Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Perugia Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Perugia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,986 in Rome versus $1,495 in Perugia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,073 in Rome versus $2,353 in Perugia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,159 in Rome versus $3,210 in Perugia.

Living in Rome is roughly 33% more expensive than in Perugia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 49% above, Perugia 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 €15.33

$17.57 €15.35

-0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 €66.4

$74.9 €65.4

1.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €10.20

$11.42 €9.98

2.19%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.55

$1.54 €1.35

14.94%

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

$2.45 €2.14

$2.93 €2.56

-16.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.10

$1.43 €1.25

-11.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €5.02

$5.95 €5.20

-3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.42

$5.11 €4.47

-0.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.37 €1.20

24.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.05 €1.79

0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.61

$2.64 €2.30

13.26%

Eggs

$4.52 €3.95

$4.03 €3.52

12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 €15.45

$14.85 €12.98

19.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 €10.26

$12.39 €10.82

-5.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.56 €17.96

$17.84 €15.59

15.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$1.57 €1.37

54.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$1.86 €1.62

26.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$1.78 €1.56

13.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.34

$2.23 €1.95

19.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.46 €1.28

20.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.79 €1.57

3.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.58 €1.38

-19.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$0.40 €0.35

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.95

$5.74 €5.02

18.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$6.14 €5.36

-35.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.69

$1.62 €1.42

19.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 €2.41

$1.60 €1.40

72.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.50

$1.79 €1.56

-3.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 €35.97

$62.7 €54.8

-34.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 €4.57

$3.52 €3.07

48.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.18 €1.03

33.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.86 €30.46

$28.46 €24.87

22.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.77

$2.07 €1.81

-1.93%

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

$29.0K €25.3K

$29.3K €25.6K

-1.04%

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

$29.9K €26.1K

$27.7K €24.2K

7.94%

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

$222 €194

$185 €162

20.33%

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

$10.96 €9.58

$14.04 €12.26

-21.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.99 €27.07

$31.18 €27.24

-0.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 €56.1

$47.14 €41.18

36.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 €20.96

$27.84 €24.32

-13.83%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 €10.16

$8.72 €7.62

33.37%

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

$539 €471

$621 €543

-13.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,341

$4,106 €3,587

160.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €63.9

$66.9 €58.4

9.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 €30.22

$30.79 €26.90

12.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 €75.7

$80.3 €70.1

7.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$85.8 €75.0

38.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 €1,160

$498 €435

166.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 €757

$417 €365

107.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,268

$1,032 €902

151.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 €1,400

$779 €680

105.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,434 €7,369

$1,878 €1,641

349.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 €3,026

$1,080 €943

220.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,701

$1,595 €1,394

22.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.93

-19.88%

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

Last update for Rome: July 11, 2026

Last update for Perugia: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,328 in Rome and $498 in Perugia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rome pays 22% 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: $76.0 in Rome vs $75.0 in Perugia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $301 per month, with Perugia 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 Perugia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perugia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Rome, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,328 in Rome versus $498 in Perugia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,986 per month in Rome versus $1,495 in Perugia – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Perugia runs roughly 52% less than in Rome. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,495 in Perugia versus $1,986 in Rome, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Perugia but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Perugia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Perugia 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 Perugia 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 Perugia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.