Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Cortona Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Cortona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,066 per month in Rome vs $1,883 in Cortona, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,252 per month in Rome vs $2,829 in Cortona, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,438 per month in Rome vs $3,775 in Cortona, rent included.

Rome costs about 10% more than Cortona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rome and Cortona sit above the global median – Rome by 50%, Cortona by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.17

$21.01 €18.11

-16.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 €59.4

$82.9 €71.5

-16.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 €9.98

$11.89 €10.26

-2.69%

Cappuccino

$2.25 €1.94

$2.03 €1.75

10.84%

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

$3.11 €2.68

$3.43 €2.95

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.44 €1.24

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 €5.09

$6.94 €5.99

-14.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 €5.87

$4.96 €4.28

37.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.76 €1.52

1.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.21 €1.91

3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 €2.69

$3.26 €2.81

-4.29%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.89

$5.39 €4.64

-16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.13 €13.04

$28.91 €24.93

-47.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 €10.74

$16.83 €14.52

-25.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.91 €16.30

$25.40 €21.90

-25.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$3.09 €2.66

-14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.17 €1.87

9.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$3.41 €2.94

-23.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$3.38 €2.92

-29.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.25

$3.20 €2.76

-54.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.39

$2.26 €1.95

-28.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.88 €1.63

-23.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.44

$0.87 €0.75

-41.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 €6.40

$8.23 €7.10

-9.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.16 €3.59

$8.98 €7.74

-53.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 €1.40

$2.72 €2.34

-40.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.34

$4.15 €3.58

-34.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.05 €34.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.63 €6.58

$5.89 €5.08

29.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.28 €1.97

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.52 €29.77

$11.96 €10.31

188.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.02 €1.74

2.97%

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

$36.8K €31.8K

$37.5K €32.3K

-1.69%

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

$36.5K €31.5K

$36.9K €31.8K

-0.91%

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

$215 €185

$354 €305

-39.26%

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

$12.52 €10.80

$12.46 €10.74

0.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.79 €27.41

$43.95 €37.90

-27.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.0 €60.3

$28.57 €24.63

144.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.16 €21.69

$11.81 €10.18

113.04%

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 €9.88

$11.27 €9.72

1.69%

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

$516 €445

$662 €571

-22.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K €15.4K

$8,960 €7,727

99.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.8 €63.7

$105 €90.2

-29.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 €33.44

$78.5 €67.7

-50.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 €75.8

$89.8 €77.5

-2.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €105

$204 €176

-40.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 €1,075

$884 €762

41.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 €765

$415 €358

113.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 €2,249

$1,531 €1,321

70.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 €1,494

$637 €550

171.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,745 €7,541

$2,375 €2,048

268.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,273 €2,822

$2,854 €2,461

14.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,963 €1,693

$3,191 €2,752

-38.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.52

3.7

-4.86%

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

Last update for Rome: September 5, 2026

Last update for Cortona: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,247 in Rome versus $884 in Cortona. 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 63% higher in Cortona, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Rome versus $83.0 in Cortona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $452 – making Rome the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cortona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,066 in Rome, $1,883 in Cortona – roughly 10% apart. Rome costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,098 per month in Rome and $2,825 in Cortona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,066 in Rome and $1,883 in Cortona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $516 per month in Rome and $662 in Cortona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Cortona, where all-in costs run around $1,883, than in Rome at $2,066. In Cortona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rome has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,883 in Cortona to $2,066 in Rome. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Cortona. 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.