Cost of Living Comparison Between Palermo and Rome Cost of Living Comparison Between Palermo and Rome

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,566 per month in Palermo vs $2,027 in Rome, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,384 per month in Palermo vs $3,143 in Rome, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,202 per month in Palermo vs $4,260 in Rome, rent included.

Palermo is about 23% cheaper than Rome, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Palermo and Rome sit above the global median – Palermo by 17%, Rome by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.05 €12.10

$17.23 €14.84

-18.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.4 €50.3

$73.9 €63.6

-20.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.63 €10.01

$11.74 €10.11

-0.94%

Cappuccino

$2.01 €1.73

$1.83 €1.58

9.84%

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

$2.28 €1.96

$2.51 €2.16

-9.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.27 €1.09

0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 €4.92

$5.86 €5.05

-2.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 €3.56

$5.23 €4.50

-20.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.69 €1.46

-16.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.14 €1.84

-1.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 €2.46

$2.95 €2.54

-3.05%

Eggs

$3.43 €2.95

$4.51 €3.88

-23.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.37 €12.38

$17.42 €15.00

-17.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.76 €10.99

$12.00 €10.33

6.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.93 €15.44

$20.19 €17.38

-11.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.45 €2.11

16.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$2.23 €1.92

4.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 €2.61

$1.95 €1.68

55.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 €2.65

$2.58 €2.22

19.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.77 €1.53

-2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.86 €1.60

-32.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.26 €1.09

51.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 €0.35

$0.55 €0.48

-25.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 €5.63

$7.13 €6.14

-8.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 €6.75

$4.63 €3.99

69.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.95 €1.68

11.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.78

$2.73 €2.35

18.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 €1.41

$1.79 €1.54

-8.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.75 €31.64

$41.00 €35.31

-10.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 €4.03

$5.13 €4.42

-8.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.60 €1.38

-8.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.92 €40.41

$35.08 €30.21

33.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.95 €1.68

3.59%

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

$35.1K €30.2K

$29.3K €25.2K

19.74%

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

$29.7K €25.6K

$30.2K €26.0K

-1.64%

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

$228 €197

$219 €189

4.09%

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

$14.61 €12.58

$11.01 €9.48

32.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.62 €25.50

$31.31 €26.96

-5.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.73 €39.37

$64.1 €55.2

-28.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.48 €27.97

$23.81 €20.50

36.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.62 €8.29

$11.73 €10.10

-17.99%

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

$398 €343

$528 €455

-24.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K €9,384

$10.4K €8,976

4.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.2 €75.9

$73.3 €63.1

20.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.02 €27.57

$34.57 €29.77

-7.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 €77.9

$87.0 €74.9

3.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €110

$119 €102

7.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 €629

$1,325 €1,141

-44.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 €415

$885 €762

-45.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 €877

$2,661 €2,292

-61.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 €693

$1,636 €1,409

-50.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,757 €2,374

$8,730 €7,518

-68.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,354 €1,166

$3,452 €2,973

-60.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,598 €1,376

$2,058 €1,772

-22.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

3.95

19.49%

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

Last update for Palermo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $731 in Palermo versus $1,325 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 29% higher in Rome, 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 $58.0 in Palermo versus $74.0 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $333 – making Palermo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Palermo vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rome is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,349 per month in Palermo and $3,041 in Rome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 12% less in Palermo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $398 per month in Palermo and $528 in Rome. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Palermo, where all-in costs run around $1,566, than in Rome at $2,027. In Palermo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Palermo – 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 Palermo. 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.