Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Bari Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Bari

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,995 per month in Rome vs $1,770 in Bari, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,115 per month in Rome vs $2,657 in Bari, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,234 per month in Rome vs $3,545 in Bari, rent included.

Rome costs about 13% more than Bari, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rome and Bari sit above the global median – Rome by 49%, Bari by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.02

$17.04 €14.59

2.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 €63.6

$71.8 €61.4

3.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.63 €9.96

$12.87 €11.02

-9.63%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.51

$1.95 €1.67

-9.23%

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

$2.40 €2.05

$2.15 €1.84

11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.34 €1.15

-5.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 €4.90

$4.60 €3.94

24.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 €4.39

$4.71 €4.03

8.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.84 €1.57

-3.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.85

$2.14 €1.83

0.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 €2.62

$2.89 €2.47

5.88%

Eggs

$4.43 €3.79

$3.85 €3.30

15.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.65 €15.11

$14.46 €12.38

22.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.08 €10.34

$12.20 €10.45

-0.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 €17.21

$17.98 €15.39

11.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.32 €1.98

0.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.00

$2.05 €1.75

14.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.07 €1.77

-6.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 €2.23

$3.26 €2.79

-19.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.72 €1.48

3.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$1.71 €1.46

12.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.09

$1.38 €1.18

-7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.47

$0.52 €0.45

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.83

$6.99 €5.98

-2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.66 €3.99

$7.47 €6.39

-37.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.64

$1.47 €1.26

29.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 €2.37

$2.07 €1.77

33.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.19 €1.02

49.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.73 €34.01

$38.06 €32.58

4.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 €4.55

$17.18 €14.71

-69.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.37

$2.10 €1.80

-23.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.36 €30.27

$35.33 €30.24

0.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.71

$2.01 €1.72

-0.50%

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

$28.7K €24.6K

$35.5K €30.4K

-19.11%

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

$29.8K €25.5K

$27.0K €23.1K

10.35%

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

$217 €186

$183 €157

18.58%

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

$11.17 €9.56

$13.55 €11.60

-17.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.67 €26.26

$30.17 €25.82

1.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 €53.4

$49.02 €41.97

27.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.80 €20.37

$19.64 €16.82

21.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.69 €10.01

$8.78 €7.52

33.14%

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

$531 €455

$648 €555

-18.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K €9,006

$18.8K €16.1K

-44.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.5 €62.1

$102 €87.0

-28.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 €30.28

$48.57 €41.57

-27.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 €75.2

$105 €89.8

-16.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €105

$150 €128

-17.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 €1,155

$845 €724

59.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 €755

$673 €576

30.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,679 €2,293

$1,391 €1,190

92.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 €1,382

$1,010 €865

59.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,678 €7,428

$3,846 €3,293

125.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,504 €2,999

$2,191 €1,875

59.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,157 €1,846

$2,013 €1,723

7.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.74

-16.67%

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

Last update for Rome: April 28, 2026

Last update for Bari: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,349 in Rome versus $845 in Bari. 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 7% 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 $74.0 in Rome versus $72.0 in Bari. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $320 – making Bari 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

Rome vs Bari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome costs about 13% more than Bari, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,993 per month in Rome and $2,654 in Bari. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $531 per month in Rome and $648 in Bari. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bari, where all-in costs run around $1,770, than in Rome at $1,995. In Bari it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bari costs $1,770 versus $1,995 in Rome. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bari. 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.