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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,860 in Trieste versus $2,036 in Rome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,776 in Trieste versus $3,123 in Rome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,691 in Trieste versus $4,210 in Rome.

Living in Trieste costs roughly 9% less than in Rome, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Trieste 38% above, Rome 51% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Trieste
Rome
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.53 โ‚ฌ14.92
$17.16 โ‚ฌ14.60
2.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.6 โ‚ฌ59.2
$75.1 โ‚ฌ63.9
-7.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.25 โ‚ฌ10.42
$11.67 โ‚ฌ9.93
4.97%
Cappuccino
$2.22 โ‚ฌ1.89
$1.81 โ‚ฌ1.54
22.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 โ‚ฌ2.94
$2.52 โ‚ฌ2.15
37.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 โ‚ฌ1.51
$1.23 โ‚ฌ1.04
43.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.26 โ‚ฌ5.33
$5.66 โ‚ฌ4.82
10.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.81 โ‚ฌ4.94
$5.33 โ‚ฌ4.54
9.01%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Trieste
Rome
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.90 โ‚ฌ1.62
$1.76 โ‚ฌ1.50
7.95%
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 โ‚ฌ2.53
$2.17 โ‚ฌ1.85
36.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.83 โ‚ฌ3.26
$3.11 โ‚ฌ2.65
23.15%
Eggs
$3.98 โ‚ฌ3.39
$4.55 โ‚ฌ3.87
-12.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.79 โ‚ฌ12.59
$17.55 โ‚ฌ14.93
-15.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.24 โ‚ฌ10.42
$12.09 โ‚ฌ10.29
1.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.19 โ‚ฌ15.48
$20.12 โ‚ฌ17.12
-9.59%
Apples (1kg)
$2.59 โ‚ฌ2.20
$2.34 โ‚ฌ1.99
10.68%
Banana (1kg)
$2.55 โ‚ฌ2.17
$2.26 โ‚ฌ1.93
12.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.96 โ‚ฌ2.52
$1.93 โ‚ฌ1.64
53.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.29 โ‚ฌ3.65
$2.67 โ‚ฌ2.27
60.67%
Potato (1kg)
$2.40 โ‚ฌ2.04
$1.79 โ‚ฌ1.53
34.08%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 โ‚ฌ1.83
$1.85 โ‚ฌ1.58
16.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.85 โ‚ฌ1.57
$1.30 โ‚ฌ1.11
42.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 โ‚ฌ0.50
$0.56 โ‚ฌ0.47
5.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.90 โ‚ฌ5.87
$6.87 โ‚ฌ5.85
0.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.10 โ‚ฌ6.04
$5.20 โ‚ฌ4.43
36.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 โ‚ฌ1.50
$1.92 โ‚ฌ1.64
-7.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 โ‚ฌ2.99
$2.67 โ‚ฌ2.27
31.46%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Trieste
Rome
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.71 โ‚ฌ1.45
$1.79 โ‚ฌ1.52
-4.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.58 โ‚ฌ37.94
$40.43 โ‚ฌ34.40
10.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.73 โ‚ฌ9.13
$5.17 โ‚ฌ4.40
107.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.33 โ‚ฌ1.13
$1.53 โ‚ฌ1.31
-13.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.66 โ‚ฌ32.90
$34.49 โ‚ฌ29.35
12.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.02 โ‚ฌ1.72
$2.04 โ‚ฌ1.73
-0.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K โ‚ฌ30.0K
$28.7K โ‚ฌ24.4K
22.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.7K โ‚ฌ35.5K
$29.8K โ‚ฌ25.4K
39.86%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Trieste
Rome
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$226 โ‚ฌ192
$217 โ‚ฌ185
4.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.82 โ‚ฌ10.91
$11.02 โ‚ฌ9.38
16.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.41 โ‚ฌ27.58
$31.36 โ‚ฌ26.69
3.35%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Trieste
Rome
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.8 โ‚ฌ44.95
$63.6 โ‚ฌ54.2
-17.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.30 โ‚ฌ23.24
$23.29 โ‚ฌ19.82
17.22%
Cinema Ticket
$9.27 โ‚ฌ7.89
$11.67 โ‚ฌ9.93
-20.57%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Trieste
Rome
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$706 โ‚ฌ601
$529 โ‚ฌ450
33.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K โ‚ฌ8,797
$10.4K โ‚ฌ8,886
-1.00%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Trieste
Rome
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.6 โ‚ฌ73.7
$73.2 โ‚ฌ62.3
18.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.46 โ‚ฌ31.03
$34.65 โ‚ฌ29.48
5.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.9 โ‚ฌ82.5
$86.0 โ‚ฌ73.2
12.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142 โ‚ฌ120
$123 โ‚ฌ104
15.36%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Trieste
Rome
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$818 โ‚ฌ696
$1,362 โ‚ฌ1,159
-39.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 โ‚ฌ555
$866 โ‚ฌ737
-24.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,302 โ‚ฌ1,108
$2,580 โ‚ฌ2,195
-49.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 โ‚ฌ879
$1,615 โ‚ฌ1,374
-36.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,009 โ‚ฌ3,412
$8,905 โ‚ฌ7,578
-54.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,279 โ‚ฌ1,940
$3,672 โ‚ฌ3,125
-37.93%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Trieste
Rome
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,818 โ‚ฌ1,547
$2,114 โ‚ฌ1,799
-14.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.6
3.95
16.46%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Trieste: April 13, 2026

Last update for Rome: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $818 in Trieste and $1,362 in Rome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rome pays 16% 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: $70 in Trieste vs $75 in Rome. Groceries flip the comparison at $358 vs $336, 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
Trieste vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Trieste or Rome?
Trieste wins on cost โ€“ 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.
Are salaries higher in Trieste or Rome?
On paper, Rome earns 16% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Trieste vs Rome?
Rent for a central apartment: $818 in Trieste versus $1,362 in Rome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Trieste compared to Rome?
All in, you'll spend $1,860 per month in Trieste versus $2,036 in Rome โ€“ a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Trieste vs Rome?
A monthly transit pass in Trieste runs roughly 10% less than in Rome. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Trieste or Rome?
At $1,860 in Trieste versus $2,036 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Trieste or Rome?
Both work as nomad bases, but Trieste delivers better value โ€“ similar infrastructure at $1,860 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Trieste hard to pass up.
How safe is Trieste compared to Rome?
Safety-wise, Trieste 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Trieste gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 9% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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