Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Massa Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Massa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,027 in Rome versus $1,747 in Massa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,143 in Rome versus $2,679 in Massa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,260 in Rome versus $3,611 in Massa.

Living in Rome is roughly 16% more expensive than Massa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 51% above, Massa 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €14.84

$17.60 €15.15

-2.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 €63.6

$76.6 €66.0

-3.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.11

$10.84 €9.33

8.30%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.58

$2.14 €1.84

-14.49%

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

$2.51 €2.16

$2.40 €2.07

4.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.18 €1.02

7.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.05

$4.70 €4.04

24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.50

$5.82 €5.01

-10.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.63 €1.41

3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.53 €2.18

-15.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$2.67 €2.29

10.49%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$5.22 €4.49

-13.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.42 €15.00

$21.05 €18.12

-17.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 €10.33

$13.15 €11.32

-8.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.19 €17.38

$18.13 €15.61

11.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.48 €2.13

-1.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.12 €1.83

5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.00 €1.73

-2.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.96 €2.54

-12.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.63 €1.41

8.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.34 €1.15

38.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.70 €1.46

-25.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

$0.65 €0.56

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.14

$6.82 €5.87

4.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 €3.99

$7.92 €6.82

-41.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.68 €1.44

16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$1.84 €1.59

48.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.71 €1.47

4.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.00 €35.30

$43.02 €37.03

-4.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.41

$5.75 €4.95

-10.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.45 €1.25

10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 €30.20

$28.74 €24.74

22.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.09 €1.80

-6.70%

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

$29.3K €25.2K

$25.9K €22.3K

13.28%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$35.1K €30.2K

-14.05%

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

$219 €189

$176 €152

24.35%

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

$11.01 €9.47

$15.30 €13.18

-28.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 €26.95

$30.19 €25.99

3.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.2

$55.7 €47.92

15.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.81 €20.49

$22.74 €19.58

4.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.10

$10.39 €8.94

12.90%

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

$528 €455

$667 €574

-20.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,974

$4,689 €4,037

122.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 €63.1

$92.9 €80.0

-21.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €29.76

$43.84 €37.74

-21.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 €74.9

$97.4 €83.8

-10.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$174 €150

-31.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 €1,140

$750 €646

76.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 €762

$577 €496

53.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 €2,291

$1,220 €1,050

118.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 €1,408

$914 €787

79.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,730 €7,516

$2,851 €2,455

206.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,452 €2,972

$2,078 €1,789

66.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,058 €1,772

$1,764 €1,519

16.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.83

-18.22%

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

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Last update for Massa: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,325 in Rome and $750 in Massa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rome pays 17% 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: $74.0 in Rome vs $77.0 in Massa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $354 per month, with Rome 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 Massa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome and Massa differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,027 vs $1,747 including rent). Massa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rome pays 17% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,325 in Rome versus $750 in Massa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Massa – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $74.0 in Rome. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,027 per month in Rome versus $1,747 in Massa – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,747 in Massa versus $2,027 in Rome, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Massa but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Massa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Rome and Massa 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 Massa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.