Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and La Spezia

For one person, living is cheaper in La Spezia: $1,725 a month against $1,997 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rome, Italy
La Spezia, Italy
Rome
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,997
/mo nomad
La Spezia
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,725
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rome and in La Spezia

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

A single person spends $1,997 per month in Rome vs $1,725 in La Spezia, rent included.

  • Rome $1,997
  • La Spezia $1,725

A couple spends around $3,132 per month in Rome vs $2,620 in La Spezia, rent included.

  • Rome $3,132
  • La Spezia $2,620

A family of three spends $4,266 per month in Rome vs $3,516 in La Spezia, rent included.

  • Rome $4,266
  • La Spezia $3,516

Rome costs about 16% more than La Spezia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Rome and La Spezia sit above the global median – Rome by 47%, La Spezia by 27%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rome
La Spezia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.44 €14.74
$16.62 €14.89
-1.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.0 €60.9
$76.9 €68.9
-11.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.98
$10.04 €9.00
10.96%
Cappuccino
$2.02 €1.81
$1.77 €1.58
14.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.69
$2.66 €2.38
12.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 €1.33
$1.22 €1.10
21.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 €5.10
$5.47 €4.90
4.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.77 €6.06
$4.43 €3.97
52.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rome
La Spezia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 €1.51
$1.39 €1.24
21.58%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 €1.96
$1.94 €1.74
12.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.08 €2.76
$2.13 €1.91
44.60%
Eggs
$4.74 €4.25
$4.20 €3.77
12.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.65 €13.12
$20.73 €18.58
-29.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.45 €11.16
$12.32 €11.04
1.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.48 €17.46
$18.92 €16.96
2.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 €2.33
$3.86 €3.46
-32.64%
Banana (1kg)
$2.35 €2.10
$2.27 €2.04
3.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 €2.08
$2.75 €2.46
-15.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 €2.10
$4.58 €4.10
-48.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.25 €2.02
-39.56%
Onion (1kg)
$1.61 €1.44
$1.77 €1.58
-9.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.61 €1.44
-18.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 €0.45
$0.60 €0.54
-15.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.03 €6.30
$6.78 €6.07
3.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.03
$6.54 €5.86
-14.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 €1.47
$1.75 €1.57
-6.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.25
$1.83 €1.64
37.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Rome
La Spezia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.64 €1.47
$1.64 €1.47
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.58 €35.47
$36.82 €32.99
7.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.77 €6.06
$4.51 €4.04
50.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 €1.48
$1.68 €1.51
-1.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.02 €30.49
$22.22 €19.91
53.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.17 €1.95
$1.91 €1.71
13.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K €31.7K
$34.7K €31.1K
2.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K €32.8K
$38.2K €34.2K
-4.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
La Spezia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €188
$182 €163
15.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.53 €10.33
$6.50 €5.82
77.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.32 €28.96
$27.39 €24.55
18.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rome
La Spezia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.0 €58.3
$37.29 €33.42
74.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.53 €21.08
$38.70 €34.68
-39.20%
Cinema Ticket
$11.32 €10.15
$10.38 €9.30
9.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rome
La Spezia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$488 €437
$496 €445
-1.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.7K €15.0K
$11.3K €10.1K
48.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rome
La Spezia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.1 €63.7
$78.4 €70.3
-9.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.84 €33.01
$33.92 €30.40
8.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.4 €76.5
$109 €97.8
-21.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €115
$100 €89.9
27.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rome
La Spezia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,297 €1,162
$748 €670
73.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$875 €784
$658 €590
33.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,584 €2,315
$1,220 €1,093
111.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,739 €1,559
$994 €891
74.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,477 €7,596
$2,924 €2,620
189.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,239 €2,902
$2,290 €2,052
41.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rome
La Spezia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,948 €1,746
$1,721 €1,543
13.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.52
3.73
-5.63%

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

Last update for Rome: October 25, 2026

Last update for La Spezia: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rome
$875
La Spezia
$658 24.8% $217
Groceries & Markets
Rome
$326
La Spezia
$355 9.1% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$254
La Spezia
$216 14.8% $37
Eating Out
Rome
$249
La Spezia
$236 5.3% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$145
La Spezia
$145 0.2% $0.3
Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$88
La Spezia
$58 33.8% $30
Getting Around
Rome
$61
La Spezia
$56 7.9% $4.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in Rome versus $748 in La Spezia. 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 13% higher in Rome, 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 $68 in Rome versus $77 in La Spezia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $355 – making Rome the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Rome
🇮🇹 La Spezia
🕒 Local time
14:08 2:08 PM
14:08 2:08 PM
Same time as Rome
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,848,084 Capital
91,391
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rome La Spezia 330 km
From you
  • Rome
  • La Spezia

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 La Spezia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is La Spezia cheaper than Rome?
Yes – Rome is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,996 per month in Rome and $2,587 in La Spezia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in La Spezia, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $748 there versus $1,297 in Rome.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $488 per month in Rome and $496 in La Spezia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Rome and in La Spezia?
Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Rome – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Is $2,500 enough for either Rome or La Spezia?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,997 in Rome and $1,725 in La Spezia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with La Spezia. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rome makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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