Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Matera

For one person, living is cheaper in Matera: $1,484 a month against $1,997 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

96

Cost of Living Index in Rome
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Rome Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Matera
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Matera Living Index

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Rome

🇮🇹 Italy

$1,997

/mo nomad

Matera

🇮🇹 Italy

$1,484

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rome and in Matera

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

A single person spends $1,997 per month in Rome vs $1,484 in Matera, rent included.

Rome $1,997
Matera $1,484

A couple spends around $3,132 per month in Rome vs $2,356 in Matera, rent included.

Rome $3,132
Matera $2,356

A family of three spends $4,266 per month in Rome vs $3,227 in Matera, rent included.

Rome $4,266
Matera $3,227

Rome costs about 35% more than Matera, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Rome and Matera sit above the global median – Rome by 47%, Matera by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.44 €14.77

$15.29 €13.74

7.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.0 €61.0

$60.7 €54.5

11.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 €10.01

$11.34 €10.19

-1.76%

Cappuccino

$2.02 €1.82

$1.88 €1.69

7.45%

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

$3.00 €2.70

$2.27 €2.04

32.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 €1.33

$1.09 €0.98

35.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.69 €5.11

$5.74 €5.15

-0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.77 €6.08

$3.31 €2.98

104.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.51

$1.58 €1.42

6.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 €1.96

$1.72 €1.55

27.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 €2.77

$3.28 €2.95

-6.10%

Eggs

$4.74 €4.26

$3.52 €3.16

34.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 €13.16

$15.39 €13.83

-4.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.45 €11.18

$12.28 €11.03

1.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.48 €17.50

$20.84 €18.72

-6.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 €2.34

$2.63 €2.36

-1.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.11

$2.16 €1.94

8.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 €2.09

$1.13 €1.02

106.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 €2.10

$3.80 €3.42

-38.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 €1.22

$1.78 €1.60

-23.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.45

$1.64 €1.48

-1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.18

$1.46 €1.32

-9.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.46

$0.47 €0.42

8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 €6.32

$6.75 €6.06

4.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.61 €5.04

$6.34 €5.69

-11.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.48

$1.84 €1.65

-10.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.26

$3.11 €2.80

-19.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 €1.47

$1.72 €1.54

-4.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 €35.56

$20.20 €18.14

95.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 €6.08

$4.43 €3.98

52.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 €1.48

$1.19 €1.07

38.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.02 €30.56

$23.74 €21.33

43.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 €1.95

$2.02 €1.82

7.43%

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

$35.4K €31.8K

$35.1K €31.5K

0.70%

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

$36.6K €32.9K

$37.3K €33.5K

-1.99%

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

$210 €188

$197 €177

6.17%

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

$11.53 €10.36

$9.37 €8.41

23.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.32 €29.03

$30.74 €27.61

5.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 €58.4

$55.3 €49.71

17.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.53 €21.14

$23.43 €21.04

0.43%

Cinema Ticket

$11.32 €10.17

$9.94 €8.92

13.88%

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

$488 €438

$448 €403

8.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €15.0K

$7,918 €7,113

110.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 €63.9

$67.2 €60.4

5.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.84 €33.09

$42.87 €38.51

-14.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 €76.7

$105 €94.6

-18.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €115

$135 €121

-5.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 €1,165

$705 €634

83.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 €786

$421 €378

108.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,584 €2,321

$1,025 €920

152.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 €1,562

$841 €755

106.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,477 €7,615

$2,772 €2,491

205.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,239 €2,910

$3,179 €2,856

1.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,948 €1,750

$1,750 €1,572

11.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.52

3.08

14.29%

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

Last update for Rome: October 25, 2026

Last update for Matera: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Rome

$875 43.8%

Matera

$421 28.3% 51.9% $455

Groceries & Markets

Rome

$326 16.3%

Matera

$328 22.1% 0.7% $2.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rome

$254 12.7%

Matera

$238 16% 6.3% $16

Eating Out

Rome

$249 12.5%

Matera

$228 15.3% 8.6% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Rome

$145 7.2%

Matera

$158 10.6% 9% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Rome

$88 4.4%

Matera

$75 5.1% 14.2% $12

Getting Around

Rome

$61 3.1%

Matera

$37 2.5% 38.7% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in Rome versus $705 in Matera. 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 11% 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 $61 in Matera. Groceries tell a different story – $326 in Rome vs $328 in Matera – so Rome wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇹 Rome

🇮🇹 Matera

🕒 Local time

23:14 11:14 PM

Same time as Rome

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,848,084 Capital

59,607

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.11 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Matera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome costs about 35% more than Matera, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,996 per month in Rome and $2,227 in Matera. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matera, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $705 there versus $1,297 in Rome.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,997 in Rome and $1,484 in Matera. That makes Matera about 26% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $488 per month in Rome and $448 in Matera. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,997 in Rome and $1,484 in Matera. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Matera. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rome makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.