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Bologna vs Rome cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฎ๐น Bologna
๐ฎ๐น Rome
At a glance
- Where Rome is clearly cheaper: Laundry (56%โ), SIM card (35%โ), Transit (35%โ)
- Where Bologna is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (70%โ), Bottled water (30%โ), Street food (26%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Bologna is easier to travel (2.0 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Bologna 1 vs Rome 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Bologna | Rome | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 16$18.6 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Rome โ6% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 5$5.81 | โฌ 6.8$7.91 | Bologna โ26% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 35$40.7 | โฌ 30$34.9 | Rome โ14% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 1.7$1.98 | โฌ 1.8$2.09 | Bologna โ6% |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 5.5$6.4 | โฌ 6$6.98 | Bologna โ8% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 8$9.3 | โฌ 9$10.5 | Bologna โ11% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 0.7$0.81 | โฌ 1$1.16 | Bologna โ30% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | โฌ 1.8$2.09 | Bologna โ17% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 12$14 | โฌ 14$16.3 | Bologna โ14% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 8$9.3 | โฌ 9$10.5 | Bologna โ11% |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 2.3$2.67 | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | Rome โ35% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 15$17.4 | โฌ 50$58.1 | Bologna โ70% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 110$128 | โฌ 130$151 | Bologna โ15% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 850$988 | โฌ 1,050$1,221 | Bologna โ19% |
| Laundry | โฌ 8$9.3 | โฌ 3.5$4.07 | Rome โ56% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 20$23.3 | โฌ 13$15.1 | Rome โ35% |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 16$18.6 | โฌ 20$23.3 | Bologna โ20% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 55$64 | โฌ 55$64 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 40$46.5 | โฌ 45$52.3 | Bologna โ11% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 12$14 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Bologna โ20% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bologna or Rome?
Bologna and Rome cost about the same. Daily budget $271 vs $290; a month $4,782 vs $4,804.
Which is easier to travel, Bologna or Rome?
Bologna is easier: Bologna 2.0/5 vs Rome 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Bologna and Rome?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bologna is about $4,782 and Rome about $4,804 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.