Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Fayetteville, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Fayetteville, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,027 per month in Rome vs $2,866 in Fayetteville, NC, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,143 per month in Rome vs $3,477 in Fayetteville, NC, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,260 per month in Rome vs $4,088 in Fayetteville, NC, rent included.

Rome is about 29% cheaper than Fayetteville, NC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Rome and Fayetteville, NC sit above the global median – Rome by 51%, Fayetteville, NC by 114%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €14.95

$15.20 $15.20

13.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 €64.1

$60.9 $60.9

21.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.19

$10.82 $10.82

8.50%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.59

$4.96 $4.96

-63.10%

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

$2.51 €2.17

$2.17 $2.17

15.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.74 $1.74

-27.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.09

$3.96 $3.96

47.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.53

$6.24 $6.24

-16.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.47

$0.96 $0.96

76.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.86

$3.26 $3.26

-34.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 €2.56

$3.02 $3.02

-2.32%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.91

$3.54 $3.54

27.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.42 €15.12

$8.31 $8.31

109.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 €10.41

$8.45 $8.45

42.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.19 €17.51

$12.15 $12.15

66.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.12

$4.21 $4.21

-41.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$2.26 $2.26

-1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.69

$4.88 $4.88

-60.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.24

$4.70 $4.70

-45.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$2.45 $2.45

-27.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.61

$2.94 $2.94

-36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.87 $1.87

-32.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

$1.80 $1.80

-69.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.19

$7.68 $7.68

-7.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 €4.02

$12.59 $12.59

-63.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$1.61 $1.61

21.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.37

$1.46 $1.46

86.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.98 $1.98

-9.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.00 €35.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.45

$2.04 $2.04

151.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.39

$1.91 $1.91

-16.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 €30.44

$50.4 $50.4

-30.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.69

$0.78 $0.78

150.00%

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

$29.3K €25.4K

$30.6K $30.6K

-4.04%

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

$30.2K €26.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

17.23%

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

$219 €190

$147 $147

48.88%

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

$11.01 €9.55

$76.1 $76.1

-85.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 €27.16

$72.5 $72.5

-56.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.6

$23.42 $23.42

173.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.81 €20.65

$39.82 $39.82

-40.21%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.18

$11.80 $11.80

-0.59%

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

$528 €458

$897 $897

-41.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €9,043

$25.1K $25.1K

-58.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 €63.6

$53.3 $53.3

37.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €29.99

$39.61 $39.61

-12.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 €75.5

$62.6 $62.6

38.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$85.9 $85.9

38.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 €1,149

$1,490 $1,490

-11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 €768

$1,777 $1,777

-50.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 €2,309

$1,754 $1,754

51.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 €1,419

$1,666 $1,666

-1.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,730 €7,574

$1,676 $1,676

420.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,452 €2,995

$1,705 $1,705

102.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,058 €1,786

$2,944 $2,944

-30.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

6.45

-38.76%

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

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Last update for Fayetteville, NC: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,325 in Rome versus $1,490 in Fayetteville, NC. 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 43% higher in Fayetteville, NC, 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 $74.0 in Rome versus $61.0 in Fayetteville, NC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $328 – making Fayetteville, NC 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 Fayetteville, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fayetteville, NC costs about 41% more than Rome, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,041 per month in Rome and $4,299 in Fayetteville, NC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Rome and $61.0 in Fayetteville, NC. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Fayetteville, NC – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rome, where all-in costs run around $2,027, than in Fayetteville, NC at $2,866. In Rome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fayetteville, NC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rome costs $2,027 versus $2,866 in Fayetteville, NC. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Rome. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fayetteville, NC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.