You’re focused on the big questions while planning your next vacation: Where you will stay? What you will see? Where you will eat?  One thing that might not be on your mind is how far your money will be going throughout your vacation. Here’s an idea of the different in cost of living in Rome versus New York City.

So of course that includes the basics:

Bottle of Chianti Classico
Del Posto in New York City – $120
Aroma in Rome – €95 ($103)

In Rome this bottle of wine is traveling just south from neighboring Tuscany rather than having to be shipped across the Atlantic.

Baguette
Levain Bakery on the upper East side of New York City – $3
Roman bakery €1.35 ($1.23)

Ice cream
Coldstone Creamery (small) – $4.00
Artisanal gelateria (large) -€4.00 ($4.37)

Not only can you get more for less, but you’ll be tasting gelato miexd up just that morning.  You’ll get 3 or 4 different flavors and panna, or whipped cream, on top. Only the freshest ingredients are used so the flavors tend to change with the seasons which means you’ll always have a new flavor to try the next time you visit.

Beer

St. Jame’s Gate in New York City. – $7.00
Scholars Lounge in Rome -€4.50 ($4.92)

There’s a clear difference in the price of a Guinness at these Irish pubs. Added bonus to Scholars Lounge is it’s central location near Piazza Venezia.

That nice romantic dinner for two…
At Del Post in New York City – $418
Aroma in Rome – €373 ($407.84)

These are both Michelin star holding resturats, but the quality of an Italian meal in the United States is hard to compare to a meal in Italy itself. You are sure to avoid the “Americanization” of classic Italian recipes.  Plus, dinner at Aroma comes with a view– the Colosseum!

Visiting top attractions
Disney – $181
Admiring 2,000 years of history – free

You can spend about $200 to navigate crowds, wait in lines, and ride a few rollercoasters, or you can go for a stroll down Via Fori dei Imperiali and see Trajan’s Market, the Roman forum, Colosseum, and more. No price tag and no lines, plus great photo ops and historic architecture.

And transportation for getting there
One way bus or subway ticket. For a more comprehensive guide for getting around Rome refer to our Public Transport Guide.

New York City – $2.75
Rome -€1.50 ($1.64)

In Italy your money often goes further in quantity, but certainly in quality. To drink Tucan wine while admiring the Colosseum, eat gelato while sitting on the Spanish Steps, and take in the beautiful remains of the Roman Empire while on an evening stroll makes for an experience that could never be matched in the United States. That just might be a little something to take into consideration when planning your summer vacation.