Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Joplin, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Joplin, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,986 in Rome versus $2,221 in Joplin, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,073 in Rome versus $2,969 in Joplin, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,159 in Rome versus $3,716 in Joplin, MO.

Living in Rome costs roughly 11% less than in Joplin, MO, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 49% above, Joplin, MO 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 €15.33

$20.18 $20.18

-13.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 €66.4

$54.5 $54.5

39.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €10.20

$10.09 $10.09

15.66%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.55

$4.63 $4.63

-61.77%

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

$2.45 €2.14

$1.78 $1.78

37.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.10

$1.65 $1.65

-23.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €5.02

$5.12 $5.12

12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.42

$6.04 $6.04

-16.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$0.93 $0.93

82.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.81

$3.07 $3.07

-32.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.61

$1.98 $1.98

51.01%

Eggs

$4.52 €3.95

$3.94 $3.94

14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 €15.45

$9.78 $9.78

80.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 €10.26

$6.53 $6.53

79.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.56 €17.96

$18.21 $18.21

12.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$4.95 $4.95

-50.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$1.65 $1.65

43.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$2.84 $2.84

-28.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.34

$2.20 $2.20

21.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.59 $2.59

-32.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.44 $2.44

-24.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.81 $1.81

-29.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$1.82 $1.82

-69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.95

$9.37 $9.37

-27.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$15.17 $15.17

-73.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.69

$1.71 $1.71

13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 €2.41

$3.86 $3.86

-28.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.50

$1.96 $1.96

-12.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 €35.97

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 €4.57

$2.53 $2.53

106.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.58 $1.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.86 €30.46

$26.89 $26.89

29.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.77

$0.74 $0.74

174.32%

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

$29.0K €25.3K

$27.5K $27.5K

5.35%

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

$29.9K €26.1K

$24.2K $24.2K

23.40%

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

$222 €194

$326 $326

-31.74%

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

$10.96 €9.58

$43.54 $43.54

-74.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.99 €27.07

$69.8 $69.8

-55.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 €56.1

$19.60 $19.60

227.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 €20.96

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 €10.16

$13.15 $13.15

-11.56%

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

$539 €471

$925 $925

-41.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,341

$16.3K $16.3K

-34.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €63.9

$40.52 $40.52

80.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 €30.22

$39.22 $39.22

-11.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 €75.7

$100 $100

-13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$69.1 $69.1

71.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 €1,160

$1,172 $1,172

13.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 €757

$985 $985

-12.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,268

$1,603 $1,603

61.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 €1,400

$1,177 $1,177

36.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,434 €7,369

$1,481 $1,481

469.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 €3,026

$1,465 $1,465

136.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,701

$3,355 $3,355

-41.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

6.17

-35.98%

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

Last update for Rome: July 11, 2026

Last update for Joplin, MO: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,328 in Rome and $1,172 in Joplin, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Joplin, MO pays 72% 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 $55.0 in Joplin, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $326 per month, with Joplin, MO cheaper across the board.

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 Joplin, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 72% lower in Joplin, MO. 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 $1,172 in Joplin, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Joplin, MO pay roughly 2% 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 $2,221 in Joplin, MO – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,986 in Rome versus $2,221 in Joplin, MO, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rome but tight or insufficient in Joplin, MO. The gap between the two cities makes Rome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rome is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Joplin, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rome and Joplin, MO 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 12% less than in Joplin, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.