What is the cost of living in Florence (2023-2024)

Bas Teunissen

Updated on Apr 23 • 4 minute read

You’ve done your research, and you’re pretty confident that Florence might just be your new home in Italy! There’s just one more question you need to answer for yourself: What’s the cost of living in Florence?

We’ve done the digging to give you a picture of how much you can expect to spend on everyday expenses in what some call the most beautiful city in the world, Firenze.

We’ve broken down our findings into 4 main categories:

  • Average rental prices
  • Daily Groceries
  • Entertainment, leisure and culture
  • Public transport

What are the average cost of living in Florence?

Let's breakdown the average cost of living for one person in Florence, excluding rent.

Monthly costsAverage price
Groceries€ 200
Lunch out (2x per week)€ 30
Going out to eat (2x per month)€ 110
Going out for a beer or 2 (4x a month)€ 40
Public Transport pass€35

All this, including some monthly expenses I’ve not mentioned here (clothing, taxes, etc.) mean that you’ll have to factor in a cost of living of around €900 on top of your housing expenses. Let’s dive into a more granular breakdown below!

Average rental prices in Florence

Florence relies heavily on tourism, which means the corona crisis heavily impacted the city. As a result, rental prices have gone down, making the city slightly more affordable to rent. The HousingAnywhere Rent Index shows that this trend is visible across all of the most common rental categories of rooms, studios and apartments.

When you explore rental homes in Florence these are the average rental prices you can expect:

Type of accommodationAverage rental price in Florence
Rooms€ 600
Studios€ 1,050
Apartments€ 1,600

Your rent is probably going to be the most significant expense you face every month. So, depending on your lifestyle and where you’re from, Florence will probably be a bit more affordable. Of course, prices will vary depending on which neighborhood you're living in. If you compare it to apartment prices in popular cities considered expensive, such as Rome or Milan, the rental price is quite affordable!

Do keep in mind that you also need to measure these prices against job offers you might get or the average salary in the area to get an accurate picture of what the best place to live is for you.

Groceries in Florence

Overall, the price for groceries in Florence is relatively high. That said, prices are still slightly lower than what you’d find in Rome (-2%) and more affordable than in Milan (-6.5%). Expect to pay €200-€250 monthly for your grocery. Here’s an idea of what to expect in a Florence supermarket.

DrinksAverage price in Florence
Milk (1L)€ 1.57
Water (1.5L)€ 0.55
Wine (1 bottle, medium quality)€ 7.00
Imported beer (0.33L)€ 2.25
Local beer (0.5L)€ 1.29
Coca Cola (0.33L)€ 2.84

As you'll see next, dairy, eggs and chicken breast being especially pricey compared to other countries.

FoodAverage price in Florence
Rice€ 3.25
Bread (1 loaf)€ 2.35
Chicken breast (1 KG)€ 11.24
Eggs (12x, regular)€ 3.92
Cheese (500g)€ 7
Beef rounds (1KG)€ 16.30
Tomatoes (1 KG)€ 3.21
Potatoes(1 KG)€ 1.65
Lettuce (1x)€ 1.32
Onions (1 KG)€ 1.64
Oranges (1 KG)€ 2.56
Bananas (1 KG)€ 2.03

Entertainment, leisure and culture

There’s not much that beats the pop of a bottle of wine or the fizzle of a freshly poured draft beer on a summer night in Florence. Florence is a city whose beauty has been described by many authors, poets … and travel bloggers. That’s precisely why going out for something to eat or drink in Florence can be more expensive than in other cities: tourism.

So, if you’re not always willing to pay the ‘tourist tax’ on a night out, make sure you go to the places where the locals hang out and make some friends at some of the more lovely places. In time, you’ll be met with broad smiles and the local’s prices! I don’t know about you, but I can already taste the bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine steak) I’m going to order tonight.

Going out to eatAverage price in Florence
Going out for lunch - inexpensive restaurant€ 15 p.p
Three course dinner for 2 - Italian restaurant in the tourist area€ 82
A basic meal out for 2 - Local’s place€ 50
Beer (0.5L)€ 5
1 Cocktail€ 9
Cappuccino€ 1.63
Entertainment & cultureAverage price in Florence
2 tickets to the movies€ 17.00
2 tickets to the Theatre (good seats)€ 112
Access to museums and attractions p.p.€ 8-15

Cost of getting around in Florence

Florence is a flourishing tourist city. That means you’ll have access to an extensive and affordable public transport network known as the ATAF system.

The city’s busses are equipped with AC and are wheelchair accessible. Things do get crowded during rush hours, though. Taxis are also very affordable, so long as you confirm the price with the driver beforehand. Please note that it's customary to book a cab in advance, rather than simply waving one down by the road.

Public transport in FlorenceAverage price in Florence
One-way ticket (valid for 90 minutes)€ 1.70
Regular Monthly pass (per month)€ 35
Taxi Starting fare€ 4
Taxi far per KM€ 1
Petrol (1L)€ 1.85

There it is! An overview of some of the most common expenses you’ll run into when you start your new life in Florence.

Please reach out to content@housinganywhere.com if you have any suggestions or inquiries about the content on this page.

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