.95
$31.98 €28.45
-26.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.16 €1.92
$2.14 €1.90
0.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K €32.2K
$36.8K €32.8K
-1.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8K €31.8K
$36.4K €32.4K
-1.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Naples
Bologna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$201 €179
$249 €221
-19.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.18 €8.16
$11.10 €9.88
-17.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.83 €27.42
$31.22 €27.77
-1.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Naples
Bologna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.8 €50.5
$63.1 €56.1
-9.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.22 €18.87
$26.63 €23.69
-20.32%
Cinema Ticket
$11.13 €9.90
$9.87 €8.78
12.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Naples
Bologna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$447 €397
$768 €683
-41.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,010 €7,125
$16.5K €14.7K
-51.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Naples
Bologna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.7 €84.3
$93.5 €83.1
1.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.03 €38.28
$46.18 €41.08
-6.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €91.4
$122 €109
-16.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 €121
$146 €129
-6.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Naples
Bologna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$991 €881
$1,141 €1,015
-13.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$680 €605
$867 €771
-21.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,826 €1,624
$2,081 €1,851
-12.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,116 €992
$1,574 €1,400
-29.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,971 €4,422
$5,130 €4,563
-3.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,175 €1,934
$3,737 €3,324
-41.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Naples
Bologna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,823 €1,621
$2,103 €1,870
-13.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.08
3.19
-3.45%

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

Last update for Naples: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bologna: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Naples
$680
Bologna
$867 27.4% $187
Groceries & Markets
Naples
$344
Bologna
$363 5.5% $19
Eating Out
Naples
$244
Bologna
$314 28.7% $70
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Naples
$241
Bologna
$291 20.7% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Naples
$170
Bologna
$183 8.2% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Naples
$79
Bologna
$83 4.7% $3.7
Getting Around
Naples
$62
Bologna
$66 6.2% $3.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $991 in Naples versus $1,141 in Bologna. 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 15% higher in Bologna, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Naples versus $88.0 in Bologna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $363 – making Naples the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Naples
🇮🇹 Bologna
🕒 Local time
16:47 4:47 PM
16:47 4:47 PM
Same time as Naples
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
972,212
386,663
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Naples Bologna 470 km
From you
  • Naples
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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
Naples vs Bologna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Naples or Bologna?
Bologna costs about 19% more than Naples, 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 Naples and in Bologna?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,731 per month in Naples and $3,251 in Bologna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Naples or Bologna?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Naples, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How expensive is transport in Naples compared to Bologna?
Public transport costs about 5% less in Naples. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Naples and in Bologna?
Kindergarten costs $447 per month in Naples and $768 in Bologna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Naples or in Bologna?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Naples, where all-in costs run around $1,820, than in Bologna at $2,168. In Naples it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bologna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Naples – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Naples compared to Bologna?
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 Naples or to Bologna?
If budget matters most, go with Naples. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bologna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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