Cost of Living Comparison Between Scalea and Rome Cost of Living Comparison Between Scalea and Rome

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,538 in Scalea versus $2,027 in Rome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Scalea versus $3,143 in Rome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Scalea versus $4,260 in Rome.

Living in Scalea costs roughly 24% less than in Rome, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Scalea 15% above, Rome 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.64 €4.86

$17.23 €14.84

-67.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 €59.2

$73.9 €63.6

-6.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 €10.06

$11.74 €10.11

-0.43%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.52

$1.83 €1.58

-3.28%

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

$2.52 €2.17

$2.51 €2.16

0.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.27 €1.09

0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.06

$5.86 €5.05

-39.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 €2.91

$5.23 €4.50

-35.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.69 €1.46

-15.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 €1.53

$2.14 €1.84

-16.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 €2.14

$2.95 €2.54

-15.59%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.80

$4.51 €3.88

-27.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.63 €9.15

$17.42 €15.00

-38.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.07 €9.53

$12.00 €10.33

-7.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 €13.72

$20.19 €17.38

-21.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.45 €2.11

-31.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 €1.34

$2.23 €1.92

-30.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.95 €1.68

-24.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.58 €2.22

-32.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.77 €1.53

-19.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.86 €1.60

-39.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 €0.78

$1.26 €1.09

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 €0.41

$0.55 €0.48

-14.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.69 €5.76

$7.13 €6.14

-6.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 €6.83

$4.63 €3.99

71.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.95 €1.68

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.73 €2.35

-37.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.54

$1.79 €1.54

-0.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.89 €36.92

$41.00 €35.30

4.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 €6.11

$5.13 €4.41

38.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 €0.88

$1.60 €1.38

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 €25.36

$35.08 €30.20

-16.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.95 €1.68

8.21%

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

$25.1K €21.6K

$29.3K €25.2K

-14.25%

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

$25.0K €21.5K

$30.2K €26.0K

-17.20%

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

$214 €185

$219 €189

-2.25%

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

$14.62 €12.58

$11.01 €9.47

32.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.50 €33.14

$31.31 €26.95

22.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 €47.31

$64.1 €55.2

-14.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 €19.77

$23.81 €20.49

-3.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 €7.87

$11.73 €10.10

-22.08%

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

$446 €384

$528 €455

-15.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,914 €5,953

$10.4K €8,974

-33.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.0 €68.0

$73.3 €63.1

7.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.91 €24.89

$34.57 €29.76

-16.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 €77.2

$87.0 €74.9

3.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €99.1

$119 €102

-3.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 €641

$1,325 €1,140

-43.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 €495

$885 €762

-35.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$2,661 €2,291

-54.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$919 €792

$1,636 €1,408

-43.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,891 €2,489

$8,730 €7,516

-66.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 €1,795

$3,452 €2,972

-39.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,058 €1,772

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.59

3.95

16.20%

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

Last update for Scalea: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $744 in Scalea and $1,325 in Rome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Scalea vs $74.0 in Rome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $333 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

Scalea vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Scalea wins on cost – living expenses run 32% 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 $2,306 in Scalea and $3,041 in Rome 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: $744 in Scalea versus $1,325 in Rome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,538 per month in Scalea versus $2,027 in Rome – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Scalea runs roughly 5% less than in Rome. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,538 in Scalea versus $2,027 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 $1,538 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Scalea hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Scalea and Rome 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 32% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.