Milan Cost of Living: Overview
What it costs to live and work remotely from Milan, broken down by category.
Milan is a genuinely different bet than Rome — a business and fashion capital rather than a historic-center tourist draw, with a faster pace and a real professional networking scene that Rome's more tourism-oriented economy doesn't offer in the same way. Cost of living generally runs higher than Rome for comparable housing, reflecting Milan's status as Italy's financial and business hub.
- 1BR apartment, city area — €1,500-2,200/month in the historic center (Duomo, Brera, San Babila); outer districts run €1,000-1,500, and peripheral towns like Vimercate or Bollate can drop under €900 — Milan is confirmed as Italy's most expensive city
- Coworking, monthly — €180-450/month depending on desk type, with day passes around €15-30
- Local SIM/data — €10-20 for a 70-150 GB prepaid bundle, with a one-time SIM activation fee of €5-15
- Eating out, per meal — genuinely pricier than most Italian cities; budget accordingly if comparing against Rome or Porto elsewhere on this site
Run your own numbers
Every figure above is a starting estimate. Plug in your real budget with the Cost Calculator.
Open the Cost CalculatorThis is informational, not advice. Visa, tax, and immigration rules change, and a general guide can't account for your specific situation. Before you act on anything here, confirm current details with the relevant embassy, consulate, or a licensed immigration or tax professional. See our editorial policy for how we verify what we publish.