Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Parma Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Parma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,986 in Rome versus $1,887 in Parma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,073 in Rome versus $2,913 in Parma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,159 in Rome versus $3,939 in Parma.

Living in Rome is roughly 5% more expensive than in Parma, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 49% above, Parma 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 €15.33

$20.78 €18.16

-15.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 €66.4

$80.0 €69.9

-5.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €10.20

$10.82 €9.45

7.86%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.55

$2.12 €1.85

-16.51%

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

$2.45 €2.14

$2.88 €2.52

-14.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.10

$1.51 €1.32

-16.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €5.02

$5.73 €5.01

0.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.42

$5.83 €5.09

-13.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.57 €1.38

8.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.56 €2.24

-19.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.61

$2.81 €2.45

6.41%

Eggs

$4.52 €3.95

$5.18 €4.52

-12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 €15.45

$20.63 €18.02

-14.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 €10.26

$13.14 €11.48

-10.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.56 €17.96

$17.90 €15.64

14.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$2.35 €2.05

3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$2.24 €1.96

5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.34

$2.91 €2.54

-8.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.64 €1.43

7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.37 €1.20

35.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.76 €1.54

-27.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$0.61 €0.53

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.95

$6.74 €5.89

1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$8.16 €7.13

-51.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.69

$1.72 €1.50

12.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 €2.41

$1.89 €1.65

46.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.50

$2.00 €1.75

-14.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 €35.97

$41.44 €36.21

-0.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 €4.57

$5.82 €5.08

-10.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.34 €1.17

17.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.86 €30.46

$28.60 €24.99

21.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.77

$2.10 €1.84

-3.33%

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

$29.0K €25.3K

$26.3K €23.0K

10.08%

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

$29.9K €26.1K

$35.1K €30.7K

-14.90%

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

$222 €194

$179 €157

24.03%

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

$10.96 €9.58

$14.77 €12.90

-25.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.99 €27.07

$29.89 €26.11

3.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 €56.1

$61.4 €53.7

4.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 €20.96

$27.67 €24.17

-13.30%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 €10.16

$10.92 €9.54

6.50%

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

$539 €471

$659 €576

-18.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,341

$4,634 €4,049

130.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €63.9

$93.3 €81.5

-21.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 €30.22

$44.94 €39.26

-23.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 €75.7

$97.0 €84.7

-10.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$173 €152

-31.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 €1,160

$912 €797

45.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 €757

$674 €589

28.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,268

$1,561 €1,364

66.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 €1,400

$1,174 €1,026

36.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,434 €7,369

$3,450 €3,014

144.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 €3,026

$2,343 €2,047

47.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,701

$2,029 €1,773

-4.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.83

-18.22%

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

Last update for Rome: July 11, 2026

Last update for Parma: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,328 in Rome and $912 in Parma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Parma pays 4% 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 $80.0 in Parma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $353 per month, with Rome 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 Parma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Parma is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Parma. 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 $912 in Parma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $539 in Rome versus $659 in Parma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Rome pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,887 in Parma versus $1,986 in Rome, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Parma but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Parma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Parma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rome, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rome and Parma 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 Parma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.