Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Cento Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Cento

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,066 in Rome versus $1,704 in Cento.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,252 in Rome versus $2,741 in Cento.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,438 in Rome versus $3,777 in Cento.

Living in Rome is roughly 21% more expensive than in Cento, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 50% above, Cento 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.17

$20.66 €17.81

-14.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 €59.4

$91.3 €78.7

-24.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 €9.97

$12.41 €10.70

-6.77%

Cappuccino

$2.25 €1.94

$2.39 €2.06

-5.86%

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

$3.11 €2.68

$3.44 €2.96

-9.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.64 €1.42

-8.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 €5.09

$6.25 €5.39

-5.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 €5.87

$5.84 €5.03

16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.48 €1.28

20.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.91 €2.51

-21.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 €2.69

$2.79 €2.40

11.83%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.89

$4.04 €3.49

11.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.13 €13.04

$19.07 €16.44

-20.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 €10.74

$13.04 €11.24

-4.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.91 €16.30

$17.86 €15.40

5.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$2.25 €1.94

17.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.71 €1.47

38.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$1.95 €1.68

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$2.68 €2.31

-11.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.57 €1.35

-7.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.39

$1.42 €1.23

13.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.75 €1.51

-18.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.44

$0.58 €0.50

-12.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 €6.40

$6.92 €5.97

7.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.16 €3.59

$8.10 €6.98

-48.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.67 €1.44

-2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.34

$1.91 €1.65

41.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.70 €1.47

4.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.05 €34.53

$44.12 €38.03

-9.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.63 €6.58

$4.75 €4.09

60.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.49 €1.29

14.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.52 €29.76

$29.02 €25.02

18.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.14 €1.84

-2.80%

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

$36.8K €31.8K

$37.1K €32.0K

-0.78%

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

$36.5K €31.5K

$36.3K €31.3K

0.67%

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

$215 €185

$227 €196

-5.30%

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

$12.52 €10.80

$11.83 €10.20

5.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.79 €27.40

$29.08 €25.06

9.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.0 €60.3

$57.3 €49.36

22.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.16 €21.69

$25.75 €22.20

-2.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 €9.88

$10.57 €9.11

8.42%

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

$516 €444

$576 €497

-10.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K €15.4K

$4,555 €3,926

292.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.8 €63.6

$94.4 €81.4

-21.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 €33.43

$43.86 €37.80

-11.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 €75.8

$105 €90.1

-15.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €105

$151 €130

-19.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 €1,075

$558 €481

123.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 €765

$469 €405

88.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 €2,248

$1,112 €958

134.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 €1,494

$958 €826

80.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,745 €7,538

$3,015 €2,599

190.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,273 €2,821

$2,094 €1,805

56.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,963 €1,692

$1,846 €1,591

6.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.52

3.22

9.32%

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

Last update for Rome: September 5, 2026

Last update for Cento: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,247 in Rome and $558 in Cento. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rome pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Rome vs $91.0 in Cento for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $340 per month, with Rome 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 Cento: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cento wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Rome. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cento the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Rome, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,247 in Rome versus $558 in Cento. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cento runs roughly 10% less than in Rome. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $516 in Rome versus $576 in Cento. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,704 in Cento versus $2,066 in Rome, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cento but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Cento the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cento delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,704 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cento hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rome and Cento 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 Cento gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.