Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Trieste Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Trieste

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,986 in Rome versus $1,817 in Trieste.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,073 in Rome versus $2,746 in Trieste.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,159 in Rome versus $3,674 in Trieste.

Living in Rome is roughly 9% more expensive than in Trieste, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 49% above, Trieste 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 €15.37

$17.34 €15.19

1.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 €66.5

$68.8 €60.3

10.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €10.22

$12.05 €10.55

-3.15%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.55

$2.14 €1.87

-17.29%

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

$2.45 €2.14

$3.42 €3.00

-28.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.11

$1.76 €1.54

-28.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €5.03

$6.29 €5.51

-8.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.43

$5.67 €4.97

-10.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.92 €1.68

-11.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.81

$3.00 €2.63

-31.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.62

$3.78 €3.31

-20.90%

Eggs

$4.52 €3.96

$3.97 €3.47

13.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 €15.49

$15.23 €13.34

16.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 €10.29

$12.21 €10.70

-3.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.56 €18.01

$18.16 €15.90

13.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$2.65 €2.32

-8.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$2.50 €2.19

-5.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$2.96 €2.59

-31.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.34

$4.36 €3.82

-38.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.38 €2.08

-26.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.18 €1.91

-15.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.87 €1.64

-32.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$0.62 €0.54

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.96

$6.95 €6.09

-2.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$7.89 €6.91

-49.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.70

$1.80 €1.58

7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 €2.42

$3.56 €3.12

-22.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.51

$1.63 €1.43

5.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 €36.05

$44.47 €38.94

-7.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 €4.58

$10.78 €9.44

-51.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.39

$1.33 €1.17

18.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.86 €30.53

$38.92 €34.08

-10.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.01 €1.76

1.00%

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

$29.0K €25.4K

$34.2K €29.9K

-15.09%

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

$29.9K €26.2K

$41.3K €36.2K

-27.69%

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

$222 €195

$223 €195

-0.29%

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

$10.96 €9.60

$12.76 €11.17

-14.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.99 €27.14

$32.25 €28.25

-3.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 €56.2

$53.7 €47.07

19.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 €21.01

$27.04 €23.69

-11.28%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 €10.19

$9.53 €8.35

22.04%

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

$539 €472

$703 €616

-23.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,363

$10.5K €9,173

2.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €64.1

$87.5 €76.7

-16.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 €30.29

$36.69 €32.13

-5.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 €75.8

$97.2 €85.2

-10.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$140 €123

-15.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 €1,163

$823 €721

61.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 €759

$647 €567

33.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,274

$1,326 €1,162

95.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 €1,403

$1,051 €920

52.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,434 €7,386

$3,797 €3,325

122.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 €3,034

$2,157 €1,889

60.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,705

$1,924 €1,685

1.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.6

-14.13%

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

Last update for Rome: July 11, 2026

Last update for Trieste: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,328 in Rome and $823 in Trieste. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rome pays 1% 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: $76.0 in Rome vs $69.0 in Trieste. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $362, 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 Trieste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trieste wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Rome. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Trieste the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Rome, 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: $1,328 in Rome versus $823 in Trieste. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,986 per month in Rome versus $1,817 in Trieste – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Trieste runs roughly 8% less than in Rome. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,817 in Trieste versus $1,986 in Rome, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Trieste but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Trieste the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Trieste delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,817 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Trieste hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rome and Trieste 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 Trieste gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.