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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,104 in Varese versus $2,031 in Rome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Varese versus $3,167 in Rome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,895 in Varese versus $4,304 in Rome.

Living in Varese is roughly 4% more expensive than in Rome, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Varese 53% above, Rome 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.56 €20.32

$17.45 €15.05

35.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 €91.6

$70.9 €61.2

49.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 €13.02

$11.79 €10.17

27.99%

Cappuccino

$2.27 €1.96

$2.26 €1.95

0.44%

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

$3.87 €3.34

$3.10 €2.68

24.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.55 €1.34

9.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.13

$5.86 €5.05

21.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.36 €5.48

$6.82 €5.88

-6.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.80 €1.56

-1.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 €2.45

$2.28 €1.97

24.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 €2.73

$3.25 €2.80

-2.77%

Eggs

$4.56 €3.93

$4.74 €4.09

-3.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.75 €15.31

$15.31 €13.21

15.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.40 €11.56

$12.46 €10.75

7.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.90 €24.92

$19.09 €16.46

51.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.67 €2.31

-3.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$2.47 €2.13

-0.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 €2.67

$2.56 €2.21

21.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.44 €2.10

60.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 €2.37

$1.46 €1.26

87.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.86

$1.61 €1.39

33.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 €1.38

$1.44 €1.24

10.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.52

$0.51 €0.44

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 €6.10

$7.07 €6.10

0.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.97 €6.87

$4.54 €3.92

75.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.73 €1.49

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.34

$2.93 €2.53

-47.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 €2.30

$1.69 €1.46

57.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.8 €44.65

$40.92 €35.30

26.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 €4.87

$7.64 €6.59

-26.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.78 €1.54

32.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.03 €34.53

$34.61 €29.85

15.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 €1.84

$2.05 €1.77

3.90%

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

$37.5K €32.3K

$37.1K €32.0K

0.95%

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

$36.8K €31.7K

$36.0K €31.0K

2.24%

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

$227 €196

$220 €190

3.24%

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

$13.67 €11.79

$12.41 €10.70

10.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.41 €27.09

$31.36 €27.05

0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.46 €40.94

$68.4 €59.0

-30.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.82 €22.27

$25.35 €21.86

1.85%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 €10.32

$11.50 €9.92

4.00%

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

$747 €645

$504 €435

48.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,281 €6,280

$17.4K €15.0K

-58.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €95.5

$74.4 €64.2

48.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 €49.13

$37.93 €32.71

50.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 €114

$87.3 €75.3

51.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 €144

$124 €107

34.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 €846

$1,244 €1,073

-21.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 €644

$887 €765

-15.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 €1,538

$2,637 €2,274

-32.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 €1,446

$1,795 €1,548

-6.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,614 €2,255

$8,673 €7,481

-69.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,731 €1,493

$3,283 €2,831

-47.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,488 €2,146

$1,947 €1,679

27.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

3.52

2.84%

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

Last update for Varese: September 1, 2026

Last update for Rome: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $981 in Varese and $1,244 in Rome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varese pays 28% 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: $106 in Varese vs $71.0 in Rome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $332 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

Varese vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome wins on cost – living expenses run 4% 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.

Average pay runs 28% higher in Varese, 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: $981 in Varese versus $1,244 in Rome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,104 per month in Varese versus $2,031 in Rome – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rome runs roughly 27% less than in Varese. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,031 in Rome versus $2,104 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 $2,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rome hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Varese 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 Rome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Varese. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.