London vs Rome

On balanced weights, Rome comes out ahead: 57 against 51 out of 100, mostly on sunshine and nice days. Your own weights, salary and household can change the answer; every figure below names its source.

Make it yours: compare London and Rome with your own numbers

The verdict on default settings

London51/10083% of the weight rests on real data for this city
Rome57/10083% of the weight rests on real data for this city

The lines that move the score most: money left each month (London, +3.4 points); sunshine (Rome, +2.8 points); nice days (Rome, +2.5 points).

Balanced weights are the app's starting point, not a judgement: weights are set by you. Where a city lacks a figure, it gets the average score of the two on that line, so missing data neither helps nor hurts.

Line by line

LineLondonRome
Money left each monthAfter tax, rent and everyday spending, what do you keep?€3,950 take-home a month€3,064 take-home a month
Cost of livingWhat does a month cost you there, rent included?€3,877 a monthPrice Index of Private Rents; World Development IndicatorsAdd your rentWorld Development Indicators (country)
Nice daysHow many days a year are dry, mostly clear and feel the way you like?22 nice days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)70 nice days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)
Winter daylightHow long is the shortest day of the year?7 h 49 min9 h 07 min
SunshineHow many hours of sunshine in a year?1,675 h a yearWMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991-20202,568 h a yearWMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991-2020
Dry daysHow many days a year does it rain?131 wet days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)106 wet days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)
Clean airHow much fine dust (PM2.5) is in the air over a year?11.2 µg/m³WHO Ambient Air Quality Database v8.0 (2026)11.8 µg/m³WHO Ambient Air Quality Database v8.0 (2026)
SafetyHow rare is violent death (homicides per 100,000 people a year)?1.1 homicides per 100kWorld Development Indicators (country)0.6 homicides per 100kWorld Development Indicators (country)
Long, healthy livesHow long do people live there?81.4 yearsWorld Development Indicators (country)84.0 yearsWorld Development Indicators (country)
Health costsWhat does your household pay for health care itself each month?€64 a monthWorld Development Indicators (country)€56 a monthWorld Development Indicators (country)
Childcare costsWhat does full-time childcare cost you each month, after public support?no child of childcare ageno child of childcare age
Paid leave for parentsHow many weeks of fully paid leave do a mother and a father get between them?12 weeks (mother 12, father 0)OECD Family Database: parental leave systems (PF2.1) (country)38 weeks (mother 32, father 6)OECD Family Database: parental leave systems (PF2.1) (country)
HappinessHow do people there rate their own lives, 0 to 10?7.45 of 10OECD Well-being Database (How's Life?) (country)7.10 of 10OECD Well-being Database (How's Life?) (country)
Research outputHow much research and invention happens around you, per resident?50 of 100OpenAlex institutions60 of 100OpenAlex institutions
Time difference from homeHow many hours apart are the clocks there and at home?set your home cityset your home city
Flight homeHow long is a nonstop flight home?set your home cityset your home city
Airport nearbyHow far is the nearest major airport?24 kmOurAirports airports12 kmOurAirports airports
Public transportWhat share of commuters take the bus, tram, metro or train?53 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities28 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities
Rail and metro stationsHow many train and metro stations are within 10 km of the centre?300 stationsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API97 stationsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API
Short commutesHow long does the average journey to work take?no data45 minutesUrban Audit: cities and greater cities
Cycle networkHow many km of cycle paths and separated cycle tracks are there per km² of land around the centre?1.53 km per km²OpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling0.69 km per km²OpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling
Everyday needs on footFrom what share of streets are a food shop, a pharmacy, a school, a park and a stop all within about 15 minutes' walk?100 % of streetsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling100 % of streetsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling
Walking and cycling to workWhat share of commuters walk or cycle to work?13.6 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities7.5 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities
Quick way out by bikeHow far does a cyclist ride from the centre before the dense city ends?15.5 km, about 62 min by bikeGHS Urban Centre Database 2025 (R2024A), general characteristics7.0 km, about 28 min by bikeGHS Urban Centre Database 2025 (R2024A), general characteristics
Near the seaHow far is the sea?36 kmNatural Earth (coastline, land, countries and populated places)25 kmNatural Earth (coastline, land, countries and populated places)
Near the mountainsHow far are the mountains (ground 1,000 m above the city)?300 kmTerrain Tiles (Terrarium) on AWS Open Data30 kmTerrain Tiles (Terrarium) on AWS Open Data
Green spaceHow much of the land around the centre is park, wood or other green space?14.3 % of landOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API27.3 % of landOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API
Fast internetHow fast are typical internet connections?47 Mbit/sM-Lab NDT statistics (daily city aggregates)31 Mbit/sM-Lab NDT statistics (daily city aggregates)
English spokenWhat share of people speak English?98 % speak EnglishCLDR territory information (country)34 % speak EnglishCLDR territory information (country)
International crowdWhat share of residents were born abroad?36.7 % born abroadUrban Audit: cities and greater cities14.7 % born abroadUrban Audit: cities and greater cities
DoctorsHow many doctors are there per 1,000 people?3.3 per 1,000World Development Indicators (country)4.2 per 1,000World Development Indicators (country)
JobsWhat share of people who want work cannot find it?4.7 % unemployedWorld Development Indicators (country)6.4 % unemployedWorld Development Indicators (country)
Graduates aroundWhat share of adults hold a degree or another qualification above school level?57.2 % of adultsUrban Audit: cities and greater cities30.7 % of adultsUrban Audit: cities and greater cities
Developers aroundHow many people per 1,000 residents name the city as their location on GitHub?17.2 per 1,000GitHub user search5.3 per 1,000GitHub user search
Clean governmentHow well is corruption kept out of public life?1.53 of 2.5Worldwide Governance Indicators (country)0.58 of 2.5Worldwide Governance Indicators (country)
Politics, left to rightHow close is the way the place votes to where you stand, from left to right?centre, 5.6 of 10; say where you standPolitical position from election results (country)no data
Abortion lawHow close is the law on ending a pregnancy to the one you want?also on social or economic grounds; say where you standAbortion in law, from the statutes cited (country)on request, 10 weeks or later; say where you standAbortion in law, from the statutes cited (country)
Same-sex couples in lawHow close is the law on same-sex couples to the one you want?marriage; say where you standSame-sex couples in law, from the statutes cited (country)civil union or partnership; say where you standSame-sex couples in law, from the statutes cited (country)
Founders Running ClubIs there a Founders Running Club chapter?a chapterFounders Running Club communitiesno chapterFounders Running Club communities
Coworking spacesHow many coworking spaces are within 10 km of the centre?144 spacesOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API17 spacesOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API
Climbing gymsHow many climbing gyms are within 10 km of the centre?30 gymsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API6 gymsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API
Swimming poolsHow many public pools are within 10 km of the centre?57 poolsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API25 poolsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API
Beach daysHow many days a year are hot, sunny and dry enough for the beach or a pool?8 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)46 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)
Run or ride daysOn how many days is there a dry, calm, cool-to-mild window for a run or a ride?285 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)269 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)
Few muggy daysHow many days a year is the air sticky with humidity?0 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)35 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)
Few grey daysHow many days a year is the sky overcast through the day?169 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)78 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)
Cool nights for sleepingHow many nights a year stay above 20 °C?0 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)59 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)
Few heat-stress daysHow many days a year feel 32 °C or hotter?2 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)74 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)
Few snow daysHow many days a year bring fresh snow?2 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)0 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)
Few windy daysHow many days a year are windy through the day?12 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)0 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis)

Who may move where depends on your passports: see each city's page, or add your household in the app.

Money on €60,000 a year

A monthLondonRome
Take-home pay€3,950€3,064
Rent and everyday spending€3,877not known
Left each month€73not known

Assumed: one person, €60,000 gross a year, renting a one-bedroom home, and everyday spending of €1,200 a month in Lisbon scaled by each country's price level. These are the app's defaults; change any of them there.

Climate month by month

MonthLondonRome
Jan2 to 7 °C5 to 13 °C
Feb3 to 10 °C5 to 15 °C
Mar4 to 12 °C7 to 17 °C
Apr5 to 14 °C9 to 19 °C
May9 to 18 °C13 to 24 °C
Jun12 to 22 °C19 to 31 °C
Jul14 to 23 °C22 to 34 °C
Aug14 to 23 °C21 to 33 °C
Sep12 to 20 °C18 to 28 °C
Oct10 to 16 °C14 to 23 °C
Nov6 to 11 °C9 to 18 °C
Dec5 to 9 °C6 to 14 °C

Air temperature in the shade, average daily low to high (Historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis), 2021-2025).

Questions this page answers

Is it cheaper to live in London or Rome?

Everyday prices are lower in Italy: 72.9 against 92.4 on the World Bank price level index (United States = 100, 2025). Open rent data is missing for Rome, so the full monthly cost needs your own rent.

How much do you take home on €60,000 a year in London and in Rome?

About £39,727 a year in London (United Kingdom 2026 tax rules) and €36,772 in Rome (Italy 2026 tax rules), after income tax and employee social contributions.

Which is warmer, London or Rome?

Rome is warmer: average daily highs of the air over the year are 22.4 °C against 15.4 °C in London (Historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis), Open-Meteo, 2021-2025).

Which has cleaner air, London or Rome?

London has cleaner air: an annual PM2.5 mean of 11.2 µg/m³ against 11.8 µg/m³ (WHO Ambient Air Quality Database; WHO guideline 5 µg/m³; 2019 and 2024).

Can a citizen of the United Kingdom live and work in Rome without a visa?

No. Citizens of the United Kingdom need a visa or permit to live and work in Italy; free movement there covers EU and EEA free movement and Swiss-EU free movement citizens.

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Cite this page

Borgo, “London vs Rome”, https://borgo.abcastor.com/compare/london-gb-vs-rome-it/, figures as of 2026-11-05, reference profile. Name the original source of any figure you quote.