Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Carrara Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Carrara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,022 per month in Rome vs $1,642 in Carrara, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,087 per month in Rome vs $2,564 in Carrara, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Rome vs $3,487 in Carrara, rent included.

Rome costs about 23% more than Carrara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rome and Carrara sit above the global median – Rome by 52%, Carrara by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.15

$21.18 €18.24

-16.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 €64.2

$80.8 €69.6

-7.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 €9.78

$10.47 €9.02

8.40%

Cappuccino

$1.81 €1.56

$1.71 €1.47

5.85%

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

$2.48 €2.14

$2.74 €2.36

-9.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.19 €1.03

3.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 €4.84

$5.71 €4.91

-1.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 €4.39

$5.66 €4.87

-9.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.58 €1.36

12.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.24 €1.93

-3.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 €2.59

$2.69 €2.32

11.90%

Eggs

$4.44 €3.83

$3.78 €3.25

17.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 €15.24

$13.08 €11.27

35.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 €10.30

$13.43 €11.57

-10.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.37 €17.54

$17.91 €15.42

13.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.38 €2.05

-0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.17 €1.86

6.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.95 €1.68

-0.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.89 €2.49

-10.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.55 €1.34

14.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.39 €1.20

33.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.51 €1.30

-16.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.44

$0.29 €0.25

75.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.80 €5.86

$6.87 €5.91

-1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 €4.06

$8.28 €7.13

-43.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.67 €1.44

10.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.30

$1.92 €1.65

39.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.94 €1.67

-12.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.88 €34.34

$39.57 €34.08

0.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 €4.39

$5.83 €5.02

-12.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.41 €1.22

9.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.38 €29.61

$28.40 €24.46

21.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.10 €1.81

-3.81%

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

$28.9K €24.9K

$25.7K €22.1K

12.50%

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

$29.5K €25.4K

$35.3K €30.4K

-16.54%

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

$218 €188

$179 €154

22.15%

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

$11.02 €9.49

$14.07 €12.12

-21.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.10 €26.78

$30.60 €26.35

1.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 €55.3

$43.72 €37.65

46.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.40 €20.15

$19.60 €16.88

19.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 €10.16

$9.18 €7.91

28.54%

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

$530 €456

$654 €563

-19.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K €9,265

$4,551 €3,919

136.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 €64.4

$22.93 €19.75

226.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.74 €29.91

$44.72 €38.51

-22.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 €73.5

$93.6 €80.6

-8.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$139 €120

-14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 €1,159

$539 €464

149.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$879 €757

$590 €508

48.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,624 €2,260

$810 €697

223.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 €1,404

$938 €808

73.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,715 €7,504

$2,967 €2,555

193.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,412 €2,938

$2,077 €1,788

64.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,033 €1,751

$1,711 €1,474

18.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.83

-18.22%

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

Last update for Rome: June 14, 2026

Last update for Carrara: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,346 in Rome versus $539 in Carrara. 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 19% 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 $75.0 in Rome versus $81.0 in Carrara. Groceries tell a different story – $334 in Rome vs $317 in Carrara – so Carrara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Carrara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome costs about 23% more than Carrara, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,033 per month in Rome and $2,462 in Carrara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% more in Rome, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Rome and $81.0 in Carrara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Carrara, where all-in costs run around $1,642, than in Rome at $2,022. In Carrara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Carrara costs $1,642 versus $2,022 in Rome. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Carrara. 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.