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: $1,986 in Rome versus $1,925 in Montgomery, AL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,073 in Rome versus $2,671 in Montgomery, AL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,159 in Rome versus $3,417 in Montgomery, AL.

Living in Rome is roughly 3% more expensive than in Montgomery, AL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 49% above, Montgomery, AL 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 €15.37

$20.22 $20.22

-13.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 €66.5

$51.3 $51.3

48.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €10.22

$11.16 $11.16

4.57%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.55

$5.37 $5.37

-67.04%

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

$2.45 €2.14

$2.48 $2.48

-1.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.11

$2.00 $2.00

-37.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €5.03

$4.17 $4.17

37.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.43

$3.93 $3.93

28.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$0.88 $0.88

93.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.55 $1.55

33.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.62

$2.56 $2.56

16.80%

Eggs

$4.52 €3.96

$3.72 $3.72

21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 €15.49

$7.26 $7.26

143.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 €10.29

$8.07 $8.07

45.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.56 €18.01

$14.70 $14.70

39.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$5.35 $5.35

-54.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$1.40 $1.40

68.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$2.23 $2.23

-9.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.34

$3.32 $3.32

-19.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.06 $2.06

-14.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.95 $1.95

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.11

$2.14 $2.14

-40.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$1.26 $1.26

-55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.96

$7.10 $7.10

-4.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$13.83 $13.83

-71.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.70

$1.70 $1.70

14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 €2.42

$1.54 $1.54

79.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.51

$2.03 $2.03

-15.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 €36.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 €4.58

$3.41 $3.41

53.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.39

$1.21 $1.21

30.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.86 €30.53

$28.64 $28.64

21.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.81 $0.81

150.62%

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

$29.0K €25.4K

$29.0K $29.0K

-0.06%

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

$29.9K €26.2K

$25.0K $25.0K

19.39%

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

$222 €195

$296 $296

-24.86%

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

$10.96 €9.60

$50.7 $50.7

-78.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.99 €27.14

$65.3 $65.3

-52.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 €56.2

$38.23 $38.23

67.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 €21.01

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 €10.19

$9.52 $9.52

22.16%

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

$539 €472

$1,343 $1,343

-59.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,363

$9,965 $9,965

7.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €64.1

$55.2 $55.2

32.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 €30.29

$24.93 $24.93

38.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 €75.8

$71.4 $71.4

21.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$142 $142

-16.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 €1,163

$1,249 $1,249

6.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 €759

$748 $748

15.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,274

$1,556 $1,556

66.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 €1,403

$920 $920

74.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,434 €7,386

$1,401 $1,401

502.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 €3,034

$1,393 $1,393

148.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,705

$3,645 $3,645

-46.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

6.42

-38.47%

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

Last update for Rome: July 11, 2026

Last update for Montgomery, AL: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,328 in Rome and $1,249 in Montgomery, AL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montgomery, AL pays 87% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Rome vs $51.0 in Montgomery, AL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $289 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,986 vs $1,925 including rent). Montgomery, AL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 87% 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: $1,328 in Rome versus $1,249 in Montgomery, AL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Rome. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,986 per month in Rome versus $1,925 in Montgomery, AL – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,925 in Montgomery, AL versus $1,986 in Rome, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Montgomery, AL but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.