For one person, living is cheaper in Prato: $1,896 a month against $1,998 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rome outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Prato and in Rome actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,896 per month in Prato vs $1,998 in Rome, rent included.
Prato $1,896
Rome $1,998
A couple spends around $2,806 per month in Prato vs $3,117 in Rome, rent included.
Prato $2,806
Rome $3,117
A family of three spends $3,716 per month in Prato vs $4,236 in Rome, rent included.
Prato $3,716
Rome $4,236
🙂
Prato is about 5% cheaper than Rome, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both Prato and Rome sit above the global median – Prato by 40%, Rome by 48%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Prato
Rome
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.11€21.44
$16.69€14.84
44.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.8€68.3
$65.8€58.5
16.75%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.63€10.34
$11.08€9.85
4.96%
Cappuccino
$1.84€1.64
$2.10€1.87
-12.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98€2.65
$2.91€2.59
2.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50€1.34
$1.48€1.32
1.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.79€6.04
$5.62€5.00
20.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.52€4.91
$6.68€5.94
-17.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Prato
Rome
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.59€1.42
$1.72€1.53
-7.56%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20€1.95
$2.27€2.02
-3.08%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.93€2.61
$2.99€2.66
-2.01%
Eggs
$4.59€4.08
$4.75€4.23
-3.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.28€18.04
$14.53€12.92
39.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.31€10.95
$12.63€11.24
-2.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.14€17.02
$19.86€17.67
-3.63%
Apples(1kg)
$2.47€2.20
$2.64€2.35
-6.44%
Banana(1kg)
$2.35€2.09
$2.28€2.03
3.07%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.38€3.00
$2.46€2.19
37.40%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.21€2.85
$2.42€2.15
32.64%
Potato(1kg)
$2.31€2.06
$1.38€1.22
67.39%
Onion(1kg)
$1.66€1.47
$1.55€1.38
7.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.24€1.10
$1.32€1.17
-6.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.36€0.32
$0.55€0.49
-34.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.39€5.68
$7.31€6.50
-12.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.16€7.26
$5.44€4.84
50.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95€1.73
$1.58€1.40
23.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12€2.77
$2.62€2.33
19.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Prato
Rome
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.19€1.95
$1.63€1.45
34.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$38.28€34.05
$39.26€34.92
-2.50%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.67€3.26
$6.51€5.79
-43.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.26€1.12
$1.68€1.50
-25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$30.90€27.49
$33.24€29.57
-7.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.98€1.76
$2.17€1.93
-8.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K€25.3K
$35.3K€31.4K
-19.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K€31.2K
$35.4K€31.5K
-1.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Prato
Rome
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$288€256
$203€181
41.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.55€10.27
$11.50€10.22
0.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.39€26.15
$32.03€28.49
-8.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Prato
Rome
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.61€37.90
$65.9€58.6
-35.31%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.89€20.36
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.54€10.27
$11.23€9.99
2.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Prato
Rome
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$383€341
$484€430
-20.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.9K€15.0K
$16.5K€14.7K
2.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Prato
Rome
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.6€86.8
$71.0€63.1
37.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.24€32.24
$36.51€32.47
-0.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.8€88.8
$84.9€75.5
17.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$148€132
$122€108
21.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Prato
Rome
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$747€665
$1,222€1,087
-38.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$604€537
$881€784
-31.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,046€931
$2,537€2,257
-58.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$879€782
$1,721€1,530
-48.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,215€2,860
$8,274€7,360
-61.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,092€1,861
$3,084€2,743
-32.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Prato
Rome
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,098€1,866
$1,942€1,728
8.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.16
3.52
-10.23%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Prato: October 10, 2026
Last update for Rome: October 12, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Prato
$604 31.8%
Rome
$881 44.1% ↑ 46%$278
🛒Groceries & Markets
Prato
$356 18.8%
Rome
$329 16.5% ↓ 7.4%$26
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Prato
$329 17.4%
Rome
$246 12.3% ↓ 25.1%$83
🍽Eating Out
Prato
$313 16.5%
Rome
$251 12.6% ↓ 19.8%$62
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Prato
$172 9.1%
Rome
$141 7.1% ↓ 17.8%$31
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Prato
$66 3.5%
Rome
$88 4.4% ↑ 34.5%$23
🚌Getting Around
Prato
$57 3%
Rome
$61 3% ↑ 6.5%$3.7
🏠Accommodation & Living
Prato
$879 23.7%
Rome
$1.7K 40.6% ↑ 95.8%$842
🛒Groceries & Markets
Prato
$841 22.6%
Rome
$786 18.6% ↓ 6.6%$56
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Prato
$341 9.2%
Rome
$258 6.1% ↓ 24.3%$83
🍽Eating Out
Prato
$1K 27.5%
Rome
$833 19.7% ↓ 18.6%$190
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Prato
$382 10.3%
Rome
$314 7.4% ↓ 17.8%$68
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Prato
$131 * 3.5%
Rome
$200 4.7% ↑ 51.9%$68
🚌Getting Around
Prato
$118 3.2%
Rome
$125 2.9% ↑ 5.3%$6.3
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $747 in Prato 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 8% higher in Prato, 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 $77.0 in Prato versus $66.0 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $329 – making Rome the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Prato vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rome cheaper than Prato?
Yes – Rome is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,844 per month in Prato and $2,998 in Rome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Prato, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Prato and in Rome?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,896 in Prato and $1,998 in Rome. That's a gap of about 5%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 3% less in Prato. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Prato or in Rome?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Prato, where all-in costs run around $1,896, than in Rome at $1,998. In Prato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Prato or Rome more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Prato – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Prato or Rome?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Prato. 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.