Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Escondido, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Escondido, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,986 in Rome versus $3,538 in Escondido, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,073 in Rome versus $4,370 in Escondido, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,159 in Rome versus $5,201 in Escondido, CA.

Living in Rome costs roughly 44% less than in Escondido, CA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 49% above, Escondido, CA 165% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 €15.37

$17.88 $17.88

-1.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 €66.5

$78.7 $78.7

-3.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €10.22

$15.01 $15.01

-22.25%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.55

$4.86 $4.86

-63.58%

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

$2.45 €2.14

$2.49 $2.49

-1.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.11

$1.95 $1.95

-35.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €5.03

$6.11 $6.11

-5.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.43

$6.89 $6.89

-26.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.07 $1.07

58.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.81

$3.39 $3.39

-38.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.62

$4.46 $4.46

-32.96%

Eggs

$4.52 €3.96

$3.33 $3.33

35.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 €15.49

$8.69 $8.69

103.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 €10.29

$6.67 $6.67

76.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.56 €18.01

$15.37 $15.37

33.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$3.10 $3.10

-21.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$1.65 $1.65

43.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$1.48 $1.48

36.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.34

$2.05 $2.05

30.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.22 $2.22

-20.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.14 $2.14

-13.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.11

$2.00 $2.00

-36.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$2.06 $2.06

-72.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.96

$11.22 $11.22

-39.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$4.88 $4.88

-18.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.70

$1.46 $1.46

32.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 €2.42

$3.45 $3.45

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.51

$2.04 $2.04

-15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 €36.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 €4.58

$6.54 $6.54

-20.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.39

$1.69 $1.69

-6.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.86 €30.53

$28.79 $28.79

21.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.26 $1.26

61.11%

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

$29.0K €25.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

12.01%

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

$29.9K €26.2K

$26.5K $26.5K

12.56%

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

$222 €195

$158 $158

40.99%

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

$10.96 €9.60

$54.4 $54.4

-79.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.99 €27.14

$56.0 $56.0

-44.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 €56.2

$34.84 $34.84

84.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 €21.01

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 €10.19

$15.04 $15.04

-22.67%

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

$539 €472

$1,482 $1,482

-63.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,363

$23.2K $23.2K

-53.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €64.1

$47.88 $47.88

52.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 €30.29

$33.58 $33.58

2.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 €75.8

$80.8 $80.8

7.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$99.6 $99.6

19.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 €1,163

$2,667 $2,667

-50.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 €759

$2,538 $2,538

-65.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,274

$2,625 $2,625

-1.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 €1,403

$2,683 $2,683

-40.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,434 €7,386

$7,664 $7,664

10.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 €3,034

$7,562 $7,562

-54.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,705

$5,994 $5,994

-67.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

6.64

-40.51%

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

Last update for Rome: July 11, 2026

Last update for Escondido, CA: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,328 in Rome and $2,667 in Escondido, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escondido, CA pays 208% 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 $79.0 in Escondido, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $290, with Escondido, CA 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 Escondido, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome and Escondido, CA differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,986 vs $3,538 including rent). Rome is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 208% lower in Escondido, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,328 in Rome versus $2,667 in Escondido, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Escondido, CA pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,986 per month in Rome versus $3,538 in Escondido, CA – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,986 in Rome versus $3,538 in Escondido, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rome but tight or insufficient in Escondido, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Rome 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 Escondido, CA 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 Rome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Escondido, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.