Cost of living in Italy
What a month costs, how prices compare with other countries, and where the money goes
Monthly cost in Italy
Spending runs from €641 a month in the poorest fifth to €3,990 in the richest
Per person, whole country
€1,590
what a typical person spends in a month
Spending across the population
€641richest 20%
€3,990
Where people spend money in Italy
One person's out-of-pocket spending, averaged across the whole country
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Key facts
The cost of living in Italy in numbers
Groceries takes an unusual share of the budget
It absorbs 14.7% of spending here, or €234 a month, against 19.7% in a typical country, 5 points less.
Typical spending takes 80% of the average wage
A typical person spends €1,590 a month while the average take-home wage is €2,000, so 20% of an average wage sits above what a typical person spends.
How living costs in Italy compare
Neighbours, region and the world on the same monthly figure
What things cost here
How much the same goods and services cost in Italy against other countries
More expensive than 81% of countries
Where Italy sits when every country is lined up from cheapest to most expensive
Pakistanmost expensive
Bermuda
middle
A basket of goods and services that costs €865 at world-middle prices costs €1,350 here.
Data source: household consumption 2023 (World Bank), International Comparison Program 2021 (World Bank), category breakdown 2023 (Eurostat), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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What it costs to live in Italy
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Cost of living in Italy
€641/mo
vs €692 in your country
Take-home
€981
vs €1,040 in your country
Potential savings
€340
more than in your country
Standard of living
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Frequently asked questions
What is the cost of living in Italy?
A typical person in Italy spends about €1,590 a month — around €19,100 a year — on housing, groceries, transport and other everyday costs. It's a nationwide average across different regions, cities and types of housing.
What is the standard of living in Italy?
By spending, Italy ranks #24 of 185 countries. A typical person spends about €1,590 a month, the poorest 20% about €641 and the richest 20% about €3,990. The gap between them shows how unevenly people live.
What is the cost of living in Italy in US dollars?
The cost of living in Italy is about $1,844 a month, or roughly $22,128 a year per person.
How much money do you need to live comfortably in Italy?
It all depends on your standard of living. A modest budget runs about €641 a month per person, a typical one around €1,590, and a comfortable life around €2,240. In big cities and for a family, costs are usually higher.
What do people spend the most on in Italy?
The biggest expense is housing, at about €363 a month (23% of spending). Then come groceries (€234, 15%) and transport (€202, 13%).
Is the average salary in Italy enough to live on?
In most cases yes, but without much of a cushion. Average spending is about €1,590 a month, while the average take-home pay in Italy is about €2,000. For more on incomes, see salaries in Italy.
Is Italy an expensive country to live in?
Yes. Italy is more expensive than 88% of countries worldwide and ranks 15th of 41 in Europe by cost of living.
What currency is used in Italy?
Italy uses the Euro (EUR). Amounts on this page are shown in it; the currency switcher converts them.
Where to live?
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Living in Italy
See the full country overview