Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Oristano

For one person, living is cheaper in Oristano: $1,700 a month against $1,998 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rome outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Rome
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,998
/mo nomad
Oristano
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,700
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rome and in Oristano

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rome and in Oristano actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,998 in Rome versus $1,700 in Oristano.

  • Rome $1,998
  • Oristano $1,700

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,117 in Rome versus $2,609 in Oristano.

  • Rome $3,117
  • Oristano $2,609

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,236 in Rome versus $3,517 in Oristano.

  • Rome $4,236
  • Oristano $3,517

Living in Rome is roughly 18% more expensive than in Oristano, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 48% above, Oristano 26% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rome
Oristano
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$22.71 €20.20
-26.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 €58.5
$84.0 €74.7
-21.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.08 €9.85
$5.54 €4.92
100.00%
Cappuccino
$2.10 €1.87
$1.68 €1.50
25.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.59
$3.12 €2.77
-6.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 €1.32
$1.14 €1.02
29.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.62 €5.00
$5.49 €4.88
2.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.68 €5.94
$3.32 €2.95
101.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rome
Oristano
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 €1.53
$1.54 €1.37
11.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.72 €2.42
-16.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 €2.66
$2.94 €2.61
1.70%
Eggs
$4.75 €4.23
$3.76 €3.35
26.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.53 €12.92
$13.46 €11.97
7.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.63 €11.24
$12.19 €10.84
3.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.86 €17.67
$22.62 €20.12
-12.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.64 €2.35
$1.63 €1.45
61.96%
Banana (1kg)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.43 €1.27
59.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.46 €2.19
$2.26 €2.01
8.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 €2.15
$3.56 €3.17
-32.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.38 €1.22
$1.94 €1.73
-28.87%
Onion (1kg)
$1.55 €1.38
$2.25 €2.00
-31.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 €1.17
$1.53 €1.36
-13.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$0.56 €0.50
-1.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.31 €6.50
$6.80 €6.05
7.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.44 €4.84
$8.47 €7.53
-35.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 €1.40
$1.64 €1.46
-3.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62 €2.33
$1.79 €1.59
46.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Rome
Oristano
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.63 €1.45
$1.69 €1.50
-3.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.26 €34.92
$39.34 €35.00
-0.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.51 €5.79
$9.43 €8.39
-30.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.68 €1.50
$1.53 €1.36
9.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.24 €29.57
$31.68 €28.18
4.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.17 €1.93
$2.02 €1.80
7.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K €31.4K
$36.3K €32.3K
-2.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K €31.5K
$35.5K €31.6K
-0.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
Oristano
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 €181
$155 €138
30.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.50 €10.22
$9.18 €8.16
25.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.03 €28.49
$27.09 €24.10
18.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rome
Oristano
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.9 €58.6
$55.3 €49.21
19.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.89 €20.36
$22.31 €19.85
2.60%
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 €9.99
$9.09 €8.09
23.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rome
Oristano
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$484 €430
$522 €464
-7.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K €14.7K
$8,165 €7,263
102.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rome
Oristano
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.0 €63.1
$97.3 €86.5
-27.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.51 €32.47
$41.84 €37.21
-12.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.9 €75.5
$92.6 €82.3
-8.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €108
$116 €103
4.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rome
Oristano
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 €1,087
$639 €568
91.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$881 €784
$612 €545
43.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,537 €2,257
$1,153 €1,026
120.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,721 €1,530
$901 €801
91.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,274 €7,360
$2,886 €2,567
186.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,084 €2,743
$1,743 €1,550
76.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rome
Oristano
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,942 €1,728
$1,907 €1,697
1.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.52
3.27
7.65%

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

Last update for Rome: October 12, 2026

Last update for Oristano: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rome
$881
Oristano
$612 30.5% $269
Groceries & Markets
Rome
$329
Oristano
$334 1.5% $4.8
Eating Out
Rome
$251
Oristano
$270 7.4% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$246
Oristano
$191 22.4% $55
Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$141
Oristano
$156 10.7% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$88
Oristano
$74 16.8% $15
Getting Around
Rome
$61
Oristano
$63 4% $2.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,222 in Rome and $639 in Oristano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rome pays 2% 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: $66.0 in Rome vs $84.0 in Oristano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $329 vs $334 per month, with Rome cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Rome
🇮🇹 Oristano
🕒 Local time
02:31 2:31 AM
02:31 2:31 AM
Same time as Rome
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,848,084 Capital
32,156
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rome Oristano 390 km
From you
  • Rome
  • Oristano

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Oristano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Rome or Oristano?
Oristano wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Rome. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oristano the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Rome or in Oristano?
Average pay runs 2% higher in Rome, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Rome compared to Oristano?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,222 in Rome versus $639 in Oristano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Rome and in Oristano?
Childcare runs $484 in Rome versus $522 in Oristano. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Rome or in Oristano?
Shoppers in Rome pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Rome or in Oristano?
At $1,700 in Oristano versus $1,998 in Rome, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Oristano but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Oristano the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Rome or Oristano?
Both work as nomad bases, but Oristano delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,700 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oristano hard to pass up.
How safe is Rome compared to Oristano?
Safety-wise, Rome and Oristano are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Oristano gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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