Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Macquarie and Rome Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Macquarie and Rome

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,582 per month in Port Macquarie vs $2,031 in Rome, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,633 per month in Port Macquarie vs $3,167 in Rome, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,684 per month in Port Macquarie vs $4,304 in Rome, rent included.

Port Macquarie costs about 27% more than Rome, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Port Macquarie and Rome sit above the global median – Port Macquarie by 88%, Rome by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.08 A$25.29

$17.45 €15.05

3.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.9 A$127

$70.9 €61.2

28.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 A$14.89

$11.79 €10.17

-9.75%

Cappuccino

$3.87 A$5.42

$2.26 €1.95

71.24%

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

$2.48 A$3.46

$3.10 €2.68

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 A$2.33

$1.55 €1.34

7.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.30 A$8.82

$5.86 €5.05

7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 A$8.80

$6.82 €5.88

-7.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 A$2.96

$1.80 €1.56

17.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 A$4.45

$2.28 €1.97

39.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.90

$3.25 €2.80

-14.15%

Eggs

$5.42 A$7.58

$4.74 €4.09

14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.41 A$7.57

$15.31 €13.21

-64.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.69 A$14.95

$12.46 €10.75

-14.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.66 A$17.70

$19.09 €16.46

-33.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.50

$2.67 €2.31

20.22%

Banana (1kg)

$4.51 A$6.32

$2.47 €2.13

82.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.55

$2.56 €2.21

-0.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 A$7.10

$2.44 €2.10

108.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.44

$1.46 €1.26

68.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.58

$1.61 €1.39

59.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 A$2.38

$1.44 €1.24

18.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 A$2.34

$0.51 €0.44

227.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$39.03 A$54.6

$7.07 €6.10

452.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 A$15.22

$4.54 €3.92

139.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.35 A$6.08

$1.73 €1.49

151.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 A$7.71

$2.93 €2.53

88.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.07 A$4.30

$1.69 €1.46

81.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.9 A$129

$40.92 €35.30

124.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 A$5.59

$7.64 €6.59

-47.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 A$2.11

$1.78 €1.54

-15.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.57 A$54.0

$34.61 €29.85

11.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 A$1.81

$2.05 €1.77

-36.59%

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

$27.3K A$38.2K

$37.1K €32.0K

-26.41%

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

$22.7K A$31.7K

$36.0K €31.0K

-36.96%

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

$214 A$299

$220 €190

-2.79%

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

$31.35 A$43.86

$12.41 €10.70

152.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 A$88.6

$31.36 €27.05

101.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 A$74.3

$68.4 €59.0

-22.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.23 A$14.30

$25.35 €21.86

-59.64%

Cinema Ticket

$11.03 A$15.43

$11.50 €9.92

-4.09%

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

$2,239 A$3,132

$504 €435

344.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K A$30.1K

$17.4K €15.0K

23.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.3 A$105

$74.4 €64.2

1.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 A$77.4

$37.93 €32.71

45.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 A$152

$87.3 €75.3

24.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 A$168

$124 €107

-3.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 A$2,010

$1,244 €1,073

15.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 A$1,813

$887 €765

46.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,248 A$3,145

$2,637 €2,274

-14.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 A$2,460

$1,795 €1,548

-2.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,544 A$9,154

$8,673 €7,481

-24.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 A$7,171

$3,283 €2,831

56.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,915 A$4,077

$1,947 €1,679

49.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.52

51.42%

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

Last update for Port Macquarie: August 31, 2026

Last update for Rome: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,437 in Port Macquarie versus $1,244 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 50% higher in Port Macquarie, 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 $91.0 in Port Macquarie versus $71.0 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $332 – making Rome 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

Port Macquarie vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,582 in Port Macquarie, $2,031 in Rome – roughly 27% apart. Port Macquarie costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,873 per month in Port Macquarie and $3,046 in Rome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Port Macquarie and $71.0 in Rome. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,582 in Port Macquarie and $2,031 in Rome. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rome, where all-in costs run around $2,031, than in Port Macquarie at $2,582. In Rome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Macquarie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rome has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,031 in Rome to $2,582 in Port Macquarie. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Rome. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Macquarie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.