Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Bergamo Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Bergamo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,031 in Rome versus $1,670 in Bergamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,167 in Rome versus $2,554 in Bergamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,304 in Rome versus $3,438 in Bergamo.

Living in Rome is roughly 22% more expensive than in Bergamo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 48% above, Bergamo 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €15.05

$16.52 €14.25

5.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 €61.2

$87.3 €75.3

-18.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 €10.17

$11.43 €9.86

3.15%

Cappuccino

$2.26 €1.95

$1.92 €1.65

17.71%

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

$3.10 €2.68

$3.42 €2.95

-9.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.39 €1.20

11.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.05

$5.76 €4.96

1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 €5.88

$5.78 €4.98

17.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.56

$1.47 €1.27

22.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.20 €1.90

3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 €2.80

$3.21 €2.77

1.25%

Eggs

$4.74 €4.09

$3.90 €3.36

21.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 €13.21

$15.55 €13.42

-1.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 €10.75

$12.23 €10.55

1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.09 €16.46

$17.25 €14.88

10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 €2.31

$2.25 €1.94

18.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.78 €1.54

38.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$2.46 €2.12

4.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$2.79 €2.40

-12.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.80 €1.56

-18.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.39

$2.24 €1.93

-28.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.86 €1.60

-22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.44

$0.50 €0.43

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 €6.10

$7.74 €6.67

-8.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.54 €3.92

$4.47 €3.86

1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.24 €1.07

39.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.53

$1.86 €1.61

57.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.94 €1.68

-12.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.92 €35.30

$46.38 €40.00

-11.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 €6.59

$10.61 €9.16

-27.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 €1.54

$2.38 €2.05

-25.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.61 €29.85

$40.45 €34.89

-14.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.03 €1.75

0.99%

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

$37.1K €32.0K

$37.6K €32.4K

-1.22%

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

$36.0K €31.0K

$35.9K €31.0K

0.08%

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

$220 €190

$200 €172

9.98%

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

$12.41 €10.70

$8.78 €7.57

41.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.36 €27.05

$29.92 €25.80

4.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 €59.0

$33.39 €28.80

104.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.35 €21.86

$23.83 €20.55

6.38%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.92

$11.75 €10.13

-2.13%

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

$504 €435

$586 €505

-13.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

$14.6K €12.6K

19.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.4 €64.2

$78.2 €67.4

-4.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 €32.71

$33.77 €29.12

12.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 €75.3

$91.5 €78.9

-4.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$109 €94.0

14.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 €1,073

$770 €664

61.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 €765

$612 €528

44.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 €2,274

$1,405 €1,211

87.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,795 €1,548

$941 €812

90.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,673 €7,481

$3,718 €3,207

133.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,283 €2,831

$2,647 €2,283

23.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,679

$2,441 €2,105

-20.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.52

3.06

15.03%

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

Last update for Rome: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bergamo: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,244 in Rome and $770 in Bergamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergamo pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Rome vs $87.0 in Bergamo. Groceries flip the comparison at $332 vs $313, with Bergamo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bergamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome and Bergamo differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($2,031 vs $1,670 including rent). Bergamo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Bergamo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,244 in Rome versus $770 in Bergamo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bergamo – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $71.0 in Rome. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,031 per month in Rome versus $1,670 in Bergamo – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,670 in Bergamo versus $2,031 in Rome, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Bergamo but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Bergamo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Rome and Bergamo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bergamo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.