Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Mestre Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Mestre

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,034 per month in Rome vs $1,938 in Mestre, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,081 per month in Rome vs $3,024 in Mestre, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,128 per month in Rome vs $4,109 in Mestre, rent included.

Rome costs about 5% more than Mestre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rome and Mestre sit above the global median – Rome by 53%, Mestre by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.07 €14.88

$23.58 €20.56

-27.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 €64.7

$94.0 €82.0

-21.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 €9.97

$12.35 €10.77

-7.37%

Cappuccino

$1.78 €1.55

$2.11 €1.84

-15.64%

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

$2.50 €2.18

$3.18 €2.77

-21.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.06

$1.67 €1.46

-26.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 €4.94

$5.72 €4.99

-0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 €4.42

$4.74 €4.13

6.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.67 €1.45

4.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.96 €2.58

-26.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 €2.59

$2.85 €2.49

4.21%

Eggs

$4.43 €3.86

$4.36 €3.81

1.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.27 €15.06

$16.51 €14.39

4.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 €10.17

$12.58 €10.97

-7.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 €17.54

$14.39 €12.55

39.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 €2.11

$2.90 €2.53

-16.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 €2.02

$1.98 €1.73

17.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.75

$2.68 €2.33

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 €2.27

$2.68 €2.34

-2.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.79 €1.56

-1.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.64 €1.43

12.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.86 €1.62

-32.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$0.47 €0.41

19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.21

$6.82 €5.94

4.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.92 €3.42

$6.80 €5.93

-42.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.69

$1.52 €1.33

27.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.98 €1.72

37.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.71 €1.49

3.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.42 €35.24

$48.32 €42.12

-16.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 €4.46

$7.14 €6.22

-28.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.38

$1.46 €1.28

8.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.21 €30.69

$46.22 €40.29

-23.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 €1.69

$2.08 €1.81

-6.73%

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

$28.8K €25.1K

$30.6K €26.7K

-5.86%

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

$29.5K €25.7K

$28.1K €24.5K

5.23%

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

$223 €194

$225 €196

-0.91%

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

$10.91 €9.51

$13.48 €11.76

-19.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.52 €26.61

$26.92 €23.47

13.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 €54.2

$58.9 €51.3

5.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.87 €20.81

$20.42 €17.80

16.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 €10.01

$11.53 €10.06

-0.43%

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

$543 €474

$571 €497

-4.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,318

$5,750 €5,013

85.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 €65.3

$81.4 €71.0

-7.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 €30.31

$46.83 €40.83

-25.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 €74.5

$99.2 €86.5

-13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$147 €128

-18.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 €1,163

$909 €793

46.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$891 €777

$752 €655

18.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,592 €2,260

$1,599 €1,394

62.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,648 €1,437

$1,292 €1,127

27.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,372 €7,299

$1,965 €1,713

325.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,396 €2,961

$1,568 €1,367

116.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,930 €1,683

$1,953 €1,702

-1.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.9

-19.39%

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

Last update for Rome: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mestre: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,334 in Rome versus $909 in Mestre. 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 1% higher in Mestre, 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 $94.0 in Mestre. Groceries tell a different story – $330 in Rome vs $328 in Mestre – so Mestre wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mestre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,034 in Rome, $1,938 in Mestre – roughly 5% apart. Rome costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,052 per month in Rome and $2,908 in Mestre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mestre, 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 $2,034 in Rome and $1,938 in Mestre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Mestre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mestre, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in Rome at $2,034. In Mestre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rome has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,938 in Mestre to $2,034 in Rome. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mestre. 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.