Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Caen Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Caen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,027 in Rome versus $1,610 in Caen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,143 in Rome versus $2,575 in Caen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,260 in Rome versus $3,539 in Caen.

Living in Rome is roughly 26% more expensive than Caen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 51% above, Caen 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €14.82

$15.07 €12.96

14.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 €63.6

$57.8 €49.75

27.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.10

$11.37 €9.78

3.25%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.58

$2.68 €2.30

-31.72%

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

$2.51 €2.16

$3.65 €3.14

-31.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.43 €1.23

-11.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.04

$8.15 €7.01

-28.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.50

$6.55 €5.63

-20.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.23 €1.06

37.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.35 €1.16

58.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$2.28 €1.96

29.39%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$3.40 €2.92

32.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.42 €14.99

$10.43 €8.97

67.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 €10.32

$11.33 €9.75

5.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.19 €17.37

$20.01 €17.21

0.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.28 €1.96

7.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.06 €1.77

8.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.34 €2.02

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.42 €2.08

6.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.86 €1.60

-4.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.26 €1.94

-17.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.35 €1.16

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.13

$12.75 €10.96

-44.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 €3.98

$6.58 €5.66

-29.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.67

$2.40 €2.07

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$1.56 €1.34

75.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.83 €1.57

-2.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.00 €35.27

$50.1 €43.10

-18.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.41

$2.96 €2.54

73.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.81 €1.55

-11.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 €30.18

$36.44 €31.34

-3.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.07 €1.78

-5.80%

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

$29.3K €25.2K

$26.4K €22.7K

11.04%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$34.6K €29.8K

-12.81%

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

$219 €189

$172 €148

27.40%

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

$11.01 €9.47

$23.41 €20.14

-52.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 €26.93

$27.48 €23.63

13.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.1

$31.20 €26.84

105.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.81 €20.48

$20.43 €17.58

16.54%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.09

$15.57 €13.39

-24.66%

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

$528 €454

$171 €147

209.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,966

$8,661 €7,450

20.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 €63.0

$111 €95.3

-33.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €29.74

$36.42 €31.33

-5.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 €74.8

$90.1 €77.5

-3.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$145 €125

-18.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 €1,139

$651 €560

103.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 €761

$556 €478

59.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 €2,289

$1,375 €1,183

93.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 €1,407

$1,056 €908

54.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,730 €7,510

$4,640 €3,991

88.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,452 €2,970

$2,601 €2,237

32.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,058 €1,770

$2,582 €2,221

-20.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

3.62

9.12%

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

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Last update for Caen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,325 in Rome and $651 in Caen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Caen 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: $74.0 in Rome vs $58.0 in Caen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $292 per month, with Caen cheaper across the board.

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 Caen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome and Caen differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($2,027 vs $1,610 including rent). Caen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Caen earns 25% less. 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: $1,325 in Rome versus $651 in Caen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Caen runs roughly 22% less than in Rome. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $528 in Rome versus $171 in Caen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,610 in Caen versus $2,027 in Rome, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Caen but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Caen 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 Caen 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 Caen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.