For one person, living is cheaper in Imola: $1,743 a month against $1,997 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rome outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.
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 Imola actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,997 per month in Rome vs $1,743 in Imola, rent included.
Rome $1,997
Imola $1,743
A couple spends around $3,132 per month in Rome vs $2,669 in Imola, rent included.
Rome $3,132
Imola $2,669
A family of three spends $4,266 per month in Rome vs $3,596 in Imola, rent included.
Rome $4,266
Imola $3,596
😐
Rome costs about 15% more than Imola, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.
📊
Both Rome and Imola sit above the global median – Rome by 47%, Imola by 28%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Rome
Imola
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.44€14.77
$23.15€20.80
-28.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.0€61.0
$67.8€60.9
0.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.14€10.01
$11.07€9.94
0.63%
Cappuccino
$2.02€1.82
$1.53€1.38
32.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00€2.70
$1.97€1.77
52.28%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48€1.33
$1.04€0.93
42.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.69€5.11
$4.59€4.12
23.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.77€6.08
$3.34€3.00
102.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rome
Imola
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.69€1.51
$1.38€1.24
22.46%
White Bread(500g)
$2.19€1.96
$2.12€1.91
3.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.08€2.77
$1.71€1.53
80.12%
Eggs
$4.74€4.26
$3.43€3.08
38.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.65€13.16
$26.42€23.73
-44.55%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.45€11.18
$9.67€8.69
28.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.48€17.50
$21.16€19.01
-7.94%
Apples(1kg)
$2.60€2.34
$2.88€2.58
-9.72%
Banana(1kg)
$2.35€2.11
$2.21€1.98
6.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33€2.09
$3.35€3.01
-30.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.34€2.10
$3.22€2.89
-27.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.36€1.22
$1.64€1.47
-17.07%
Onion(1kg)
$1.61€1.45
$1.11€0.99
45.05%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.32€1.18
$0.40€0.36
230.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51€0.46
$0.28€0.25
82.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.03€6.32
$7.28€6.54
-3.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.61€5.04
$5.72€5.14
-1.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64€1.48
$1.65€1.48
-0.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51€2.26
$1.97€1.77
27.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Rome
Imola
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.64€1.47
$1.48€1.33
10.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.58€35.56
$31.53€28.32
25.53%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.77€6.08
$3.80€3.41
78.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.65€1.48
$1.20€1.08
37.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.02€30.56
$27.85€25.02
22.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.17€1.95
$1.93€1.74
12.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K€31.8K
$33.0K€29.6K
7.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K€32.9K
$36.2K€32.5K
1.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
Imola
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$210€188
$240€216
-12.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.53€10.36
$11.05€9.92
4.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.32€29.03
$33.30€29.91
-2.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rome
Imola
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$65.0€58.4
$78.5€70.5
-17.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.53€21.14
$8.60€7.72
173.60%
Cinema Ticket
$11.32€10.17
$10.58€9.50
6.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rome
Imola
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$488€438
$662€595
-26.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.7K€15.0K
$9,999€8,982
66.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rome
Imola
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.1€63.9
$96.5€86.7
-26.29%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.84€33.09
$27.50€24.70
33.96%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.4€76.7
$95.1€85.5
-10.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128€115
$94.8€85.2
34.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rome
Imola
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,297€1,165
$665€597
95.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$875€786
$552€496
58.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,584€2,321
$1,315€1,181
96.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,739€1,562
$952€855
82.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,477€7,615
$2,856€2,566
196.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,239€2,910
$2,022€1,816
60.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rome
Imola
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,948€1,750
$2,115€1,900
-7.87%
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 Imola: October 24, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Rome
$875 43.8%
Imola
$552 31.7% ↓ 36.9%$323
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rome
$326 16.3%
Imola
$339 19.5% ↑ 4.2%$14
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$254 12.7%
Imola
$285 16.3% ↑ 12.3%$31
🍽Eating Out
Rome
$249 12.5%
Imola
$279 16% ↑ 11.8%$29
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$145 7.2%
Imola
$141 8.1% ↓ 2.3%$3.3
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$88 4.4%
Imola
$100 5.7% ↑ 13.7%$12
🚌Getting Around
Rome
$61 3.1%
Imola
$47 2.7% ↓ 22.8%$14
🏠Accommodation & Living
Rome
$1.7K 40.8%
Imola
$952 26.5% ↓ 45.3%$787
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rome
$777 18.2%
Imola
$812 22.6% ↑ 4.6%$35
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$265 6.2%
Imola
$296 8.2% ↑ 11.6%$31
🍽Eating Out
Rome
$839 19.7%
Imola
$916 25.5% ↑ 9.2%$77
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$321 7.5%
Imola
$314 8.7% ↓ 2.3%$7.2
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$199 4.7%
Imola
$208 5.8% ↑ 4.5%$9
🚌Getting Around
Rome
$126 2.9%
Imola
$97 2.7% ↓ 22.4%$28
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in Rome versus $665 in Imola. 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 9% higher in Imola, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Rome versus $68 in Imola. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $339 – making Rome the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Imola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Rome and in Imola compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,997 in Rome, $1,743 in Imola – Imola comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Rome compared to Imola?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,996 per month in Rome and $2,615 in Imola. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Rome and Imola?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Imola, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $665 there versus $1,297 in Rome.
Which city is more expensive overall: Rome or Imola?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,997 in Rome and $1,743 in Imola. That makes Imola about 13% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Rome and Imola?
Kindergarten costs $488 per month in Rome and $662 in Imola. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $3,000 go in Rome compared to Imola?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,997 in Rome and $1,743 in Imola, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Rome and Imola?
It depends on your priorities. Rome has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,743 in Imola to $1,997 in Rome. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.