Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Cesena Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Cesena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,986 in Rome versus $1,637 in Cesena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,073 in Rome versus $2,464 in Cesena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,159 in Rome versus $3,291 in Cesena.

Living in Rome is roughly 21% more expensive than in Cesena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 €15.35

$17.27 €15.11

1.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 €66.5

$81.1 €71.0

-6.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €10.21

$11.65 €10.20

0.17%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.55

$1.97 €1.72

-10.15%

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

$2.45 €2.14

$2.67 €2.33

-8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.10

$1.18 €1.03

6.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €5.03

$5.95 €5.20

-3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.43

$4.58 €4.01

10.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.40 €1.23

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.13 €0.99

83.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.62

$2.08 €1.82

43.75%

Eggs

$4.52 €3.95

$2.27 €1.99

99.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 €15.47

$14.32 €12.53

23.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 €10.28

$10.86 €9.51

8.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.56 €17.99

$17.17 €15.02

19.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$1.70 €1.48

42.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$1.86 €1.63

26.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$2.42 €2.12

-16.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.34

$3.49 €3.05

-23.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.59 €1.39

10.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.47 €1.29

25.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.13 €0.99

12.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$0.34 €0.30

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.95

$6.95 €6.08

-2.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$6.70 €5.86

-40.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.70

$1.27 €1.12

52.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 €2.42

$1.63 €1.43

69.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.51

$2.30 €2.01

-25.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 €36.02

$37.16 €32.51

10.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 €4.57

$8.06 €7.05

-35.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.38

$2.08 €1.82

-24.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.86 €30.50

$34.10 €29.83

2.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.08 €1.82

-2.40%

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

$29.0K €25.4K

$37.0K €32.4K

-21.71%

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

$29.9K €26.1K

$40.6K €35.5K

-26.47%

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

$222 €195

$192 €168

15.65%

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

$10.96 €9.59

$12.91 €11.29

-15.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.99 €27.11

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 €56.1

$56.4 €49.34

13.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 €20.98

$14.25 €12.47

68.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 €10.18

$10.52 €9.21

10.55%

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

$539 €472

$555 €486

-2.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,353

$6,668 €5,834

60.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €64.0

$87.1 €76.2

-16.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 €30.26

$35.12 €30.72

-1.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 €75.8

$104 €91.3

-17.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$127 €112

-6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 €1,162

$673 €589

97.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 €758

$569 €498

52.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,271

$1,269 €1,110

104.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 €1,402

$869 €760

84.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,434 €7,379

$2,965 €2,594

184.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 €3,031

$2,646 €2,315

30.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,703

$1,791 €1,567

8.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.44

-11.04%

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

Last update for Rome: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cesena: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,328 in Rome and $673 in Cesena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rome pays 9% 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: $76.0 in Rome vs $81.0 in Cesena. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $278, with Cesena cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cesena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome and Cesena differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,986 vs $1,637 including rent). Cesena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 9% 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: $1,328 in Rome versus $673 in Cesena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cesena – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $76.0 in Rome. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,986 per month in Rome versus $1,637 in Cesena – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,637 in Cesena versus $1,986 in Rome, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cesena but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Cesena 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 Cesena 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 Cesena 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.