Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Montgomery, AL Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Montgomery, AL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,031 in Rome versus $2,077 in Montgomery, AL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,167 in Rome versus $2,869 in Montgomery, AL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,304 in Rome versus $3,661 in Montgomery, AL.

Living in Rome costs roughly 2% less than in Montgomery, AL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 48% above, Montgomery, AL 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €15.00

$16.52 $16.52

5.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 €61.0

$66.0 $66.0

7.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 €10.13

$10.86 $10.86

8.56%

Cappuccino

$2.26 €1.94

$4.91 $4.91

-53.97%

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

$3.10 €2.67

$2.39 $2.39

29.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.83 $1.83

-15.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.03

$4.22 $4.22

38.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 €5.86

$4.83 $4.83

41.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.55

$0.83 $0.83

116.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.91 $2.91

-21.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 €2.79

$2.00 $2.00

62.50%

Eggs

$4.74 €4.07

$4.38 $4.38

8.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 €13.16

$4.82 $4.82

217.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 €10.71

$7.22 $7.22

72.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.09 €16.41

$15.24 $15.24

25.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$3.81 $3.81

-29.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.23 $1.23

100.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$2.80 $2.80

-8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 €2.09

$3.07 $3.07

-20.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 €1.25

$2.61 $2.61

-44.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.39

$2.30 $2.30

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.23

$2.07 $2.07

-30.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.43

$1.87 $1.87

-72.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 €6.08

$8.59 $8.59

-17.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.54 €3.91

$14.09 $14.09

-67.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.66 $1.66

4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.52

$3.27 $3.27

-10.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.45

$2.05 $2.05

-17.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.92 €35.18

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 €6.57

$4.25 $4.25

79.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.92 $1.92

-7.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.61 €29.76

$32.67 $32.67

5.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.80 $0.80

156.25%

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

$37.1K €31.9K

$29.1K $29.1K

27.33%

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

$36.0K €30.9K

$25.1K $25.1K

43.39%

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

$220 €189

$166 $166

32.08%

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

$12.41 €10.67

$67.3 $67.3

-81.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.36 €26.96

$72.6 $72.6

-56.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 €58.8

$36.82 $36.82

85.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.35 €21.79

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.89

$9.98 $9.98

15.23%

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

$504 €433

$1,328 $1,328

-62.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

$8,277 $8,277

110.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.4 €64.0

$61.9 $61.9

20.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 €32.61

$24.72 $24.72

53.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 €75.0

$76.4 $76.4

14.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$122 $122

1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 €1,070

$1,287 $1,287

-3.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 €762

$1,010 $1,010

-12.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 €2,267

$1,637 $1,637

61.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,795 €1,543

$1,307 $1,307

37.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,673 €7,457

$1,404 $1,404

517.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,283 €2,822

$1,413 $1,413

132.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,674

$3,580 $3,580

-45.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.52

6.15

-42.76%

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

Last update for Rome: August 31, 2026

Last update for Montgomery, AL: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,244 in Rome and $1,287 in Montgomery, AL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montgomery, AL pays 84% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Rome vs $66.0 in Montgomery, AL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $298 per month, with Montgomery, AL cheaper across the board.

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 Montgomery, AL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome and Montgomery, AL differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,031 vs $2,077 including rent). Rome is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 84% lower in Montgomery, AL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,244 in Rome versus $1,287 in Montgomery, AL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Montgomery, AL pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,031 per month in Rome versus $2,077 in Montgomery, AL – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,031 in Rome versus $2,077 in Montgomery, AL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rome but tight or insufficient in Montgomery, AL. The gap between the two cities makes Rome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Rome and Montgomery, AL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Rome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Montgomery, AL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.