Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rome and in Como actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,990 per month in Rome vs $2,031 in Como, rent included.
Rome $1,990
Como $2,031
A couple spends around $3,095 per month in Rome vs $3,203 in Como, rent included.
Rome $3,095
Como $3,203
A family of three spends $4,199 per month in Rome vs $4,374 in Como, rent included.
Rome $4,199
Como $4,374
🙂
Rome is about 2% cheaper than Como, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both Rome and Como sit above the global median – Rome by 47%, Como by 50%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Rome
Como
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.68€14.84
$22.70€20.19
-26.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.4€59.9
$87.9€78.2
-23.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.31€10.06
$13.69€12.18
-17.38%
Cappuccino
$2.09€1.86
$1.99€1.77
5.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89€2.57
$3.37€3.00
-14.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46€1.30
$1.55€1.38
-5.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.63€5.01
$6.90€6.14
-18.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.93€6.16
$5.97€5.31
16.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rome
Como
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.66€1.48
$1.93€1.71
-13.99%
White Bread(500g)
$2.28€2.03
$2.38€2.12
-4.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.03€2.70
$2.97€2.64
2.02%
Eggs
$4.53€4.03
$4.42€3.93
2.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.76€13.13
$17.66€15.71
-16.42%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.31€10.95
$13.52€12.02
-8.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.50€17.35
$24.54€21.83
-20.54%
Apples(1kg)
$2.64€2.35
$1.90€1.69
38.95%
Banana(1kg)
$2.29€2.04
$2.26€2.01
1.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.28€2.03
$2.89€2.57
-21.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.41€2.14
$3.72€3.31
-35.22%
Potato(1kg)
$1.36€1.21
$2.59€2.31
-47.49%
Onion(1kg)
$1.55€1.38
$1.64€1.46
-5.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.37€1.22
$1.46€1.30
-6.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.49
$0.57€0.51
-3.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.16€6.37
$6.55€5.83
9.31%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.45€4.85
$7.79€6.93
-30.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60€1.43
$2.08€1.85
-23.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53€2.25
$2.46€2.19
2.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Rome
Como
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.70€1.51
$2.15€1.91
-20.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$38.95€34.64
$45.31€40.31
-14.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.67€5.93
$9.03€8.03
-26.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.71€1.53
$2.18€1.94
-21.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.59€29.87
$39.48€35.11
-14.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.11€1.88
$2.09€1.86
0.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K€31.6K
$35.8K€31.8K
-0.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0K€32.9K
$34.6K€30.8K
6.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
Como
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$203€180
$219€195
-7.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33€10.08
$13.22€11.76
-14.30%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.57€28.08
$31.15€27.71
1.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rome
Como
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$65.6€58.4
$34.27€30.48
91.54%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.49€20.89
$31.66€28.16
-25.81%
Cinema Ticket
$11.43€10.16
$11.38€10.12
0.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rome
Como
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$497€442
$788€701
-37.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.6K€14.8K
$18.7K€16.7K
-11.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rome
Como
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.5€64.5
$114€101
-36.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.94€31.97
$38.45€34.20
-6.53%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.1€75.7
$129€114
-33.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121€108
$168€150
-27.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rome
Como
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,191€1,059
$1,149€1,022
3.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$876€780
$747€664
17.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,506€2,229
$2,069€1,840
21.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,683€1,497
$1,388€1,235
21.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,438€7,505
$4,824€4,291
74.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,157€2,809
$1,980€1,761
59.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rome
Como
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,962€1,746
$2,248€2,000
-12.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.52
2.92
20.55%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rome: October 20, 2026
Last update for Como: October 20, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Rome
$876 44%
Como
$747 36.8% ↓ 14.8%$129
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rome
$325 16.3%
Como
$375 18.5% ↑ 15.2%$49
🍽Eating Out
Rome
$252 12.7%
Como
$313 15.4% ↑ 24.2%$61
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$246 12.4%
Como
$264 13% ↑ 7.4%$18
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$142 7.1%
Como
$202 10% ↑ 42.5%$60
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$88 4.5%
Como
$57 2.8% ↓ 35.6%$31
🚌Getting Around
Rome
$61 3.1%
Como
$74 3.6% ↑ 21%$13
🏠Accommodation & Living
Rome
$1.7K 40.1%
Como
$1.4K 31.8% ↓ 17.5%$295
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rome
$775 18.5%
Como
$889 20.3% ↑ 14.7%$114
🍽Eating Out
Rome
$843 20.1%
Como
$1.1K 24.5% ↑ 27.3%$230
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$257 6.1%
Como
$277 6.3% ↑ 7.8%$20
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$315 7.5%
Como
$449 10.3% ↑ 42.5%$134
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$200 4.8%
Como
$146 3.3% ↓ 27.3%$55
🚌Getting Around
Rome
$125 3%
Como
$152 3.5% ↑ 21.2%$27
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,191 in Rome versus $1,149 in Como. 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 15% higher in Como, 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 $67.0 in Rome versus $88.0 in Como. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $375 – making Rome the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 Como: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Como cheaper than Rome?
Yes – Como is pricier by about 2%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,986 per month in Rome and $3,047 in Como. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Rome, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Rome and in Como?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,990 in Rome and $2,031 in Como. That's a gap of about 2%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 16% less in Rome. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Rome or in Como?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rome, where all-in costs run around $1,990, than in Como at $2,031. In Rome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Como it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Rome or Como more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rome – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Rome or Como?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Rome. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Como makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.