Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostia and Milan Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostia and Milan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,690 in Ostia versus $2,441 in Milan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,587 in Ostia versus $3,883 in Milan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,485 in Ostia versus $5,324 in Milan.

Living in Ostia costs roughly 31% less than in Milan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ostia 25% above, Milan 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.20 €14.64

$23.10 €19.66

-25.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 €65.3

$92.0 €78.3

-16.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 €9.83

$13.00 €11.06

-11.08%

Cappuccino

$2.21 €1.88

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

$2.26 €1.93

$3.40 €2.89

-33.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.47 €1.25

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.84

$7.06 €6.01

-36.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 €3.84

$5.63 €4.79

-19.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.45

$1.79 €1.52

-4.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 €1.86

$2.88 €2.45

-23.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.91 €2.48

$3.21 €2.73

-9.35%

Eggs

$4.60 €3.91

$4.39 €3.73

4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.99 €12.76

$19.66 €16.73

-23.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.34 €8.80

$13.17 €11.21

-21.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 €13.86

$24.43 €20.79

-33.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 €2.09

$2.86 €2.43

-13.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 €1.86

$2.29 €1.95

-4.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.67

$3.36 €2.86

-41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 €2.28

$4.13 €3.51

-35.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 €1.53

$2.66 €2.26

-32.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.59

$2.14 €1.82

-12.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.07

$1.64 €1.39

-23.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 €0.44

$0.73 €0.62

-28.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.97 €5.93

$6.98 €5.94

-0.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.19 €4.42

$9.25 €7.87

-43.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.58

$2.36 €2.01

-21.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 €2.27

$3.08 €2.62

-13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.46

$2.58 €2.19

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.87 €37.34

$44.57 €37.93

-1.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 €4.56

$8.20 €6.98

-34.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.36

$2.61 €2.22

-39.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.41 €30.13

$39.71 €33.79

-10.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 €1.65

$2.06 €1.75

-5.83%

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

$29.0K €24.7K

$33.5K €28.5K

-13.45%

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

$29.8K €25.4K

$35.7K €30.4K

-16.44%

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

$224 €191

$218 €186

2.49%

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

$11.00 €9.36

$11.69 €9.95

-5.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.04 €28.12

$30.70 €26.13

7.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 €54.3

$76.6 €65.1

-16.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.12 €19.67

$36.94 €31.44

-37.41%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 €9.77

$11.47 €9.76

0.09%

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

$399 €339

$890 €757

-55.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,092 €7,737

$16.6K €14.2K

-45.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 €63.4

$113 €96.2

-34.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.37 €29.25

$55.0 €46.80

-37.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 €72.2

$115 €97.7

-26.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €102

$174 €148

-31.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 €636

$1,626 €1,384

-54.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 €495

$1,120 €953

-48.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 €1,051

$3,194 €2,718

-61.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$929 €790

$2,079 €1,769

-55.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 €2,417

$11.0K €9,326

-74.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,169 €1,846

$5,319 €4,526

-59.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,157 €1,835

$2,284 €1,944

-5.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

3.25

21.54%

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

Last update for Ostia: April 11, 2026

Last update for Milan: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $748 in Ostia and $1,626 in Milan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $77 in Ostia vs $92 in Milan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $401 per month, with Ostia 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

Ostia vs Milan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ostia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Milan earns 6% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $748 in Ostia versus $1,626 in Milan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $399 in Ostia versus $890 in Milan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Milan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,690 in Ostia versus $2,441 in Milan, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ostia but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Ostia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ostia 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, Ostia and Milan 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 Ostia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.