CostTrek

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London vs Milan

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

London, UK vs Milan, IT at a glance — Milan, IT is 19% cheaper than London, UK overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,500/mo versus $2,600/mo. Top income tax: 43% vs 45%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Milan, IT, you'd need

$60,485 / year

Milan, IT is 19% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Milan, IT vs London, UK)

  • Housing-24%
  • Food & groceries-11%
  • Transport-38%
  • Utilities-8%
  • Healthcare-7%
  • Goods & services-13%

◎ How London, UK and Milan, IT compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
London, UKMilan, IT

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

London, UKMilan, IT
Cost of living
Overall cost index138111
Housing178135
Food118105
Transport13080
Utilities130120
Healthcare8882
Goods & services122106
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$2,600/mo$1,500/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,850/mo$1,150/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$5,200/mo$3,000/mo
Buy price / m² centre$16,000$8,500
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$727$902
Inexpensive meal$20$16
Monthly transit pass$200$42
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)45%43%
VAT / sales tax20%22%
Social security (employee)8%—
Corporate tax25%24%
Capital gains24%26%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$2,900/mo$1,900/mo
Minimum wage$2,050/mo—
GDP per capita$57,602✓$43,309✓
Inflation (annual)3.9%✓1.5%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoYes
English proficiencyNativeModerate
Coworking spaces25060
Time zoneUTC+0UTC+1
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6866
Safety index5555
Healthcare index7480
Pollution index6070
Internet speed90 Mbps120 Mbps
Walkability8885
Public transport9282
Family-friendly6264
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Life expectancy81 yr✓84 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighModerate
Climate
January avg+5 °C+3 °C
July avg+19 °C+24 °C
Sunny days / year106130
Rainfall / year690 mm1,000 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h1 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: United Kingdom vs Italy. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: London vs Milan — in your currency

LondonMilan
1-bed rent, city centre$2,600$1,500
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,850$1,150
Inexpensive meal$20$16
Monthly transit pass$200$42
Utilities (monthly)$260$190

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to London

Europe's financial capital — unmatched jobs, culture and connections, paid for with some of the highest rents on the continent.

Currency
Pound sterling (£ GBP)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC+0
Internet
90 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 5°C · ☀ 19°C · 106 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
G · 230V
Driving
Left-hand side
Popular areas
Shoreditch · Camden · Clapham

Good to know before you move to Milan

Italy's business, finance and fashion capital — the country's best job market, at its highest prices.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
Italian
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
120 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 3°C · ☀ 24°C · 130 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F/L · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Navigli · Brera · Isola

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from London to Milan: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from London to Milan, your cost of living will be roughly 19% cheaper. Milan’s cost-of-living index is 111 versus 138 for London (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is London cheaper than Milan?

Milan is about 19% cheaper than London overall — its cost-of-living index is 111 versus 138 for London.

Which is more expensive, London or Milan?

London is more expensive than Milan. Its cost-of-living index is 138 vs 111 (US = 100) — about 24% higher.

Is rent cheaper in London or Milan?

Rent is cheaper in Milan — about $1,500/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,600 in London.

How much do you need to earn in Milan to live like in London?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in London is worth about $60,485 in Milan. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, London or Milan?

Italy has the lower top income-tax rate — 43% versus 45% in United Kingdom.

◷ More comparisons from London

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.