Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Scalea Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Scalea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,027 in Rome versus $1,538 in Scalea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,143 in Rome versus $2,305 in Scalea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,260 in Rome versus $3,072 in Scalea.

Living in Rome is roughly 32% more expensive than Scalea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 51% above, Scalea 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €14.84

$5.64 €4.86

205.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 €63.6

$68.8 €59.2

7.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.11

$11.69 €10.06

0.43%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.58

$1.77 €1.52

3.39%

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

$2.51 €2.16

$2.52 €2.17

-0.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.28 €1.10

-0.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.05

$3.55 €3.06

65.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.50

$3.38 €2.91

54.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.42 €1.22

19.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.78 €1.53

20.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$2.49 €2.14

18.47%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$3.25 €2.80

38.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.42 €15.00

$10.63 €9.15

63.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 €10.33

$11.07 €9.53

8.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.19 €17.38

$15.94 €13.72

26.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.67 €1.44

46.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.55 €1.34

43.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.48 €1.28

31.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$1.74 €1.50

48.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.42 €1.22

24.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.13 €0.97

64.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$0.90 €0.78

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

$0.47 €0.41

17.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.14

$6.69 €5.76

6.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 €3.99

$7.94 €6.83

-41.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.94 €1.67

0.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$1.70 €1.46

60.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.78 €1.54

0.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.00 €35.30

$42.89 €36.92

-4.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.41

$7.10 €6.11

-27.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.02 €0.88

56.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 €30.20

$29.46 €25.36

19.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.11 €1.82

-7.58%

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

$29.3K €25.2K

$25.1K €21.6K

16.62%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$25.0K €21.5K

20.77%

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

$219 €189

$214 €185

2.30%

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

$11.01 €9.47

$14.62 €12.58

-24.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 €26.95

$38.50 €33.14

-18.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.2

$55.0 €47.31

16.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.81 €20.49

$22.96 €19.77

3.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.10

$9.14 €7.87

28.34%

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

$528 €455

$446 €384

18.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,974

$6,914 €5,953

50.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 €63.1

$79.0 €68.0

-7.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €29.76

$28.91 €24.89

19.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 €74.9

$89.7 €77.2

-3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$115 €99.1

3.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 €1,140

$744 €641

78.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 €762

$575 €495

53.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 €2,291

$1,220 €1,050

118.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 €1,408

$919 €792

77.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,730 €7,516

$2,891 €2,489

201.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,452 €2,972

$2,085 €1,795

65.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,058 €1,772

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.59

-13.94%

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

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Last update for Scalea: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,325 in Rome and $744 in Scalea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Rome vs $69.0 in Scalea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $267 per month, with Scalea 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 Scalea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Scalea wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Rome. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Scalea the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,041 in Rome and $2,306 in Scalea to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,325 in Rome versus $744 in Scalea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,027 per month in Rome versus $1,538 in Scalea – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Scalea runs roughly 5% less than in Rome. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,538 in Scalea versus $2,027 in Rome, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Scalea but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Scalea the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Scalea delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,538 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Scalea hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rome and Scalea 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 Scalea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.