Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Sumter, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Sumter, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,031 in Rome versus $1,955 in Sumter, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,167 in Rome versus $2,872 in Sumter, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,304 in Rome versus $3,789 in Sumter, SC.

Living in Rome is roughly 4% more expensive than in Sumter, SC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 48% above, Sumter, SC 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €15.02

$17.76 $17.76

-1.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 €61.0

$59.9 $59.9

18.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 €10.14

$10.98 $10.98

7.38%

Cappuccino

$2.26 €1.94

$5.71 $5.71

-60.42%

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

$3.10 €2.67

$1.88 $1.88

64.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.43 $1.43

8.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.04

$5.97 $5.97

-1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 €5.86

$7.00 $7.00

-2.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.55

$0.93 $0.93

93.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.29 $3.29

-30.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 €2.80

$3.52 $3.52

-7.67%

Eggs

$4.74 €4.08

$4.67 $4.67

1.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 €13.18

$16.39 $16.39

-6.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 €10.72

$9.83 $9.83

26.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.09 €16.43

$13.05 $13.05

46.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$5.38 $5.38

-50.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.48 $1.48

66.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$4.53 $4.53

-43.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$4.63 $4.63

-47.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 €1.25

$3.70 $3.70

-60.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.39

$3.05 $3.05

-47.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.03 $2.03

-29.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.43

$2.34 $2.34

-78.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 €6.09

$10.12 $10.12

-30.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.54 €3.91

$15.58 $15.58

-70.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.46 $2.46

-29.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.52

$3.69 $3.69

-20.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.92 €35.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 €6.57

$2.93 $2.93

160.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.83 $1.83

-2.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.61 €29.78

$29.85 $29.85

15.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.84 $0.84

144.05%

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

$37.1K €31.9K

$34.9K $34.9K

6.32%

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

$36.0K €30.9K

$25.4K $25.4K

41.77%

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

$220 €189

$171 $171

28.48%

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

$12.41 €10.68

$67.4 $67.4

-81.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.36 €26.98

$40.75 $40.75

-23.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 €58.9

$15.12 $15.12

352.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.35 €21.81

$4.97 $4.97

410.06%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.90

$7.09 $7.09

62.20%

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

$504 €434

$1,475 $1,475

-65.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

$24.9K $24.9K

-30.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.4 €64.0

$51.3 $51.3

45.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 €32.64

$36.89 $36.89

2.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 €75.1

$92.9 $92.9

-6.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$143 $143

-13.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 €1,071

$1,028 $1,028

20.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 €763

$806 $806

10.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 €2,269

$1,308 $1,308

101.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,795 €1,545

$1,238 $1,238

45.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,673 €7,463

$1,484 $1,484

484.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,283 €2,825

$1,461 $1,461

124.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,675

$4,065 $4,065

-52.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.52

5.4

-34.81%

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

Last update for Rome: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sumter, SC: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,244 in Rome and $1,028 in Sumter, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sumter, SC pays 109% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Rome vs $60.0 in Sumter, SC. Groceries flip the comparison at $332 vs $394, with Rome 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 Sumter, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sumter, SC wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Rome. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sumter, SC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 109% lower in Sumter, SC. 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: $1,244 in Rome versus $1,028 in Sumter, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Rome pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,031 per month in Rome versus $1,955 in Sumter, SC – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,955 in Sumter, SC versus $2,031 in Rome, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sumter, SC but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Sumter, SC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sumter, SC delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,955 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sumter, SC hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rome and Sumter, SC 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 Sumter, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.