How much do you need to earn to live in Rome? We calculate the gross monthly salary required to cover rent, food, transport, and utilities — accounting for Italy's tax system.
You need at least €1,904/month gross to live in Rome on a budget.
For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for €2,950/month gross (€2,083 net after ~29% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | €820 Cheapest neighborhood (Tor Bella Monaca) | €1,300 Median neighborhood | €1,800 Premium neighborhood (Flaminio) |
| Groceries | €320 | €384 | €480 |
| Transport | €35 | €35 | €35 |
| Utilities | €148 | €148 | €148 |
| Dining & Entertainment | €180 | €216 | €270 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | €1,503 | €2,083 | €2,733 |
€1,904/month gross
€2,950/month gross
€4,278/month gross
1-bedroom second-hand rents across 12 neighborhoods in Rome
Tor Bella Monaca
40 min by metro
€820 - €950
San Lorenzo
20 min by bus
€900 - €1,100
Esquilino
15 min by metro
€1,000 - €1,200
Flaminio
10 min by metro
€1,700 - €1,900
Monti
10 min by walk
€1,600 - €1,800
Coppedè
18 min by metro
€1,500 - €1,700
See all 12 neighborhoods, detailed expense breakdowns, and savings projections.
Explore RomeEnter your actual salary to see your take-home pay, affordable neighborhoods, and savings potential.
Open calculatorWe total monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then reverse-calculate the gross salary needed to cover those expenses after Italy's income tax and social contributions. Rent data comes from second-hand market listings (what expats actually pay). All figures are based on 2026 data from official government statistics. See our data sources for full attribution.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least €1,904/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Rome. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for €2,950/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for Italy.
The average 1-bedroom rent across 12 neighborhoods in Rome is approximately €1,342/month. Rents range from €820 in Tor Bella Monaca to €1,900 in Flaminio.
Monthly groceries for a single person in Rome cost approximately €320. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in Italy are progressive. At the budget salary level of €1,904/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 21%. At the comfortable level of €2,950/month, it rises to approximately 29%. This includes income tax and social contributions.