Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Cosenza

For one person, living is cheaper in Cosenza: $1,413 a month against $1,997 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rome, Italy
Cosenza, Italy
Rome
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,997
/mo nomad
Cosenza
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,413
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rome and in Cosenza

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 Cosenza actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,997 in Rome versus $1,413 in Cosenza.

  • Rome $1,997
  • Cosenza $1,413

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,132 in Rome versus $2,170 in Cosenza.

  • Rome $3,132
  • Cosenza $2,170

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,266 in Rome versus $2,928 in Cosenza.

  • Rome $4,266
  • Cosenza $2,928

Living in Rome is roughly 41% more expensive than in Cosenza, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 47% above, Cosenza 4% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rome
Cosenza
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.44 €14.78
$17.02 €15.29
-3.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.0 €61.1
$55.4 €49.74
22.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €10.01
$11.01 €9.89
1.18%
Cappuccino
$2.02 €1.82
$1.76 €1.58
14.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.70
$2.47 €2.22
21.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 €1.33
$1.15 €1.03
28.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 €5.11
$5.66 €5.09
0.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.77 €6.08
$4.34 €3.90
55.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rome
Cosenza
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 €1.51
$1.12 €1.01
50.89%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 €1.96
$1.86 €1.67
17.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.08 €2.77
$2.55 €2.29
20.78%
Eggs
$4.74 €4.26
$3.33 €2.99
42.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.65 €13.16
$12.59 €11.31
16.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.45 €11.19
$11.02 €9.90
12.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.48 €17.50
$15.50 €13.93
25.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 €2.34
$2.49 €2.23
4.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.35 €2.11
$2.04 €1.84
15.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 €2.09
$2.24 €2.01
4.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 €2.10
$3.25 €2.92
-28.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.32 €1.19
3.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.61 €1.45
$1.79 €1.60
-10.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.43 €1.29
-7.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 €0.46
$0.44 €0.40
15.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.03 €6.32
$6.64 €5.96
5.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$6.34 €5.70
-11.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 €1.48
$1.84 €1.65
-10.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.26
$2.99 €2.69
-16.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Rome
Cosenza
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.64 €1.47
$1.30 €1.17
26.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.58 €35.57
$30.81 €27.68
28.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.77 €6.08
$4.58 €4.11
47.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 €1.48
$1.22 €1.10
35.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.02 €30.57
$22.65 €20.35
50.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.17 €1.95
$2.00 €1.80
8.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K €31.8K
$30.3K €27.2K
16.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K €32.9K
$30.3K €27.2K
20.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
Cosenza
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €188
$201 €181
4.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.53 €10.36
$9.08 €8.16
26.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.32 €29.04
$31.07 €27.91
4.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rome
Cosenza
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.0 €58.4
$45.72 €41.08
42.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.53 €21.14
$16.65 €14.96
41.32%
Cinema Ticket
$11.32 €10.18
$8.19 €7.36
38.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rome
Cosenza
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$488 €439
$285 €256
71.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.7K €15.0K
$2,777 €2,495
500.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rome
Cosenza
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.1 €63.9
$84.1 €75.6
-15.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.84 €33.10
$40.22 €36.14
-8.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.4 €76.8
$102 €91.9
-16.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €115
$115 €104
10.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rome
Cosenza
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,297 €1,165
$500 €449
159.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$875 €786
$378 €340
131.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,584 €2,321
$931 €837
177.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,739 €1,563
$653 €586
166.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,477 €7,616
$1,752 €1,574
383.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,239 €2,910
$1,301 €1,169
149.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rome
Cosenza
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,948 €1,751
$1,506 €1,353
29.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.52
3.08
14.29%

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

Last update for Rome: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cosenza: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rome
$875
Cosenza
$378 56.8% $497
Groceries & Markets
Rome
$326
Cosenza
$289 11.3% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$254
Cosenza
$242 4.7% $12
Eating Out
Rome
$249
Cosenza
$242 3% $7.4
Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$145
Cosenza
$154 6.4% $9.3
Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$88
Cosenza
$62 29.2% $26
Getting Around
Rome
$61
Cosenza
$47 23.7% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,297 in Rome and $500 in Cosenza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rome pays 29% 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: $68 in Rome vs $55 in Cosenza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $289 per month, with Cosenza cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Rome
🇮🇹 Cosenza
🕒 Local time
01:16 1:16 AM
01:16 1:16 AM
Same time as Rome
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,848,084 Capital
63,693
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rome Cosenza 430 km
From you
  • Rome
  • Cosenza

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 Cosenza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Rome and in Cosenza?
Rome and Cosenza differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,997 vs $1,413 including rent). Cosenza is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Rome or Cosenza?
Average pay runs 29% higher in Rome, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Rome and in Cosenza?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,297 in Rome versus $500 in Cosenza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Rome and Cosenza?
Childcare runs $488 in Rome versus $285 in Cosenza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Rome. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How does quality of life compare between Rome and Cosenza?
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.
Is Rome or Cosenza safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Rome and Cosenza are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Rome or Cosenza?
Expats usually find Cosenza gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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