Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,066 in Rome versus $1,887 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,252 in Rome versus $2,876 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,438 in Rome versus $3,864 in Cambridge.

Living in Rome is roughly 9% more expensive than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 50% above, Cambridge 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.17

$14.89 NZ$25.60

18.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 €59.4

$35.92 NZ$61.8

91.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 €9.97

$8.78 NZ$15.09

31.78%

Cappuccino

$2.25 €1.94

$2.99 NZ$5.15

-24.75%

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

$3.11 €2.68

$2.17 NZ$3.73

43.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.81 NZ$3.12

-17.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 €5.09

$4.71 NZ$8.10

25.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 €5.87

$7.21 NZ$12.40

-5.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.60 NZ$2.75

11.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.40 NZ$4.13

-5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 €2.69

$1.94 NZ$3.33

60.82%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.89

$6.45 NZ$11.09

-30.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.13 €13.04

$8.71 NZ$14.97

73.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 €10.74

$9.93 NZ$17.07

25.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.91 €16.30

$13.40 NZ$23.03

41.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$2.73 NZ$4.70

-2.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.17 NZ$3.72

9.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$2.44 NZ$4.19

6.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$2.99 NZ$5.15

-20.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.25

$2.32 NZ$3.99

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.39

$1.75 NZ$3.01

-8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$2.02 NZ$3.47

-29.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.44

$1.16 NZ$1.99

-56.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 €6.40

$28.53 NZ$49.06

-73.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.16 €3.59

$10.72 NZ$18.44

-61.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 €1.39

$2.99 NZ$5.14

-45.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.34

$3.53 NZ$6.07

-23.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.83 NZ$3.15

-3.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.05 €34.53

$88.3 NZ$152

-54.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.63 €6.58

$2.32 NZ$3.99

228.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.13 NZ$3.66

-19.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.52 €29.76

$33.29 NZ$57.2

3.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.63 NZ$2.81

27.61%

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

$36.8K €31.8K

$26.4K NZ$45.3K

39.78%

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

$36.5K €31.5K

$23.7K NZ$40.7K

54.24%

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

$215 €185

$105 NZ$180

104.74%

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

$12.52 €10.80

$28.47 NZ$48.95

-56.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.79 €27.40

$37.90 NZ$65.2

-16.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.0 €60.3

$41.10 NZ$70.7

70.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.16 €21.69

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 €9.88

$14.16 NZ$24.34

-19.07%

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

$516 €444

$1,167 NZ$2,007

-55.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K €15.4K

$21.1K NZ$36.3K

-15.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.8 €63.6

$80.3 NZ$138

-8.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 €33.43

$43.24 NZ$74.3

-10.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 €75.8

$91.3 NZ$157

-3.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €105

$119 NZ$205

2.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 €1,075

$963 NZ$1,655

29.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 €765

$868 NZ$1,493

2.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 €2,248

$1,676 NZ$2,881

55.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 €1,494

$1,564 NZ$2,689

10.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,745 €7,538

$5,092 NZ$8,754

71.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,273 €2,821

$3,453 NZ$5,937

-5.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,963 €1,692

$2,663 NZ$4,579

-26.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.52

5.39

-34.69%

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

Last update for Rome: September 5, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,247 in Rome and $963 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Rome vs $36.00 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $317 per month, with Cambridge 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 Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Cambridge. 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: $1,247 in Rome versus $963 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,066 per month in Rome versus $1,887 in Cambridge – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cambridge runs roughly 121% less than in Rome. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,887 in Cambridge versus $2,066 in Rome, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cambridge but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cambridge is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rome, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rome and Cambridge 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 Cambridge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.