Cost of Living · IT vs US
🇮🇹 Rome vs 🇺🇸 New York: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,489 in Italy vs $2,410 in United States — 61.85% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in United States
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 16.88%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): 16.9%
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: 16.96%
Closest to Italy prices
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +72.65%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +72.65%
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +72.65%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Italy | United States | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $1,014 | $1,750 | +72.65% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $811 | $1,400 | +72.65% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $1,853 | $3,200 | +72.65% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.72 | $18.00 | +53.58% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $48.83 | $75.00 | +53.59% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $7.45 | $11.00 | +47.65% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.81 | $1.10 | +35.8% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.34 | $3.20 | +36.75% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.49 | $3.40 | +36.55% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $7.32 | $10.00 | +36.61% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $2.93 | $4.00 | +36.52% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $3.51 | $4.80 | +36.75% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $8.78 | $12.00 | +36.67% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.46 | $2.00 | +36.99% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $3.91 | $6.00 | +53.45% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $6.84 | $8.00 | +16.96% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.26 | $5.00 | +53.37% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.68 | $2.30 | +36.9% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $44.01 | $65.00 | +47.69% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.86 | $2.75 | +47.85% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $2.60 | $4.00 | +53.85% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.17 | $1.80 | +53.85% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.81 | $0.95 | +17.28% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $135 | $200 | +47.71% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $47.39 | $70.00 | +47.71% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $30.47 | $45.00 | +47.69% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $32.55 | $50.00 | +53.61% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $9.12 | $14.00 | +53.51% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $19.53 | $30.00 | +53.61% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $47.05 | $55.00 | +16.9% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $77.00 | $90.00 | +16.88% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $163 | $250 | +53.59% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much more expensive is United States than Italy?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $2,410 in United States versus $1,489 in Italy — 61.85% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in United States?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $6.00 in United States, versus about $3.91 in Italy.
- How much is rent in United States compared to Italy?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $1,750/month in United States versus $1,014/month in Italy (+72.65%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.