Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Naples and Messina

For one person, living is cheaper in Messina: $1,379 a month against $1,842 in Naples, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Naples, Italy
Messina, Italy
Naples
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,842
/mo nomad
Messina
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,379
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Naples and in Messina

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 Messina actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,842 per month in Naples vs $1,379 in Messina, rent included.

  • Naples $1,842
  • Messina $1,379

A couple spends around $2,786 per month in Naples vs $2,392 in Messina, rent included.

  • Naples $2,786
  • Messina $2,392

A family of three spends $3,730 per month in Naples vs $3,404 in Messina, rent included.

  • Naples $3,730
  • Messina $3,404

Naples costs about 34% more than Messina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Naples
Messina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.95
$16.90 €15.14
-1.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.1 €66.4
$67.8 €60.7
9.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.83
$12.41 €11.12
-11.52%
Cappuccino
$2.35 €2.10
$1.97 €1.77
19.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 €2.23
$2.36 €2.11
5.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.19 €1.07
7.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.57 €4.99
$4.55 €4.07
22.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.73 €5.13
$3.33 €2.98
72.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Naples
Messina
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.03 €1.81
$1.30 €1.17
56.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.92 €1.72
$1.84 €1.65
4.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.14 €2.81
$2.74 €2.45
14.60%
Eggs
$4.39 €3.93
$2.89 €2.58
51.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.48 €14.76
$14.49 €12.97
13.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.54 €11.23
$10.55 €9.45
18.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.83 €18.65
$16.82 €15.06
23.84%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 €2.25
$2.91 €2.61
-13.75%
Banana (1kg)
$2.10 €1.88
$1.65 €1.47
27.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.28 €2.04
$1.14 €1.02
100.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.74 €3.35
$3.40 €3.04
10.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$0.65 €0.58
167.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.76 €1.58
$1.52 €1.36
15.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 €1.27
$1.42 €1.27
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 €0.53
$0.40 €0.36
47.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.73 €6.03
$6.87 €6.15
-2.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.36 €5.70
$5.75 €5.15
10.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 €1.58
$1.67 €1.50
5.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 €2.71
$2.32 €2.08
30.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Naples
Messina
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.71 €1.53
$1.65 €1.47
3.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.77 €34.72
$41.21 €36.91
-5.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.40 €3.94
$5.72 €5.12
-23.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.25 €1.12
$1.14 €1.02
9.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.77 €21.28
$38.73 €34.68
-38.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.16 €1.94
$2.05 €1.84
5.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1K €31.5K
$34.9K €31.3K
0.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.9K €33.0K
$31.2K €28.0K
18.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Naples
Messina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 €181
$178 €159
13.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.07 €8.13
$10.17 €9.11
-10.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.47 €28.19
$25.62 €22.94
22.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Naples
Messina
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.5 €50.6
$46.70 €41.83
20.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.68 €18.52
$16.57 €14.84
24.80%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €9.18
$9.57 €8.58
7.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Naples
Messina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$452 €405
$337 €302
34.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,863 €7,042
$5,512 €4,936
42.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Naples
Messina
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.2 €83.5
$71.2 €63.8
30.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.18 €37.77
$30.95 €27.72
36.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.6
$86.9 €77.8
20.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 €121
$125 €112
7.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Naples
Messina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 €883
$522 €468
88.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$702 €629
$373 €334
88.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,879 €1,683
$1,199 €1,074
56.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,118 €1,001
$1,096 €981
2.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,503 €4,033
$2,011 €1,801
123.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,382 €2,133
$1,655 €1,482
43.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Naples
Messina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,860 €1,666
$1,675 €1,500
11.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.08
3.39
-9.14%

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

Last update for Naples: October 26, 2026

Last update for Messina: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Naples
$702
Messina
$373 46.9% $329
Groceries & Markets
Naples
$346
Messina
$287 17.2% $60
Eating Out
Naples
$249
Messina
$240 3.7% $9.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Naples
$243
Messina
$214 12% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Naples
$169
Messina
$142 16.1% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Naples
$77
Messina
$66 14.5% $11
Getting Around
Naples
$56
Messina
$59 5.3% $3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Naples versus $522 in Messina. 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 11% higher in Naples, 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 $74 in Naples versus $68 in Messina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $287 – making Messina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Naples
🇮🇹 Messina
🕒 Local time
23:13 11:13 PM
23:13 11:13 PM
Same time as Naples
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
972,212
217,734
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
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  • Naples Messina 310 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 Messina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Naples or Messina?
Naples costs about 34% more than Messina, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 Messina?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,763 per month in Naples and $2,069 in Messina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Naples or Messina?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Messina, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $522 there versus $986 in Naples.
How do childcare costs compare in Naples and in Messina?
Kindergarten costs $452 per month in Naples and $337 in Messina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Naples or in Messina?
Groceries cost about 21% more in Naples, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Naples or in Messina?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,842 in Naples and $1,379 in Messina. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Messina – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Naples or to Messina?
If budget matters most, go with Messina. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Naples makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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