Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Varese Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Varese

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,027 in Rome versus $2,073 in Varese.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,143 in Rome versus $3,436 in Varese.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,260 in Rome versus $4,799 in Varese.

Living in Rome costs roughly 2% less than in Varese, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rome 51% above, Varese 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €14.82

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 €63.6

$80.7 €69.5

-8.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.10

$14.11 €12.13

-16.80%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.58

$2.01 €1.73

-8.96%

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

$2.51 €2.16

$3.57 €3.07

-29.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.24 €1.06

2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.04

$6.18 €5.32

-5.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.50

$5.72 €4.92

-8.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.74 €1.50

-2.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$3.42 €2.94

-37.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$3.21 €2.76

-8.10%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$4.13 €3.56

9.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.42 €14.99

$21.69 €18.66

-19.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 €10.32

$13.36 €11.49

-10.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.19 €17.37

$33.87 €29.14

-40.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.69 €2.31

-8.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.38 €2.04

-6.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.50 €2.15

-22.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$4.22 €3.63

-38.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$2.14 €1.84

-17.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.88 €1.61

-1.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.60 €1.37

-21.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

$0.50 €0.43

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.13

$7.27 €6.26

-1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 €3.98

$4.22 €3.63

9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.67

$1.78 €1.53

9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$1.49 €1.28

83.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.93 €1.66

-7.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.00 €35.27

$45.58 €39.21

-10.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.41

$5.85 €5.03

-12.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.01 €0.87

58.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 €30.18

$41.16 €35.41

-14.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.09 €1.80

-6.70%

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

$29.3K €25.2K

$34.8K €30.0K

-15.87%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$36.2K €31.1K

-16.64%

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

$219 €189

$249 €215

-12.06%

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

$11.01 €9.47

$13.70 €11.79

-19.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 €26.93

$35.06 €30.16

-10.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.1

$55.7 €47.93

15.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.81 €20.48

$24.61 €21.17

-3.25%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.09

$12.67 €10.90

-7.42%

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

$528 €454

$752 €647

-29.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,966

$6,789 €5,840

53.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 €63.0

$106 €91.6

-31.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €29.74

$41.25 €35.48

-16.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 €74.8

$124 €107

-29.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$169 €146

-29.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 €1,139

$937 €806

41.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 €761

$745 €641

18.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 €2,289

$1,746 €1,502

52.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 €1,407

$1,763 €1,517

-7.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,730 €7,510

$2,458 €2,114

255.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,452 €2,970

$1,687 €1,451

104.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,058 €1,770

$2,360 €2,030

-12.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.63

-14.69%

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

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Last update for Varese: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,325 in Rome and $937 in Varese. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varese pays 15% 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: $74.0 in Rome vs $81.0 in Varese for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $416 per month, with Rome 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 Varese: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Varese. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rome the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Varese earns 15% less. 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: $1,325 in Rome versus $937 in Varese. 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 $2,073 in Varese – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rome runs roughly 11% less than in Varese. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,027 in Rome versus $2,073 in Varese, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rome but tight or insufficient in Varese. The gap between the two cities makes Rome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rome delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,027 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rome hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rome and Varese 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 Rome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Varese. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.