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 Lucca actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,998 per month in Rome vs $2,017 in Lucca, rent included.
Rome $1,998
Lucca $2,017
A couple spends around $3,117 per month in Rome vs $3,004 in Lucca, rent included.
Rome $3,117
Lucca $3,004
A family of three spends $4,236 per month in Rome vs $3,990 in Lucca, rent included.
Rome $4,236
Lucca $3,990
🙂
Rome is about 1% cheaper than Lucca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both Rome and Lucca sit above the global median – Rome by 48%, Lucca by 49%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Rome
Lucca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69€14.84
$19.78€17.59
-15.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8€58.5
$80.6€71.7
-18.40%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.08€9.85
$11.84€10.53
-6.42%
Cappuccino
$2.10€1.87
$2.02€1.79
3.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91€2.59
$3.30€2.93
-11.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48€1.32
$1.43€1.27
3.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.62€5.00
$6.73€5.99
-16.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.68€5.94
$5.08€4.52
31.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rome
Lucca
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.72€1.53
$1.64€1.46
4.88%
White Bread(500g)
$2.27€2.02
$2.42€2.15
-6.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.99€2.66
$2.99€2.66
-
Eggs
$4.75€4.23
$4.01€3.56
18.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.53€12.92
$20.76€18.46
-30.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.63€11.24
$14.43€12.83
-12.47%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.86€17.67
$21.07€18.74
-5.74%
Apples(1kg)
$2.64€2.35
$2.38€2.12
10.92%
Banana(1kg)
$2.28€2.03
$2.14€1.91
6.54%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.46€2.19
$2.52€2.24
-2.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.42€2.15
$3.20€2.84
-24.38%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38€1.22
$1.90€1.69
-27.37%
Onion(1kg)
$1.55€1.38
$2.14€1.91
-27.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.32€1.17
$1.82€1.62
-27.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.49
$0.57€0.50
-3.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.31€6.50
$7.05€6.28
3.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.44€4.84
$7.83€6.96
-30.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58€1.40
$1.93€1.72
-18.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62€2.33
$2.81€2.50
-6.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Rome
Lucca
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.63€1.45
$1.95€1.74
-16.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.26€34.92
$34.12€30.35
15.06%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.51€5.79
$4.53€4.03
43.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.68€1.50
$1.62€1.44
3.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.24€29.57
$27.76€24.69
19.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.17€1.93
$2.11€1.88
2.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K€31.4K
$36.5K€32.4K
-3.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K€31.5K
$34.7K€30.9K
2.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
Lucca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$203€181
$336€299
-39.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.50€10.22
$11.93€10.62
-3.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.03€28.49
$32.27€28.70
-0.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rome
Lucca
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$65.9€58.6
$65.8€58.6
0.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.89€20.36
$50.0€44.47
-54.22%
Cinema Ticket
$11.23€9.99
$9.86€8.77
13.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rome
Lucca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$484€430
$645€574
-25.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.5K€14.7K
$11.3K€10.0K
46.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rome
Lucca
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.0€63.1
$101€89.6
-29.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.51€32.47
$47.80€42.52
-23.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.9€75.5
$90.5€80.5
-6.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122€108
$165€146
-26.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rome
Lucca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,222€1,087
$796€708
53.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$881€784
$663€589
33.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,537€2,257
$1,431€1,273
77.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,721€1,530
$1,012€900
70.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,274€7,360
$3,989€3,549
107.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,084€2,743
$2,088€1,857
47.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rome
Lucca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,942€1,728
$1,765€1,570
10.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.52
3.7
-4.86%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rome: October 12, 2026
Last update for Lucca: October 11, 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
$881 44.1%
Lucca
$663 32.8% ↓ 24.8%$219
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rome
$329 16.5%
Lucca
$372 18.5% ↑ 13%$43
🍽Eating Out
Rome
$251 12.6%
Lucca
$281 13.9% ↑ 11.8%$30
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$246 12.3%
Lucca
$380 18.9% ↑ 54.2%$134
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$141 7.1%
Lucca
$182 9% ↑ 28.5%$40
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$88 4.4%
Lucca
$86 4.2% ↓ 3.2%$2.8
🚌Getting Around
Rome
$61 3%
Lucca
$55 2.7% ↓ 10.1%$6.1
🏠Accommodation & Living
Rome
$1.7K 40.6%
Lucca
$1K 25.4% ↓ 41.2%$709
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rome
$786 18.6%
Lucca
$879 22% ↑ 11.9%$93
🍽Eating Out
Rome
$833 19.7%
Lucca
$969 24.3% ↑ 16.3%$136
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$258 6.1%
Lucca
$392 9.8% ↑ 52%$134
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$314 7.4%
Lucca
$404 10.1% ↑ 28.5%$89
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$200 4.7%
Lucca
$221 5.5% ↑ 10.8%$22
🚌Getting Around
Rome
$125 2.9%
Lucca
$113 2.8% ↓ 9.3%$12
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,222 in Rome versus $796 in Lucca. 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 10% higher in Rome, 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 $66.0 in Rome versus $81.0 in Lucca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $372 – 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 Lucca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lucca cheaper than Rome?
Yes – Lucca is pricier by about 1%, 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 $2,998 per month in Rome and $3,026 in Lucca. 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 Rome, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Rome and in Lucca?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,998 in Rome and $2,017 in Lucca. That's a gap of about 1%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 15% less in Rome. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Rome or in Lucca?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rome, where all-in costs run around $1,998, than in Lucca at $2,017. In Rome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lucca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Rome or Lucca more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rome – 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 Lucca?
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 Rome. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lucca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.