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: $1,986 in Rome versus $1,629 in Caen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,073 in Rome versus $2,546 in Caen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,159 in Rome versus $3,464 in Caen.

Living in Rome is roughly 22% more expensive than in Caen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 49% above, Caen 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 €15.35

$14.83 €12.98

18.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 €66.5

$57.7 €50.4

31.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €10.21

$11.45 €10.02

1.92%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.55

$2.64 €2.31

-32.95%

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

$2.45 €2.14

$3.74 €3.27

-34.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.10

$1.43 €1.25

-11.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €5.03

$8.05 €7.04

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.43

$6.40 €5.60

-20.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.17 €1.03

45.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.39 €1.22

48.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.62

$2.27 €1.99

31.72%

Eggs

$4.52 €3.95

$3.38 €2.96

33.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 €15.47

$10.51 €9.19

68.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 €10.28

$11.41 €9.98

2.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.56 €17.99

$20.19 €17.66

1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$2.37 €2.08

2.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$2.01 €1.76

17.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$2.34 €2.04

-13.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.34

$2.42 €2.11

10.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.89 €1.65

-6.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.24 €1.96

-17.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.31 €1.15

-3.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$0.60 €0.53

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.95

$12.72 €11.13

-46.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$6.17 €5.40

-35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.70

$2.39 €2.09

-18.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 €2.42

$1.60 €1.40

72.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.51

$1.82 €1.60

-5.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 €36.02

$50.4 €44.06

-18.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 €4.57

$2.95 €2.58

77.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.84 €1.61

-14.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.86 €30.50

$37.81 €33.08

-7.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.07 €1.81

-1.93%

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

$29.0K €25.4K

$26.3K €23.1K

10.08%

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

$29.9K €26.1K

$35.5K €31.1K

-15.87%

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

$222 €195

$173 €152

28.47%

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

$10.96 €9.59

$23.06 €20.18

-52.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.99 €27.11

$27.23 €23.83

13.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 €56.1

$32.28 €28.25

98.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 €20.98

$20.21 €17.68

18.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 €10.18

$15.28 €13.37

-23.89%

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

$539 €472

$173 €151

212.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,353

$8,779 €7,681

21.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €64.0

$111 €97.2

-34.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 €30.26

$35.59 €31.14

-2.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 €75.8

$90.0 €78.8

-3.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$146 €128

-18.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 €1,162

$653 €571

103.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 €758

$558 €488

55.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,271

$1,403 €1,227

85.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 €1,402

$1,045 €914

53.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,434 €7,379

$4,593 €4,018

83.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 €3,031

$2,551 €2,232

35.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,703

$2,447 €2,141

-20.43%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Caen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,328 in Rome and $653 in Caen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Caen pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Rome vs $58.0 in Caen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $293 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,986 vs $1,629 including rent). Caen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Caen. 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: $1,328 in Rome versus $653 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 $539 in Rome versus $173 in Caen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,629 in Caen versus $1,986 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 22% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.