For one person, living is cheaper in Terni: $1,299 a month against $1,997 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rome and in Terni actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,997 in Rome versus $1,299 in Terni.
Rome $1,997
Terni $1,299
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,132 in Rome versus $1,995 in Terni.
Rome $3,132
Terni $1,995
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,266 in Rome versus $2,691 in Terni.
Rome $4,266
Terni $2,691
🌍
Living in Rome is roughly 54% more expensive than in Terni, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Rome is 47% above, Terni is 5% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Rome
Terni
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.44€14.77
$16.55€14.87
-0.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.0€61.0
$66.7€59.9
1.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.14€10.01
$13.54€12.16
-17.73%
Cappuccino
$2.02€1.82
$1.69€1.52
19.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00€2.70
$2.54€2.29
18.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48€1.33
$1.03€0.93
43.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.69€5.11
$4.35€3.91
30.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.77€6.08
$5.74€5.15
17.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rome
Terni
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.69€1.51
$1.22€1.09
38.52%
White Bread(500g)
$2.19€1.96
$1.70€1.53
28.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.08€2.77
$2.17€1.95
41.94%
Eggs
$4.74€4.26
$3.82€3.43
24.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.65€13.16
$13.38€12.02
9.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.45€11.18
$9.20€8.27
35.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.48€17.50
$13.33€11.97
46.14%
Apples(1kg)
$2.60€2.34
$1.13€1.02
130.09%
Banana(1kg)
$2.35€2.11
$1.13€1.02
107.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33€2.09
$1.13€1.02
106.19%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.34€2.10
$2.27€2.04
3.08%
Potato(1kg)
$1.36€1.22
$0.74€0.67
83.78%
Onion(1kg)
$1.61€1.45
$1.48€1.33
8.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.32€1.18
$0.75€0.68
76.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51€0.46
$0.36€0.32
41.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.03€6.32
$6.59€5.92
6.68%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.61€5.04
$8.00€7.19
-29.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64€1.48
$1.14€1.02
43.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51€2.26
$1.51€1.36
66.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Rome
Terni
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.64€1.47
$1.59€1.43
3.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.58€35.56
$34.20€30.72
15.73%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.77€6.08
$3.63€3.26
86.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.65€1.48
$1.26€1.14
30.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.02€30.56
$30.81€27.68
10.42%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.17€1.95
$2.14€1.92
1.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K€31.8K
$33.0K€29.7K
7.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K€32.9K
$36.3K€32.6K
0.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
Terni
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$210€188
$150€135
39.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.53€10.36
$11.46€10.30
0.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.32€29.03
$30.69€27.57
5.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rome
Terni
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$65.0€58.4
$54.8€49.24
18.57%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.53€21.14
$11.20€10.06
110.09%
Cinema Ticket
$11.32€10.17
$11.15€10.02
1.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rome
Terni
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$488€438
$329€296
48.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.7K€15.0K
$16.5K€14.8K
1.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rome
Terni
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.1€63.9
$84.9€76.2
-16.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.84€33.09
$33.72€30.29
9.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.4€76.7
$106€95.2
-19.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128€115
$78.4€70.4
63.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rome
Terni
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,297€1,165
$340€305
281.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$875€786
$357€321
145.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,584€2,321
$648€582
298.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,739€1,562
$519€466
235.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,477€7,615
$1,363€1,225
521.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,239€2,910
$784€705
312.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rome
Terni
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,948€1,750
$1,468€1,319
32.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.52
3.16
11.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rome: October 25, 2026
Last update for Terni: October 26, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Rome
$875 43.8%
Terni
$357 27.5% ↓ 59.2%$518
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rome
$326 16.3%
Terni
$245 18.9% ↓ 24.9%$81
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$254 12.7%
Terni
$192 14.8% ↓ 24.1%$61
🍽Eating Out
Rome
$249 12.5%
Terni
$241 18.5% ↓ 3.3%$8.3
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$145 7.2%
Terni
$136 10.5% ↓ 5.7%$8.2
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$88 4.4%
Terni
$77 5.9% ↓ 12%$11
🚌Getting Around
Rome
$61 3.1%
Terni
$51 3.9% ↓ 17.4%$11
🏠Accommodation & Living
Rome
$1.7K 40.8%
Terni
$519 19.3% ↓ 70.2%$1.2K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rome
$777 18.2%
Terni
$577 21.4% ↓ 25.8%$200
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome
$265 6.2%
Terni
$204 7.6% ↓ 23.1%$61
🍽Eating Out
Rome
$839 19.7%
Terni
$819 30.4% ↓ 2.4%$20
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rome
$321 7.5%
Terni
$303 11.3% ↓ 5.7%$18
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rome
$199 4.7%
Terni
$165 6.2% ↓ 16.8%$33
🚌Getting Around
Rome
$126 2.9%
Terni
$104 3.9% ↓ 17%$21
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,297 in Rome and $340 in Terni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Rome pays 33% 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: $68 in Rome vs $67 in Terni for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $245 per month, with Terni cheaper across the board.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 Terni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Rome or Terni?
Terni wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Rome. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Terni the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Rome or in Terni?
Average pay runs 33% higher in Rome, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Rome compared to Terni?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,297 in Rome versus $340 in Terni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Rome or in Terni?
Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Rome. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Rome compared to Terni?
All in, you’ll spend $1,997 per month in Rome versus $1,299 in Terni – Terni is about 35% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Rome or in Terni?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Terni is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Rome or Terni?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Should I move to Rome or to Terni?
It comes down to priorities – Terni wins on affordability, Rome on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.