Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Pistoia Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Pistoia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,027 in Rome versus $1,607 in Pistoia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,143 in Rome versus $2,567 in Pistoia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,260 in Rome versus $3,527 in Pistoia.

Living in Rome is roughly 26% more expensive than Pistoia, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 51% above, Pistoia 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €14.82

$17.70 €15.22

-2.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 €63.6

$85.2 €73.2

-13.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.10

$11.68 €10.05

0.51%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.58

$1.74 €1.49

5.17%

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

$2.51 €2.16

$3.70 €3.18

-32.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.47 €1.27

-13.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.04

$5.89 €5.06

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.50

$5.94 €5.11

-11.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.46 €1.25

15.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.03 €1.75

5.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$1.46 €1.26

102.05%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$3.49 €3.00

29.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.42 €14.99

$19.29 €16.59

-9.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 €10.32

$10.55 €9.07

13.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.19 €17.37

$20.74 €17.84

-2.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.06 €1.77

18.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.95 €1.68

14.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.59 €2.22

-24.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$3.49 €3.00

-26.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.83 €1.58

-3.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.42 €1.23

30.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.01 €0.87

24.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

$0.61 €0.53

-9.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.13

$6.50 €5.59

9.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 €3.98

$6.90 €5.93

-32.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.67

$1.42 €1.22

37.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$2.56 €2.20

6.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$2.02 €1.74

-11.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.00 €35.27

$56.7 €48.74

-27.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.41

$8.66 €7.45

-40.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.64 €1.41

-2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 €30.18

$23.05 €19.83

52.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.10 €1.81

-7.14%

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

$29.3K €25.2K

$28.8K €24.7K

1.94%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$42.2K €36.3K

-28.52%

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

$219 €189

$178 €153

23.27%

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

$11.01 €9.47

$11.55 €9.94

-4.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 €26.93

$27.77 €23.89

12.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.1

$77.9 €67.0

-17.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.81 €20.48

$27.76 €23.88

-14.23%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.09

$10.53 €9.06

11.40%

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

$528 €454

$464 €400

13.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,966

$2,727 €2,346

282.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 €63.0

$86.2 €74.2

-15.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €29.74

$28.43 €24.46

21.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 €74.8

$75.5 €64.9

15.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$112 €96.5

6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 €1,139

$765 €658

73.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 €761

$487 €419

81.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 €2,289

$1,148 €988

131.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 €1,407

$839 €721

95.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,730 €7,510

$3,086 €2,655

182.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,452 €2,970

$2,343 €2,016

47.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,058 €1,770

$1,883 €1,620

9.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

3.87

2.07%

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

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pistoia: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,325 in Rome and $765 in Pistoia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rome pays 9% 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: $74.0 in Rome vs $85.0 in Pistoia. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $323, with Pistoia cheaper for home cooking.

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 Pistoia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pistoia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Rome pays 9% more on average, 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: $1,325 in Rome versus $765 in Pistoia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pistoia – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $74.0 in Rome. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,027 per month in Rome versus $1,607 in Pistoia – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,607 in Pistoia versus $2,027 in Rome, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Pistoia but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Pistoia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pistoia 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 Pistoia 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 Pistoia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.