Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Florence Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Florence

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,027 per month in Rome vs $2,128 in Florence, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,143 per month in Rome vs $3,310 in Florence, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,260 per month in Rome vs $4,493 in Florence, rent included.

Rome is about 5% cheaper than Florence, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rome and Florence sit above the global median – Rome by 51%, Florence by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €14.84

$22.77 €19.61

-24.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 €63.6

$92.9 €80.0

-20.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.11

$11.73 €10.10

0.09%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.58

$1.93 €1.66

-5.18%

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

$2.51 €2.16

$3.34 €2.88

-24.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.62 €1.39

-21.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.05

$7.06 €6.08

-17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.50

$7.10 €6.11

-26.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.63 €1.40

3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.30 €1.98

-6.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$4.29 €3.70

-31.24%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$4.36 €3.76

3.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.42 €15.00

$20.70 €17.83

-15.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 €10.33

$11.17 €9.62

7.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.19 €17.38

$20.76 €17.87

-2.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.77 €2.38

-11.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.85 €1.60

20.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.88 €2.48

-32.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$3.57 €3.08

-27.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.63 €1.40

8.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.72 €1.48

8.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.68 €1.44

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.14

$7.03 €6.05

1.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 €3.99

$8.25 €7.10

-43.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.66 €1.43

17.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$2.45 €2.11

11.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$2.02 €1.74

-11.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.00 €35.31

$43.22 €37.22

-5.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.42

$5.93 €5.11

-13.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.77 €1.53

-9.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 €30.21

$36.47 €31.41

-3.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.12 €1.83

-8.02%

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

$29.3K €25.2K

$33.0K €28.5K

-11.28%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$31.5K €27.1K

-4.24%

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

$219 €189

$206 €177

6.72%

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

$11.01 €9.48

$13.67 €11.77

-19.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 €26.96

$34.98 €30.12

-10.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.2

$85.5 €73.6

-25.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.81 €20.50

$23.85 €20.53

-0.17%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.10

$11.79 €10.16

-0.51%

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

$528 €455

$765 €659

-30.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,976

$19.6K €16.9K

-46.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 €63.1

$88.3 €76.0

-17.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €29.77

$31.84 €27.42

8.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 €74.9

$85.1 €73.3

2.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$147 €127

-19.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 €1,141

$1,117 €961

18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 €762

$883 €760

0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 €2,292

$2,272 €1,956

17.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 €1,409

$1,528 €1,316

7.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,730 €7,518

$6,579 €5,665

32.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,452 €2,973

$4,016 €3,459

-14.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,058 €1,772

$2,061 €1,775

-0.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

3.96

-0.25%

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

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Last update for Florence: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,325 in Rome versus $1,117 in Florence. 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 0% higher in Florence, 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 $93.0 in Florence. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $360 – 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 Florence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,027 in Rome, $2,128 in Florence – roughly 5% apart. Florence costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,041 per month in Rome and $3,191 in Florence. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,027 in Rome and $2,128 in Florence. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Rome. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rome, where all-in costs run around $2,027, than in Florence at $2,128. In Rome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Florence 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 $2,027 in Rome to $2,128 in Florence. 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 Rome. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Florence makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.