CostTrek

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London vs Rome

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 Rome, IT at a glance — Rome, IT is 27% cheaper than London, UK overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,200/mo versus $2,600/mo. Top income tax: 43% vs 45%.

$/ year

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

$54,655 / year

Rome, IT is 27% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Rome, IT vs London, UK)

  • Housing-38%
  • Food & groceries-15%
  • Transport-42%
  • Utilities-8%
  • Healthcare-9%
  • Goods & services-18%

◎ How London, UK and Rome, IT compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
London, UKRome, IT

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

▤ Full comparison

London, UKRome, IT
Cost of living
Overall cost index138100
Housing178110
Food118100
Transport13075
Utilities130120
Healthcare8880
Goods & services122100
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$2,600/mo$1,200/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,850/mo$900/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$5,200/mo$2,400/mo
Buy price / m² centre$16,000$6,500
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$727$998
Inexpensive meal$20$15
Monthly transit pass$200$38
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 proficiencyNativeLow
Coworking spaces25040
Time zoneUTC+0UTC+1
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6868
Safety index5555
Healthcare index7478
Pollution index6060
Internet speed90 Mbps100 Mbps
Walkability8885
Public transport9275
Family-friendly6264
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Life expectancy81 yr✓84 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighModerate
Climate
January avg+5 °C+8 °C
July avg+19 °C+25 °C
Sunny days / year106200
Rainfall / year690 mm800 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 Rome — in your currency

LondonRome
1-bed rent, city centre$2,600$1,200
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,850$900
Inexpensive meal$20$15
Monthly transit pass$200$38
Utilities (monthly)$260$180

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 Rome

Living inside an open-air museum — unbeatable food and history, but slow bureaucracy and patchy transit.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
Italian
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
100 Mbps
English
Rarely spoken
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 8°C · ☀ 25°C · 200 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F/L · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Trastevere · Monti · Prati

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from London to Rome: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from London to Rome, your cost of living will be roughly 27% cheaper. Rome’s cost-of-living index is 100 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 Rome?

Rome is about 27% cheaper than London overall — its cost-of-living index is 100 versus 138 for London.

Which is more expensive, London or Rome?

London is more expensive than Rome. Its cost-of-living index is 138 vs 100 (US = 100) — about 38% higher.

Is rent cheaper in London or Rome?

Rent is cheaper in Rome — about $1,200/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,600 in London.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in London is worth about $54,655 in Rome. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, London or Rome?

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.