Every day My Sardinian Life receives blog hits from people around the world searching for the cost of living in Sardinia, Italy.
Yesterday afternoon I did a little shopping and thought it would be fun to post my shopping receipts to help those people who are continually searching for the cost of things in Sardinia.
Cost of Living 2012 | Sardinia, Italy
Here’s a quick run down of items purchased.
Receipt 1.
2 rolls of paper towels – .99¢
Juice – €1,19
Breakfast croissant x 6 – €1,99
Head of radicchio lettuce – .68¢
TOTAL = €4,85
Receipt 2.
Dishing washing sponge x 3 – €1,15
1.5 Liter Lemon Ice Tea – .78¢
Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Sardinia – €4,45
Reparto 5 – 4 Apples – €1,45
3x Mozzarella – €1,89
Reparto 5 – Ice cream .28¢ (The price of the ice cream was €2,88. Seems she forgot to add the last eight. Generally this happens the other way around, they add extra items to the bill when you are not looking. It’s happened to me a billion times. Watch what they are passing through and watch the screen).
Reparto 5 – Chocolate chip cookies – €1,89
Reparto 5 – 5 Bananas – €2,12
TOTAL = €14,01
Grand total = €18,86 or $24.13 Canadian dollars
On average, we spend €100 a week in groceries for two people.
A liter of gas in Sardinia costs = €1,85 or $2.36 Canadian dollars (this I know because I can see the gas prices from my living room window).
Internet - we pay €19,00 a month for 470MB of internet time a day! A rip-off if you ask me. We used to pay the same amount but with 10 HOURS of internet a day!
Cell Phone – we use pay as you go. €15 will last us a month. But we aren’t big telephone chatterers.
Electric bill - arrives every other month and we generally pay more in the winter months than summer months. In the winter the average bill is €60,00 and in the summer half that.
Water bill - hasn’t come in over four years! You read that right, four years! We are not the only one who has this problem with Italy’s water billing. Our neighbours received theirs after five years and had to pay €600!!
Eating Out – Two pizza’s in the local pizza joint start at €5,00 - €12,00. Then you have your cover charge or coperto which is €2,50 per person (every restaurant has this cover charge, consider it your tip to the restaurant). One liter of wine €8,00. Dessert €4,00 - €10,00. Bottled water €2,00. Coffee €2,00. Mirto, Sambuca or Limoncello €4,00. A grand total for two people: €47,00!
How does the cost of living in Sardinia compare to where you live?
The prices aren’t that different than here in the in the San Francisco Bay Area (California), though the bananas and apples are a little over the top price wise.
The bananas and apples are imported to I imagine the price hike for those. I usually try to buy only local produce but there are no banana trees in Sardinia and the apple trees are just beginning to bud.
GREAT idea for a post! Sounds a lot less expensive than here in the US–at least for food. What about the cost of housing?
Hugs,
Kathy
To buy or rent a house? Plus all the bills that go with it?
Just wondering how much it costs on average to rent a 3 bedroom house in Sardinia, we have been trying to find estate agents online without much success.. any advice would be welcomed, I’m looking at aquaculture as thats my field but I’m also a PADI dive instructor and my wife is a TEFL teacher 3 kiddies and looking at a warmer life in every aspect! Thanks
Joe
Ciao Joe,
It really depends on the area you are looking into and the time of year. All prices on rentals skyrocket in July & August. You can look for spend anywhere from 300-600 Euro a month for rent.
Do you have an idea whereabouts on the island you will settle? Are you planning on moving here forever or just a few months?
Ciao Jennifer, we’ve been looking at Alghero, Oristano, Bosa and the like, we really need long term as this is a permanent move, we lived in Menorca for awhile but the options for aquaculture are non existent as it’s a bio reserve, we’re pretty flexible really, just so much to find out primary schools, health etc! thanks for coming back to me so quickly.
Great blog by the way, love this section on costs of living, as you can’t live on thin air and beautiful scenery!
Regards
Joe
My pleasure, Joe. If you need anything else just let me know, I’d be more than happy to help out!
Kathy,
I just did a little update to the post. I added in cellphone, internet and other household bills that I could think of.
I’ve come back. Thanks for the addition. Italy is actually one of the places I would love to live. I know there are parts of the country where housing is quite affordable. Ultimately, I’m thinking of an affordable place I could go and spend a year (at least) writing. Don’t know if or when that might ever happen.
Hugs,
Kathy
Good post, definitely more expensive in London but I may price it out to see how it compares.
I should have waited to write the post when I did a better shopping day. Maybe Ill do another one when we have to pick up all the household goods.
The cost of living here in Sri Lanka is blowing out like mad since the IMF insisted the Rupee be allowed to float. Since almost everything except food is imported, you can imagine! I’ve been wanting to do a comparison – seems now’s the time!
That would be great to read how prices compare in Sri Lanka, give it a go!
It’s on my “to do” list!
great post! hope you don’t mind if I use your idea on my blog too … then we can compare prices! I like the idea of not having had a bill for 4 years … but I am sure it will catch up at some point?!
Your internet seems very expensive – we pay the same for unlimited broadband with free evening/weekend telephone calls …but your electric is SO much cheaper than ours … we have had three price hikes in the last 6 months – we now average between 80 – 100 Euros a month!
Our internet IS expensive. It was ok-ish when we had 10hrs a day, but they changed their plans. It’s all about the rich taking from the poor here. Our electric is so cheap because I’m very careful with what we use. Lights only come on if necessary, the oven only gets used in the winter as it helps heat the house. Yours is very expensive! yikes!
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yes I know! but our gas and water are much cheaper – about 35 Euros each per month …
here’s my post with receipts – we’re quite similar in prices for a lot of items I think?
http://algarveblog.net/2012/06/02/the-cost-of-shopping/
We are with the exception of the 6 eggs!
This is fascinating – what a great idea for a post! I might take a page from ferragudofan and do the same for here in Rapallo. One thing that’s not on your list is all the taxes – auto, refuse, the new IMU and IVIE – yikes. I never have gotten questions about cost of living for Rapallo; I think we’re a bit more expensive than you are, it’s certainly more expensive here than in the entroterra. We get our water bill pretty regularly now (2 x year) but it’s frequently estimated. Once we had a perdita and never knew it for a year and a half until we got a water bill for 2,600. We fought and fought with them, and they finally reduced it by 500 because they had sent us an estimated bill AFTER they had made a reading. But still, a 2,100 bill was a most unpleasant surprise, especially since it’s usually about 30. Now I take a photo of the meter every month and keep track so I’ll know if there’s another perdita. I just loved the idea for this post… good fun.
Oh yes, please write a post about the cost of living in Rapallo, I’d be very interested in reading it. I did leave out all the unpleasant Italian taxes as my husband takes care of all that. And I don’t drive a car for car insurance I have no idea what he pays … a little ignorant I am on these.
Oops! 
That’s a crazy water bill and I’m shocked that they reduced it for you. My husband has been fighting for months with his insurance (car) about an irregular price they charged him, they don’t budge on it!!
That is crazy about the water bill! Here in Shanghai some things are the same or cheaper than home which I found a ‘good deal’. But everything is a matter of perspective… my co-teacher explained for me it is cheap, but I am on a western salary not a local one. (they can make 1000-5000 RMB a month – $150-750) Things have really jumped in price here over the last 2 years. 1000 RMB ($150) used to last us 7-10 days and that was for eating out (cheaper than cooking at home and so many buy one get one deals on different nights) and groceries. Now we are lucky if that lasts us 4-5 days. Getting tailor made clothes is still cheap though
It is the utilities, groceries and daily living that has jumped. A new tax is coming for us expats soon too, but supposedly we can claim it back if we leave.
Cheaper than Norway. We have only one price range here: ridiculously expensive…
Pretty much the same here in Piemonte (north of Italy)…only my water bill gets here on time
and my electric bill is soooooo much more 
. I know in the Netherlands the costs are highr!
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Hey Jennifer, After reading your shopping post then Algarve’s I thought I should do one too
Here is my grocery shopping this week in Shanghai.
http://canadiantravelbugs.wordpress.com/2012/06/10/cost-of-shanghai-june-2012/
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Just found this post, All euros I pay 1.87 for petrol, the next important item as far as I am concerned is wine and I pay 3.50 a litre but boy is it good. Gas for the house is a nightmare, when we first moved to Italy we rented a small house that had one bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and lounge area. The gas bill for December & January was 972.00 euros!!! with 8 days to pay or risk a penalty.
We installed a small wood burning cooker in the lounge to heat downstairs and to reduce the bills for the following months.
That’s an insane gas bill! Did they make a mistake? Seems so. I agree with you that wine is one of the most important items in the weekly shopping. I buy 2 liters of the local stuff and it costs 5 euro.
No not at all, I checked the readings, we even asked our landlady who was an accountant check it.
The house we live in now has 3 large bedrooms and in the winter we close 2 of them down. Plus we now don’t have gas from the mains it is one of those huge white tanks. But even being careful we budget for 300-400 a month for the coldest months. Last year it reached minus 23°C
Everything is very pricey here in Hawaii. On our island, Oahu, to rent a one-bedroom apartment costs roughly US$1,500/month. My friend paid $2,400/month for her ordinary 2-bedroom apartment. And to buy a one- or two-bedroom apt runs $275,000 – $500,000 or more, if it’s upscale. You can find rents for less, but I’m not sure you would want to live there. Our electricity is $100/month and we are very frugal with electric usage. That’s with no heating (of course) and no air conditioning, and I rarely use the oven.
Wow, that’s some serious high prices for rent. But I imagine the view is beautiful!
If only that were so, Jennifer. Most are city views where you can see other hi-rise and low-rise buildings. The ones with ocean views cost much, much more. The higher you go, the more it costs. I’m on the 4th floor, and my view is mostly buildings. In Honolulu, they paved Paradise
Luckily, the ocean and mountains are never far away and we can escape the city from time to time.
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Soooo interesting.
I live in Tasmania, Australia.
We are doing a really tight comparative look at cost of living in UK and Italy with Tasmania. We are considering relocating (my husband is UK citizen and I am italian citizen by my father’s birth). When we relocate we will bring the same income as we have a business that exists on the net so we do not have to consider an italian/uk income. We are a family of 4 (to small children).
Here are some thoughts for you (this comparison is BLOWING MY MIND!! ~ I cannot believe our cost of living!!):
HOUSING
3 bedroom older style house on large plot of land, 20 minutes walk to town centre with population of 70 thousand in the region, one hour fight to closest urban centre
to buy: 300k AU / 241k EURO with monthly payments of 1,128 EURO
to rent same house: 1, 200 AU / 967 EURO
average house cost in Tasmania is 350k AU / 282k EURO
annual home owner tax 1500 AU / 1209 EURO
annual home and car insurance 1200 AU / 967 EURO
CAR
annual insurance 600 AU / 483 EURO
monthly petrol 200 AU / 161 EURO
car registration 600 AU / 483 EURO
UTILITIES
annual electricity bill 4000 AU / 3225 EURO
annual water bill 1000 AU / 806 EURO
TELECOMMUNICATION
monthly telephone 150 AU / 120 EURO
monthly mobile phone 70 AU / 55 EURO
monthly internet 70 AU / 55 EURO
monthly telecommunication total 290 AU / 233 EURO
CHILDREN
Childcare (12 hours p/week) and school fees (inexpensive catholic school)
monthly 1300 AU / 1048 EURO
FOOD
we watch our spending on food, locally produced food is excellent but very expensive, we eat well but we watch spending
monthly 1300 AU / 1050 EURO (which includes dining out at very low standard, and rarely, totalling 200 AU)
GENERAL CONTEXT
We spend next to nothing on leisure
We don’t drink
We rarely buy new clothes
We don’t go on annual holidays
MISC
A chicken costs (starting and getting higher) 11 AU / 9 EURO
A fresh juice costs (a cup) in a cafe 7 AU / 5.5 EURO
A 10-5 minute airport taxi ride costs 40 AU / 32 EURO
A very average quality coffee 4.50 AU / 3.60 EURO
A (1) chocolate croissant (small) at a market 6.00 AU / 4.80 EURO
If anyone is interested in offering me an italian comparison, based on the above list of mind boggling, kind of boring, but really interesting details for Bologna, Genova, Firenze or an even more detailed Sardegna version ?? That would be brilliant!
(I’m on the hunt for a dream relocation!!)
: )
Thank you for the great comparison! It’s rather expensive to live there – wow 4.80 Euro for one croissant! Wow. Good luck in finding your dream location.
thanks!!
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The price of the ice cream was €2,88. Seems she forgot to add the last eight. Generally this happens the other way around, they add extra items to the bill when you are not looking. It’s happened to me a billion times. Watch what they are passing through and watch the screen).
HEY, jENNIFER aVVENTURA….io ci sono nata e ci ho vissuto in Sardegna, e te lo protrebbe confermare qualsiasi sardo che accidentalmente e solo in questo caso…abbia letto il tuo blog. Non penso proprio che ti sia successo così tante volte e poi pensi che il paese da dove provieni sia lindo di colpe? Se vuoi veramente far apprezzare un paese che non sia il tuo è di regola parlare delle sue virtù piuttosto che delle negatività. Rispetta e non dare consigli come se il resto del mondo non lo meriti ( a parte il tuo paese). Io sono sarda e me ne vanto e il mio consiglio è questo: sappiate cogliere con grande sensibilità tutto ciò che un paese straniero ha da offrire, non sottovalutate nulla perchè anche l’angolo più sperduto e povero potrebbe farvi sognare e riscoprire ciò che avete perso.
Barbara Pitzalis
Hi Barbara,
Thank you for your kind comment. Do not underestimate me nor my country of origins. If this is the only negative you have taken out of my blog then so be it – in the truth of the matter, being overcharged for something has happened to me – several times, one too many times.
Do you watch everything that is scanned though when you go to the supermarket?
I have written countless posts on how spellbinding your island is and I have nothing against the people or corporations within the town I live in, in Sardinia. I have written many times about the lovely virtues Sardinia has to offer – and within this one post you find negativity because I spoke the truth?
You speak of guilt – who is to blame when you are obviously overcharged for something, or something has been scanned TWICE? Who is the guilty person then? Should we as humankind just shut our mouths and allow this theft? I think not.
I have never once compared Canada to Sardinia – in this case you can’t; it’s like comparing apples to oranges or circles to boxes, it doesn’t work.
You are correct with one statement – do not underestimate anything. Even the people that scan your groceries – in Canada, England, Australia and even Sardinia, Italy. There are con-artists everywhere.
Kind regards
Jennifer Avventura
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Thank you for the link!
Hello Jennifer,
Complements on site, Well done!
We are planning a trip over in the spring to see Sardinia for a few weeks to see where we might relocate. We will alway run our American business for income but would like to live in a beautiful place , take in another culture, and with much less population than here in New Jersey. Sardinia seems to be that place.
Can you tell me the home property tax per year on a $250,000.00- 350,000.00 US. In New jersrey its $10,000.00
Also what type of water do they have? ( City,or well ) and is there low water pressure?
Thanks,
Carl
Ciao Carl,
I am the wrong person to be asking about home property tax per year. I’m sure it’s expensive. Water is run by each town and the pressure is decent. They do turn off the water once in awhile without notice – sometimes for days, so stock up on well water which you can find around town. Do you speak Italian? And thank you for liking my site, all the best!
Jennifer
Jennifer – thanks for the quick reply. I do not speak Italian yet, but plan on learning. I’m sure living there will help speed that up… Another question for you – does Sardinia have a windy side as the Caribbean does, or do the mountains and the nearby mainlands block it? Ciao – Carl
Very windy! Maestrale!