Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Cagliari Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Cagliari

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,986 per month in Rome vs $1,769 in Cagliari, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,073 per month in Rome vs $2,759 in Cagliari, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,159 per month in Rome vs $3,749 in Cagliari, rent included.

Rome costs about 12% more than Cagliari, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 €15.37

$22.89 €20.05

-23.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 €66.5

$91.8 €80.4

-17.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €10.22

$11.02 €9.65

5.90%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.55

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

$2.45 €2.14

$2.93 €2.57

-16.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.11

$1.41 €1.24

-10.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €5.03

$5.80 €5.08

-0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.43

$4.71 €4.13

7.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.58 €1.38

7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.33 €2.04

-11.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.62

$3.45 €3.02

-13.33%

Eggs

$4.52 €3.96

$3.35 €2.94

34.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 €15.49

$16.95 €14.84

4.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 €10.29

$12.86 €11.26

-8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.56 €18.01

$19.39 €16.98

6.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$2.47 €2.16

-1.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$1.67 €1.46

41.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$2.19 €1.92

-7.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.34

$3.71 €3.25

-28.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.89 €1.66

-6.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.06 €1.80

-10.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.41 €1.23

-9.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.96

$6.91 €6.06

-1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$7.84 €6.86

-49.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.70

$1.63 €1.42

19.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 €2.42

$1.36 €1.20

102.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.51

$1.48 €1.29

16.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 €36.05

$40.39 €35.38

1.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 €4.58

$3.84 €3.36

36.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.39

$1.16 €1.02

36.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.86 €30.53

$29.02 €25.42

20.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.10 €1.84

-3.33%

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

$29.0K €25.4K

$34.0K €29.7K

-14.61%

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

$29.9K €26.2K

$35.8K €31.3K

-16.54%

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

$222 €195

$180 €158

23.43%

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

$10.96 €9.60

$13.14 €11.51

-16.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.99 €27.14

$31.16 €27.29

-0.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 €56.2

$51.6 €45.18

24.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 €21.01

$44.77 €39.21

-46.42%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 €10.19

$10.66 €9.33

9.10%

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

$539 €472

$551 €482

-2.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,363

$8,000 €7,007

33.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €64.1

$89.8 €78.6

-18.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 €30.29

$63.3 €55.5

-45.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 €75.8

$84.8 €74.2

2.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$120 €105

-1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 €1,163

$923 €808

43.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 €759

$655 €574

32.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,274

$1,477 €1,294

75.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 €1,403

$1,004 €879

59.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,434 €7,386

$3,348 €2,932

151.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 €3,034

$2,372 €2,077

46.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,705

$1,848 €1,618

5.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.87

-18.89%

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

Last update for Rome: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cagliari: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,328 in Rome versus $923 in Cagliari. 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 5% 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 $76.0 in Rome versus $92.0 in Cagliari. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $338 – making Rome 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 Cagliari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rome is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,979 per month in Rome and $2,653 in Cagliari. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 2% less in Cagliari. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $539 per month in Rome and $551 in Cagliari. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Cagliari, where all-in costs run around $1,769, than in Rome at $1,986. In Cagliari it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cagliari – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cagliari. 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.