Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Matera Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Matera

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,027 per month in Rome vs $1,493 in Matera, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,143 per month in Rome vs $2,276 in Matera, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,260 per month in Rome vs $3,060 in Matera, rent included.

Rome costs about 36% more than Matera, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rome and Matera sit above the global median – Rome by 51%, Matera by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €14.84

$13.69 €11.79

25.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 €63.6

$69.2 €59.6

6.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.11

$11.42 €9.84

2.80%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.58

$2.10 €1.81

-12.86%

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

$2.51 €2.16

$2.08 €1.79

20.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.07 €0.92

18.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.05

$4.61 €3.97

27.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.50

$4.54 €3.91

15.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.28 €1.11

32.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.73 €1.49

23.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$2.92 €2.52

1.03%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$3.76 €3.24

19.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.42 €15.00

$14.64 €12.61

18.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 €10.33

$10.15 €8.74

18.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.19 €17.38

$16.51 €14.21

22.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.92 €2.51

-16.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.30 €1.98

-3.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.13 €0.97

72.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$3.69 €3.18

-30.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.93 €1.66

-8.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.77 €1.53

5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.49 €1.29

-15.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

$0.50 €0.43

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.14

$6.63 €5.71

7.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 €3.99

$8.35 €7.19

-44.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.67 €2.30

-26.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$3.44 €2.96

-20.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.76 €1.52

1.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.00 €35.31

$44.12 €37.99

-7.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.42

$5.64 €4.86

-9.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.38

$2.16 €1.86

-25.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 €30.21

$35.20 €30.31

-0.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.07 €1.79

-5.80%

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

$29.3K €25.2K

$36.4K €31.4K

-19.55%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$34.9K €30.0K

-13.45%

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

$219 €189

$171 €148

28.00%

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

$11.01 €9.48

$13.03 €11.22

-15.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 €26.96

$33.23 €28.61

-5.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.2

$54.2 €46.69

18.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.81 €20.50

$23.44 €20.19

1.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.10

$11.45 €9.86

2.45%

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

$528 €455

$386 €332

36.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,976

$6,172 €5,315

68.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 €63.1

$94.3 €81.2

-22.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €29.77

$43.38 €37.35

-20.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 €74.9

$101 €87.3

-14.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$145 €125

-18.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 €1,141

$628 €541

110.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 €762

$436 €376

102.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 €2,292

$926 €797

187.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 €1,409

$662 €570

147.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,730 €7,518

$2,898 €2,496

201.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,452 €2,973

$3,382 €2,912

2.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,058 €1,772

$1,768 €1,522

16.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.04

-2.23%

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

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Last update for Matera: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,325 in Rome versus $628 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 16% 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 $69.0 in Matera. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $311 – making Matera 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 Matera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome costs about 36% more than Matera, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,041 per month in Rome and $2,239 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Matera. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $528 per month in Rome and $386 in Matera. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Matera, where all-in costs run around $1,493, than in Rome at $2,027. In Matera it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Matera costs $1,493 versus $2,027 in Rome. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Matera. 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.