Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Lecce Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Lecce

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,027 per month in Rome vs $1,563 in Lecce, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,143 per month in Rome vs $2,488 in Lecce, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,260 per month in Rome vs $3,413 in Lecce, rent included.

Rome costs about 30% more than Lecce, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rome and Lecce sit above the global median – Rome by 51%, Lecce by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €14.84

$17.45 €15.02

-1.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 €63.6

$71.4 €61.4

3.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.11

$10.49 €9.03

11.92%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.58

$1.85 €1.60

-1.08%

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

$2.51 €2.16

$2.14 €1.84

17.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.20 €1.04

5.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.05

$5.25 €4.52

11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.50

$4.95 €4.26

5.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.49 €1.28

13.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.10 €1.81

1.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$2.28 €1.97

29.39%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$2.58 €2.22

74.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.42 €15.00

$14.43 €12.43

20.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 €10.33

$11.96 €10.29

0.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.19 €17.38

$16.97 €14.61

18.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.24 €1.93

9.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.92 €1.65

16.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$3.25 €2.80

-20.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.76 €1.52

0.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.77 €1.52

5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.31 €1.13

-3.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

$0.48 €0.42

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.14

$6.88 €5.93

3.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 €3.99

$6.85 €5.90

-32.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.40 €1.21

39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$1.98 €1.70

37.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.14 €0.98

57.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.00 €35.30

$39.80 €34.26

3.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.41

$5.76 €4.96

-10.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.38

$2.10 €1.81

-23.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 €30.20

$34.25 €29.48

2.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.00 €1.72

-2.50%

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

$29.3K €25.2K

$36.1K €31.1K

-18.81%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$26.5K €22.8K

13.87%

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

$219 €189

$178 €154

22.93%

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

$11.01 €9.47

$13.83 €11.91

-20.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 €26.95

$29.32 €25.24

6.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.2

$74.5 €64.1

-13.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.81 €20.49

$33.62 €28.94

-29.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.10

$8.80 €7.58

33.30%

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

$528 €455

$437 €376

20.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,974

$7,972 €6,863

30.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 €63.1

$85.8 €73.8

-14.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €29.76

$48.76 €41.98

-29.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 €74.9

$95.3 €82.1

-8.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$99.2 €85.4

19.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 €1,140

$613 €528

116.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 €762

$491 €422

80.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 €2,291

$1,258 €1,083

111.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 €1,408

$943 €812

73.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,730 €7,516

$3,207 €2,760

172.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,452 €2,972

$1,615 €1,391

113.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,058 €1,772

$1,499 €1,290

37.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.74

-16.67%

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

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lecce: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,325 in Rome versus $613 in Lecce. 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 37% 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 $74.0 in Rome versus $71.0 in Lecce. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $301 – making Lecce 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 Lecce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rome is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,041 per month in Rome and $2,345 in Lecce. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lecce, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Rome and $71.0 in Lecce. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,027 in Rome and $1,563 in Lecce. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lecce, where all-in costs run around $1,563, than in Rome at $2,027. In Lecce it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lecce – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Lecce. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rome makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.