Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostia and Rome

For one person, living is cheaper in Ostia: $1,756 a month against $1,998 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

85

Cost of Living Index in Ostia
Learn more

Ostia Living Index
97

Cost of Living Index in Rome
Learn more

Rome Living Index

Jump to prices

Ostia

🇮🇹 Italy

$1,756

/mo nomad

Rome

🇮🇹 Italy

$1,998

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ostia 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 Ostia and in Rome actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,756 per month in Ostia vs $1,998 in Rome, rent included.

Ostia $1,756
Rome $1,998

A couple spends around $2,594 per month in Ostia vs $3,117 in Rome, rent included.

Ostia $2,594
Rome $3,117

A family of three spends $3,432 per month in Ostia vs $4,236 in Rome, rent included.

Ostia $3,432
Rome $4,236

Ostia is about 12% cheaper than Rome, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Ostia and Rome sit above the global median – Ostia by 30%, Rome by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.51 €14.69

$16.69 €14.84

-1.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.0 €58.7

$65.8 €58.5

0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €10.10

$11.08 €9.85

2.53%

Cappuccino

$2.25 €2.00

$2.10 €1.87

7.14%

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

$2.33 €2.07

$2.91 €2.59

-19.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.06

$1.48 €1.32

-18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 €4.86

$5.62 €5.00

-2.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 €4.27

$6.68 €5.94

-28.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 €1.48

$1.72 €1.53

-2.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.92

$2.27 €2.02

-4.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 €2.67

$2.99 €2.66

0.33%

Eggs

$4.54 €4.04

$4.75 €4.23

-4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.92 €13.27

$14.53 €12.92

2.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.49 €11.11

$12.63 €11.24

-1.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.61 €17.44

$19.86 €17.67

-1.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 €2.30

$2.64 €2.35

-1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.84

$2.28 €2.03

-9.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 €2.07

$2.46 €2.19

-5.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 €2.11

$2.42 €2.15

-1.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 €1.28

$1.38 €1.22

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 €1.42

$1.55 €1.38

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.46

$0.55 €0.49

-7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.63 €5.90

$7.31 €6.50

-9.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.42 €4.82

$5.44 €4.84

-0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.39

$1.58 €1.40

-1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 €2.22

$2.62 €2.33

-4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 €1.47

$1.63 €1.45

1.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.01 €34.70

$39.26 €34.92

-0.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 €3.93

$6.51 €5.79

-32.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 €1.11

$1.68 €1.50

-26.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.16 €20.60

$33.24 €29.57

-30.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.91

$2.17 €1.93

-0.92%

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

$35.3K €31.4K

-0.21%

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

$35.4K €31.5K

-0.03%

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

$197 €175

$203 €181

-3.12%

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

$9.61 €8.55

$11.50 €10.22

-16.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.13 €27.69

$32.03 €28.49

-2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 €49.93

$65.9 €58.6

-14.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 €9.96

$22.89 €20.36

-51.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 €9.85

$11.23 €9.99

-1.42%

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

$449 €400

$484 €430

-7.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,805 €7,832

$16.5K €14.7K

-46.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 €64.2

$71.0 €63.1

1.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.65 €32.60

$36.51 €32.47

0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 €75.2

$84.9 €75.5

-0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €111

$122 €108

2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 €759

$1,222 €1,087

-30.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 €599

$881 €784

-23.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 €1,005

$2,537 €2,257

-55.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 €881

$1,721 €1,530

-42.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,274 €7,360

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,084 €2,743

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,992 €1,772

$1,942 €1,728

2.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.52

-0.57%

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

Last update for Ostia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Rome: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ostia

$673 38.3%

Rome

$881 44.1% 31% $208

Groceries & Markets

Ostia

$324 18.4%

Rome

$329 16.5% 1.7% $5.6

Eating Out

Ostia

$244 13.9%

Rome

$251 12.6% 2.7% $6.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ostia

$237 13.5%

Rome

$246 12.3% 3.8% $9.1

Clothing & Footwear

Ostia

$143 8.2%

Rome

$141 7.1% 1.2% $1.7

Sport & Entertainment

Ostia

$78 4.5%

Rome

$88 4.4% 12.9% $10

Getting Around

Ostia

$56 3.2%

Rome

$61 3% 7.9% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $853 in Ostia 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 3% higher in Ostia, 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 $66.0 in Ostia versus $66.0 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $329 – making Ostia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇹 Ostia

🇮🇹 Rome

🕒 Local time

03:18 3:18 AM

Same time as Ostia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,400

2,848,084 Capital

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ostia Rome 25 km

From you

Ostia
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

Ostia vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rome is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,634 per month in Ostia and $2,998 in Rome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ostia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $449 per month in Ostia and $484 in Rome. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Rome, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ostia, where all-in costs run around $1,756, than in Rome at $1,998. In Ostia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ostia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Ostia. 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.