For one person, living is cheaper in Lodi: $1,583 a month against $1,990 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 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 Lodi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,990 per month in Rome vs $1,583 in Lodi, rent included.
Rome $1,990
Lodi $1,583
A couple spends around $3,095 per month in Rome vs $2,601 in Lodi, rent included.
Rome $3,095
Lodi $2,601
A family of three spends $4,199 per month in Rome vs $3,619 in Lodi, rent included.
Rome $4,199
Lodi $3,619
😐
Rome costs about 26% more than Lodi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both Rome and Lodi sit above the global median – Rome by 47%, Lodi by 17%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Rome
Lodi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.68€14.84
$17.00€15.12
-1.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.4€59.9
$73.7€65.6
-8.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.31€10.06
$11.14€9.91
1.53%
Cappuccino
$2.09€1.86
$1.88€1.67
11.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89€2.57
$2.93€2.60
-1.37%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46€1.30
$1.36€1.21
7.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.63€5.01
$5.68€5.05
-0.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.93€6.16
$6.29€5.59
10.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rome
Lodi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.66€1.48
$1.42€1.26
16.90%
White Bread(500g)
$2.28€2.03
$2.18€1.94
4.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.03€2.70
$2.18€1.94
38.99%
Eggs
$4.53€4.03
$2.34€2.08
93.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.76€13.13
$15.33€13.64
-3.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.31€10.95
$14.40€12.81
-14.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.50€17.35
$25.19€22.41
-22.59%
Apples(1kg)
$2.64€2.35
$2.71€2.41
-2.58%
Banana(1kg)
$2.29€2.04
$1.68€1.49
36.31%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.28€2.03
$3.02€2.68
-24.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.41€2.14
$2.51€2.23
-3.98%
Potato(1kg)
$1.36€1.21
$2.11€1.88
-35.55%
Onion(1kg)
$1.55€1.38
$2.25€2.01
-31.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.37€1.22
$1.63€1.45
-15.95%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.49
$0.35€0.31
57.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.16€6.37
$5.89€5.24
21.56%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.45€4.85
$4.37€3.89
24.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60€1.43
$2.42€2.15
-33.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53€2.25
$3.21€2.85
-21.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Rome
Lodi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.70€1.51
$2.45€2.18
-30.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$38.95€34.64
$39.98€35.57
-2.58%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.67€5.93
$3.94€3.51
69.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.71€1.53
$1.17€1.04
46.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.59€29.87
$28.08€24.98
19.62%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.11€1.88
$2.05€1.82
2.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K€31.6K
$28.8K€25.6K
23.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0K€32.9K
$28.4K€25.3K
30.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
Lodi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$203€180
$197€176
2.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33€10.08
$10.55€9.39
7.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.57€28.08
$27.27€24.26
15.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rome
Lodi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$65.6€58.4
$65.2€58.0
0.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.49€20.89
$27.95€24.86
-15.96%
Cinema Ticket
$11.43€10.16
$11.03€9.81
3.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rome
Lodi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$497€442
$683€608
-27.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.6K€14.8K
$7,284€6,479
127.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rome
Lodi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.5€64.5
$87.3€77.6
-16.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.94€31.97
$45.66€40.61
-21.29%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.1€75.7
$91.3€81.2
-6.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121€108
$89.1€79.3
36.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rome
Lodi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,191€1,059
$570€507
108.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$876€780
$465€413
88.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,506€2,229
$1,237€1,100
102.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,683€1,497
$1,041€926
61.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,438€7,505
$3,247€2,888
159.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,157€2,809
$2,473€2,200
27.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rome
Lodi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,962€1,746
$2,222€1,976
-11.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.52
3.65
-3.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rome: October 20, 2026
Last update for Lodi: October 19, 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
$876 44%
Lodi
$465 29.4% ↓ 47%$412
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rome
$325 16.3%
Lodi
$345 21.8% ↑ 6%$19
🍽Eating Out
Rome
$252 12.7%
Lodi
$250 15.8% ↓ 0.7%$1.7
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$246 12.4%
Lodi
$235 14.9% ↓ 4.3%$10
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$142 7.1%
Lodi
$141 8.9% ↓ 0.5%$0.8
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$88 4.5%
Lodi
$87 5.5% ↓ 1.4%$1.3
🚌Getting Around
Rome
$61 3.1%
Lodi
$60 3.8% ↓ 2.3%$1.4
🏠Accommodation & Living
Rome
$1.7K 40.1%
Lodi
$1K 28.8% ↓ 38.2%$642
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rome
$775 18.5%
Lodi
$821 22.7% ↑ 5.9%$46
🍽Eating Out
Rome
$843 20.1%
Lodi
$872 24.1% ↑ 3.4%$29
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$257 6.1%
Lodi
$246 6.8% ↓ 4.4%$11
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$315 7.5%
Lodi
$313 8.7% ↓ 0.5%$1.7
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$200 4.8%
Lodi
$202 5.6% ↑ 1%$1.9
🚌Getting Around
Rome
$125 3%
Lodi
$124 3.4% ↓ 1.1%$1.3
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,191 in Rome versus $570 in Lodi. 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 Lodi, 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 $67.0 in Rome versus $74.0 in Lodi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $345 – 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 Lodi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lodi cheaper than Rome?
Yes – Rome is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,986 per month in Rome and $2,374 in Lodi. 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 Lodi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $497 per month in Rome and $683 in Lodi. 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 Lodi?
Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Rome – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Rome or in Lodi?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lodi, where all-in costs run around $1,583, than in Rome at $1,990. In Lodi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Rome or Lodi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Lodi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Rome or Lodi?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Lodi. 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.