Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Medicine Hat Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Medicine Hat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,027 per month in Rome vs $1,870 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,143 per month in Rome vs $2,748 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,260 per month in Rome vs $3,625 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

Rome costs about 8% more than Medicine Hat, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Rome and Medicine Hat sit above the global median – Rome by 51%, Medicine Hat by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €14.84

$15.57 CA$21.65

10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 €63.6

$71.3 CA$99.2

3.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.11

$8.16 CA$11.35

43.87%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.58

$3.72 CA$5.17

-50.81%

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

$2.51 €2.16

$1.99 CA$2.77

26.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.72 CA$2.39

-26.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.05

$5.06 CA$7.04

15.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.50

$3.93 CA$5.47

33.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.55 CA$2.15

9.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.82 CA$2.53

17.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$3.42 CA$4.75

-13.74%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$3.22 CA$4.48

40.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.42 €15.00

$8.18 CA$11.37

112.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 €10.33

$11.25 CA$15.65

6.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.19 €17.38

$13.38 CA$18.61

50.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.83 CA$5.33

-36.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.34 CA$1.86

66.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.51 CA$3.49

-22.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$3.34 CA$4.65

-22.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.49 CA$2.07

18.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.53 CA$2.13

21.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$2.64 CA$3.68

-52.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

$1.56 CA$2.16

-64.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.14

$11.73 CA$16.32

-39.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 €3.99

$13.06 CA$18.16

-64.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.64 CA$3.67

-26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$3.66 CA$5.09

-25.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$2.34 CA$3.25

-23.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.00 €35.30

$51.0 CA$70.9

-19.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.41

$3.59 CA$4.99

42.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.30 CA$1.81

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 €30.20

$29.19 CA$40.60

20.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.06 CA$1.47

83.96%

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

$29.3K €25.2K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

17.40%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$22.2K CA$30.8K

36.11%

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

$219 €189

$212 CA$295

3.34%

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

$11.01 €9.47

$41.51 CA$57.7

-73.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 €26.95

$59.0 CA$82.1

-46.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.2

$57.3 CA$79.7

11.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.81 €20.49

$37.53 CA$52.2

-36.56%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.10

$12.28 CA$17.07

-4.48%

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

$528 €455

$877 CA$1,220

-39.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,974

$15.8K CA$22.0K

-34.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 €63.1

$53.2 CA$74.0

37.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €29.76

$27.81 CA$38.67

24.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 €74.9

$69.3 CA$96.4

25.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$70.0 CA$97.3

70.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 €1,140

$815 CA$1,134

62.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 €762

$730 CA$1,016

21.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 €2,291

$1,406 CA$1,955

89.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 €1,408

$1,201 CA$1,670

36.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,730 €7,516

$1,371 CA$1,907

536.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,452 €2,972

$1,972 CA$2,742

75.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,058 €1,772

$2,997 CA$4,168

-31.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

5.71

-30.82%

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

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medicine Hat: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,325 in Rome versus $815 in Medicine Hat. 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 46% higher in Medicine Hat, 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 $74.0 in Rome versus $71.0 in Medicine Hat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $319 – making Medicine Hat 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 Medicine Hat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome costs about 8% more than Medicine Hat, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $2,805 in Medicine Hat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medicine Hat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,027 in Rome and $1,870 in Medicine Hat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Medicine Hat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Medicine Hat, where all-in costs run around $1,870, than in Rome at $2,027. In Medicine Hat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medicine Hat costs $1,870 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 Medicine Hat. 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.