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Milan Costs 5.6 Times More to Buy than Catanzaro

By Markets Desk · 2026-09-15 · 2 min read
A split view of a Mediterranean coastal city with white buildings on one side and a northern alpine town with wooden chalets on the other, separated by a vertical line.
Illustration: Tradingbird

An 80m² flat in Milan costs €454,480, while the same size in Catanzaro is €80,480. The north-south economic divide in Italy remains significant.

An 80m² flat in Milan costs €454,480. In Catanzaro, the same property size costs €80,480. This represents a 5.6-fold difference in purchase price. Rental costs show a similar gap. Milan rents average €1,784 per month for the same unit. Catanzaro rents average €560 per month.

Daily living expenses follow this pattern. A standard basket of goods costs €693 in Milan. In Naples, the same basket costs €402. The southern city is 42% cheaper for routine spending. These figures come from Codacons’ annual survey and GN auto markets/housing: housing prices data. The data reflects June 2026 price observations.

Service costs show the widest regional gaps

Services drive the largest price differences. Milan’s services basket totals €491. Naples’ services basket totals €262. Palermo’s services basket totals €292. A dental filling costs €71 in Palermo. The same procedure costs €176 in Aosta. A car wash costs €8.50 in Ancona. It costs €21 in Bolzano.

Personal care prices vary sharply. A woman’s haircut exceeds €33 in Trieste. Dog grooming costs €24 in Bari. It costs nearly €50 in Aosta. Pet owners face different veterinary costs. A vaccination costs €29.50 in Naples. It costs €63 in Milan.

Food prices favor southern cities

Naples has the lowest food costs. The food component is €140. Milan, Bolzano, and Florence exceed €200 for the same items. Fresh bread costs €7.16 per kilogram in Bolzano. This is the highest price in the study. Prosciutto crudo costs €41.20 per kilogram in Florence. Courgettes cost €2.98 per kilogram in Trieste.

Entertainment and dining out also differ. Pizza ranges from €10.35 in Catanzaro to €15 in Bolzano. Cinema tickets cost €7.30 in Bari. They cost €11.50 in Bologna. These variations affect monthly household budgets significantly.

Property values define the affordability divide

Milan records the highest sale price per square metre at €5,681. Florence follows at €4,793. Bolzano records €4,907. Naples is lower at €3,072. Catanzaro is the lowest at €1,006. These figures determine the total cost of ownership. Higher purchase prices correlate with higher rental rates.

Rental markets reflect purchase price tiers. Milan rents at €22.30 per square metre. Florence rents at €21.70. Catanzaro rents at €7.00. Palermo rents at €9.50. The cost of living in the north remains substantially higher than in the south. This disparity influences migration and economic activity.

Based on reporting by Idealista, compiled by the Tradingbird desk.

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