Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Messina Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Messina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,986 per month in Rome vs $1,452 in Messina, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,073 per month in Rome vs $2,255 in Messina, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,159 per month in Rome vs $3,058 in Messina, rent included.

Rome costs about 37% more than Messina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rome and Messina sit above the global median – Rome by 49%, Messina by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 €15.37

$14.04 €12.30

24.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 €66.5

$58.5 €51.2

29.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €10.22

$11.63 €10.18

0.34%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.55

$1.98 €1.74

-10.61%

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

$2.45 €2.14

$2.19 €1.92

11.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.11

$1.26 €1.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €5.03

$3.40 €2.98

69.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.43

$3.48 €3.05

45.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.38 €1.21

23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.06 €1.81

0.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.62

$2.59 €2.27

15.44%

Eggs

$4.52 €3.96

$3.49 €3.06

29.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 €15.49

$9.61 €8.42

84.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 €10.29

$10.02 €8.78

17.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.56 €18.01

$17.32 €15.17

18.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$2.73 €2.39

-10.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$1.76 €1.54

34.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$1.14 €1.00

77.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.34

$3.03 €2.66

-11.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.68 €0.59

158.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.26 €1.10

46.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.14 €1.00

11.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$0.41 €0.35

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.96

$6.62 €5.80

2.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$5.83 €5.11

-32.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.70

$1.57 €1.37

23.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 €2.42

$2.47 €2.17

11.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.51

$1.69 €1.48

1.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 €36.05

$44.07 €38.59

-6.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 €4.58

$4.60 €4.03

13.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.39

$1.52 €1.33

3.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.86 €30.53

$45.73 €40.05

-23.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.98 €1.74

2.53%

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

$29.0K €25.4K

$34.9K €30.5K

-16.81%

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

$29.9K €26.2K

$28.4K €24.8K

5.27%

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

$222 €195

$193 €169

15.40%

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

$10.96 €9.60

$14.26 €12.49

-23.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.99 €27.14

$27.52 €24.10

12.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 €56.2

$50.3 €44.06

27.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 €21.01

$17.41 €15.24

37.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 €10.19

$10.08 €8.83

15.38%

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

$539 €472

$346 €303

55.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,363

$10.6K €9,287

0.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €64.1

$89.9 €78.7

-18.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 €30.29

$30.94 €27.10

11.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 €75.8

$90.3 €79.0

-4.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$127 €112

-6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 €1,163

$625 €548

112.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 €759

$466 €408

85.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,274

$998 €874

160.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 €1,403

$889 €778

80.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,434 €7,386

$2,088 €1,829

303.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 €3,034

$1,649 €1,445

110.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,705

$1,817 €1,591

7.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.72

-16.31%

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

Last update for Rome: July 11, 2026

Last update for Messina: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,328 in Rome versus $625 in Messina. 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 7% 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 $76.0 in Rome versus $58.0 in Messina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $272 – making Messina 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 Messina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome costs about 37% more than Messina, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,979 per month in Rome and $2,178 in Messina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $539 per month in Rome and $346 in Messina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Rome, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Messina, where all-in costs run around $1,452, than in Rome at $1,986. In Messina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Messina costs $1,452 versus $1,986 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 Messina. 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.