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: $2,036 in Rome versus $1,509 in Scalea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,123 in Rome versus $2,280 in Scalea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,210 in Rome versus $3,051 in Scalea.

Living in Rome is roughly 35% more expensive than Scalea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 51% above, Scalea 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.16 €14.60

$5.68 €4.83

202.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 €63.9

$69.6 €59.3

7.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €9.93

$11.68 €9.94

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$1.81 €1.54

$1.69 €1.44

7.10%

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

$2.52 €2.15

$2.41 €2.05

4.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.04

$1.30 €1.10

-5.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.66 €4.82

$3.56 €3.03

58.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 €4.54

$3.46 €2.94

54.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.50

$1.40 €1.19

25.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.85

$1.77 €1.50

22.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 €2.65

$2.50 €2.13

24.40%

Eggs

$4.55 €3.87

$3.07 €2.61

48.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.55 €14.93

$10.70 €9.10

64.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.09 €10.29

$11.11 €9.45

8.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 €17.12

$15.93 €13.55

26.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 €1.99

$1.75 €1.49

33.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.93

$1.61 €1.37

40.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.64

$1.49 €1.27

29.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.27

$1.75 €1.49

52.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.37 €1.17

30.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.58

$1.19 €1.01

55.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.11

$0.85 €0.72

52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.47

$0.44 €0.37

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 €5.85

$6.63 €5.64

3.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 €4.43

$4.63 €3.94

12.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.64

$1.99 €1.69

-3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.27

$1.70 €1.45

57.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.52

$1.77 €1.51

1.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.43 €34.40

$42.93 €36.54

-5.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 €4.40

$6.85 €5.83

-24.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.31

$1.07 €0.91

42.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.49 €29.35

$28.86 €24.56

19.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.73

$2.00 €1.70

2.00%

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

$28.7K €24.4K

$25.8K €21.9K

11.23%

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

$29.8K €25.4K

$25.8K €22.0K

15.39%

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

$217 €185

$210 €178

3.54%

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

$11.02 €9.38

$14.50 €12.34

-24.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.36 €26.69

$39.28 €33.43

-20.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 €54.2

$54.1 €46.02

17.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.29 €19.82

$22.89 €19.48

1.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.67 €9.93

$9.27 €7.89

25.89%

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

$529 €450

$453 €385

16.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,886

$6,970 €5,931

49.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 €62.3

$78.8 €67.0

-7.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.65 €29.48

$29.06 €24.73

19.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 €73.2

$87.1 €74.1

-1.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$113 €96.1

8.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 €1,159

$750 €638

81.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 €737

$579 €492

49.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 €2,195

$1,236 €1,052

108.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 €1,374

$942 €802

71.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,905 €7,578

$3,078 €2,620

189.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,672 €3,125

$2,136 €1,818

71.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,114 €1,799

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Scalea: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,362 in Rome and $750 in Scalea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $75 in Rome vs $70 in Scalea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $260 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 35% 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 $3,054 in Rome and $2,264 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: $1,362 in Rome versus $750 in Scalea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,036 per month in Rome versus $1,509 in Scalea – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Scalea runs roughly 6% less than in Rome. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,509 in Scalea versus $2,036 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 $1,509 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 35% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.