Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Florence

For one person, living is cheaper in Rome: $1,997 a month against $2,435 in Florence, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Rome, Italy
Florence, Italy
Rome
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,997
/mo nomad
Florence
🇮🇹 Italy
$2,435
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rome and in Florence

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

A single person spends $1,997 per month in Rome vs $2,435 in Florence, rent included.

  • Rome $1,997
  • Florence $2,435

A couple spends around $3,132 per month in Rome vs $3,689 in Florence, rent included.

  • Rome $3,132
  • Florence $3,689

A family of three spends $4,266 per month in Rome vs $4,944 in Florence, rent included.

  • Rome $4,266
  • Florence $4,944

Rome is about 18% cheaper than Florence, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Rome and Florence sit above the global median – Rome by 47%, Florence by 79%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rome
Florence
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.44 €14.74
$27.07 €24.26
-39.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.0 €60.9
$77.2 €69.2
-11.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.98
$14.74 €13.21
-24.42%
Cappuccino
$2.02 €1.81
$2.30 €2.06
-12.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.69
$3.24 €2.90
-7.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 €1.33
$1.43 €1.28
3.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 €5.10
$6.82 €6.11
-16.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.77 €6.06
$7.74 €6.94
-12.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rome
Florence
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 €1.51
$1.84 €1.65
-8.15%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 €1.96
$2.53 €2.27
-13.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.08 €2.76
$2.87 €2.57
7.32%
Eggs
$4.74 €4.25
$4.65 €4.17
1.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.65 €13.12
$26.22 €23.50
-44.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.45 €11.16
$12.16 €10.90
2.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.48 €17.46
$25.50 €22.85
-23.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 €2.33
$2.98 €2.67
-12.75%
Banana (1kg)
$2.35 €2.10
$2.57 €2.31
-8.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 €2.08
$3.28 €2.94
-28.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 €2.10
$3.18 €2.85
-26.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.28 €2.04
-40.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.61 €1.44
$1.84 €1.65
-12.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.83 €1.64
-27.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 €0.45
$0.66 €0.59
-22.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.03 €6.30
$7.36 €6.59
-4.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.03
$7.92 €7.09
-29.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 €1.47
$1.99 €1.79
-17.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.25
$3.07 €2.75
-18.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Rome
Florence
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.64 €1.47
$1.95 €1.75
-15.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.58 €35.47
$42.87 €38.42
-7.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.77 €6.06
$3.72 €3.34
81.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 €1.48
$1.20 €1.08
37.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.02 €30.49
$31.25 €28.00
8.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.17 €1.95
$2.17 €1.94
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K €31.7K
$36.2K €32.5K
-2.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K €32.8K
$37.5K €33.6K
-2.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
Florence
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €188
$243 €218
-13.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.53 €10.33
$11.82 €10.60
-2.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.32 €28.96
$33.27 €29.82
-2.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rome
Florence
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.0 €58.3
$60.1 €53.8
8.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.53 €21.08
$20.77 €18.61
13.29%
Cinema Ticket
$11.32 €10.15
$11.28 €10.10
0.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rome
Florence
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$488 €437
$768 €688
-36.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.7K €15.0K
$17.0K €15.3K
-2.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rome
Florence
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.1 €63.7
$97.8 €87.6
-27.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.84 €33.01
$39.25 €35.17
-6.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.4 €76.5
$108 €96.6
-20.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €115
$149 €133
-13.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rome
Florence
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,297 €1,162
$1,552 €1,391
-16.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$875 €784
$1,063 €953
-17.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,584 €2,315
$2,707 €2,425
-4.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,739 €1,559
$1,858 €1,665
-6.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,477 €7,596
$6,362 €5,701
33.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,239 €2,902
$4,104 €3,678
-21.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rome
Florence
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,948 €1,746
$1,982 €1,776
-1.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.52
3.16
11.39%

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

Last update for Rome: October 25, 2026

Last update for Florence: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rome
$875
Florence
$1.1K 21.5% $188
Groceries & Markets
Rome
$326
Florence
$407 24.9% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$254
Florence
$288 13.7% $35
Eating Out
Rome
$249
Florence
$357 43.1% $107
Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$145
Florence
$177 22.5% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$88
Florence
$83 5.7% $5
Getting Around
Rome
$61
Florence
$60 1.2% $0.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in Rome versus $1,552 in Florence. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Rome versus $77 in Florence. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $407 – making Rome the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Rome
🇮🇹 Florence
🕒 Local time
02:54 2:54 AM
02:54 2:54 AM
Same time as Rome
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,848,084 Capital
382,808
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rome Florence 230 km
From you
  • Rome
  • Florence

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 Florence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Rome and in Florence compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,997 in Rome, $2,435 in Florence – Rome comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Rome compared to Florence?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,996 per month in Rome and $3,652 in Florence. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Rome and Florence?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Rome, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,297 there versus $1,552 in Florence.
Which city is more expensive overall: Rome or Florence?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,997 in Rome and $2,435 in Florence. That makes Rome about 18% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Rome and in Florence?
Public transport costs about 8% less in Rome. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Where should families live: Rome or Florence?
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.
Is Rome or Florence safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Where should expats move: Rome or Florence?
For expats, Rome is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 18% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Rome vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?