Last Updated on January 16, 2024 by Jason Arbour
Italy may be one of the best places to splurge and eat out for nearly every meal. When margarita pizzas are absolutely amazing and come in at only 5 euros for a pizza big enough to share, it’s hard to shop and beat the cheap prices! But, sometimes it’s just nice to buy your own food and have a nice picnic out, or a quiet evening in! So we’ve gathered prices of food in Italian supermarkets from our previous trip, and are giving you an idea of what to expect to pay if you do in fact decide to cook for yourself in Italy.
Remember, if you’re not in the touristy areas, the average costs of meals in Italy are less than 10 USD per person (including a drink).. and even cheaper if you decide to share that massive pizza if on a budget! There are so many great ways to save money, and we’d definitely recommend trying to grocery shop for breakfast and lunch, especially in the more touristy places as grocery stores in Rome or the like will save you tons as compared to going out to eat in Rome!
How To Cook Your Own Meals in Italy + What To Eat When You Can’t Cook Yourself
As we said above, eating out in Italy is actually extremely cheap. At a restaurant in Italy, you can eat out for only 2.5 Euros (roughly 3 USD) per person for most meals. Grabbing a coffee and pastry for breakfast, and having all the pizza and house wine you can manage is surprisingly cheap! However, there are also times to cook a meal on your own or simply grab some food and wine and people-watch in a park!
Now, before you say you’ll be staying in a hotel and not have a place to cook, nowadays there are so many AirBnB’sin cities and in the mountains of Italy that you won’t have too hard a time finding a place to stay with a kitchen! There are even hotels that offer kitchenettes too, making it easier than ever to cook for yourself and lowering your food budget.
Search for hotels here, and find the cheapest time and even days to visit different parts of Italy! We love all the information you can gain using this site for checking out hotels!
If you don’t have a kitchenette in your accommodation, don’t worry, there’s no need to have a hot meal all the time. Cheese and meat, like speck, with bread and wine, is a perfectly acceptable meal to have! Or grabbing pastries for literal pennies from a bakery or store like Lidl and a hot espresso from a cafe is a great breakfast!
Cheapest Grocery Stores in Italy
Italian supermarket selections are going to be different throughout the country, but Italy being a part of Europe means you’ll find some of the chain supermarkets whether you’re visiting Rome or the Dolomites! Some of thecheaper supermarkets in Italyto look for are Lidl, Aldi, and Eurospin, Lidl being more frequently scattered throughout the country.
Coop supermarkets in Italy are also fairly frequently placed, and the Coop will offer more variety of items than both Lidl and Aldi.
Spar is by far one of the most expensive chain supermarkets we’ve come across throughout Europe, but they also tend to be everywhere, so they must be doing something right! If you only shop at Spar though, you’ll think the cost of food in Italy to be outrageous!
True Italian food shoppingcan be done at the grocery stores that aren’t chains and at bakeries too! Keep in mind, while you’ll get more natural Italian food at these sorts of places, food prices are more expensive than the alternative choices! But if you can, supporting the small local stores is always a good thing, even though it’s not always nice on the budget!
Average Cost of Food in Italy at Supermarkets
It’s pretty difficult to say for sure exactly what something’s going to cost in one place over the next. And it’s a pretty big statement to say these are the costs of groceries in Italy. However, it’s also always nice to get an idea of grocery prices in different countries… especially if say you’re coming from the United States and doing a European road trip!
And while we can’t say these prices are the set food prices all across Italy, we can say these were prices we found in one of the most expensive places in Italy, the Italian Dolomites. After spending a month in the Dolomites, we quickly realized that while groceries in northern Italy were certainly cheaper than groceries in Switzerland, they were quite expensive for Italy!
The grocery costs below are from shopping in some very remote places in Italy at a time when a lot of things were actually closed, making pricing even higher than it normally would be.
If you travel to Italy and want to save money by going grocery shopping for food instead of eating out everywhere, use these prices as a reference to how much food costs in Italy, but know these prices may be a little steep compared to the majority of the country.
Actual Cost of Food in Italy
EUROSPIN || Small Grocery Store With Not Too Many Options
Eurospin is a chain grocery store across Europe. It doesn’t have very many options, however, has staples to make a quick and easy meal. We only went into a Eurospin once, and the below items are what we bought.
| Pesto | .99 |
| Speck (thinly sliced meat) | 1.79 |
| Romano cheese | 2.39 |
LIDL || Budget Grocery Store Across All Of Europe || Best Prices For The Cost of Food in Italy
Lidl is a great place to shop, although, not a large supermarket. It has all the basic necessities at value prices! You will find cheap wine here and even a bakery.
Lidl’s bakery produces fresh bread and pastries daily.. making it a great place to grab a quick and cheap breakfast! Lidl is found all over the country, and has the basics you need along with great produce too!
| Honey | 2.99 |
| Leffe (Belgian Beer) | 1.29 |
| Wipies | 1.79 |
| Balsamic vinegar | 1.19 |
| Lemon juice | .39 |
| Coffee | .89 |
| Cheddar cheese | 1.99 |
| Red potatoes | 1.49 |
| Croissant | .39 |
| Ciabatta | .49 |
| Berliner | .49 |
| Freeze-dried meals | .99 |
| Italian Cheetos (cornetti Formaggio) | .69 |
| Basil | .89 |
| Carrots | 1.29/kg |
| Zucchini | 1.49/kg |
| Red bell pepper | 1.69/kg |
| Red bell pepper | 1.49/kg |
| Yellow bell pepper | 1.69/kg |
| Onion | .99/kg |
| Carrot | 1.19/kg |
| Zucchini | 1.29/kg |
| Canned lentils | .35 |
| Spreadable cheese (24) | 2.49 |
| Banana | 1.19/kg |
| Sun-dried tomatoes | .89 |
| Cheddar cheese | 1.99 |
| Basmati rice | 1.65 |
| Pistachio (250g) | 3.69 |
SPAR || Spendy Supermarket Found All Throughout Europe
SPAR is a popular small convenience store all across Europe. They have a mix of randoms and always a large section on beer and wine, however, are typically pretty spendy. Some are super small and have only the bare essentials. We’d suggest avoiding SPAR as it really is much more pricey than other grocery stores in Italy.
| Onion (2) | .70 |
| Carrots (4) | .55 |
| Banana (5) | 1.58 |
| Bread loaf | 1.30 |
| Pringles | 1.59 |
| Mineral water | .39 |
SMALL SHOP IN DOLOMITES || True Italian Food Shopping
We love shopping at small local shops when we can. And while we don’t have the travel budget to purchase everything to fill a pantry with at the local shops, it’s nice to go in and support them.
The cost of food in Italy at small shops is much more expensive, however, you’ll also get a much more unique experience and find a way to connect with the locals
We recommend going into small shops and buying a couple of things in each village you visit, just to boost the economy of the place you’re traveling to!
| Crisps | 1.5 |
| Biscuits | 2.7 |
| Yogurt | 1.25 |
| Mineral water | .45 |
| Sausage (2) | 2.1 |
Recommended Gear For Budget Travel In Italy
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More Travel Tips for Italy + Beyond
READ MORE | Florence Travel Guide – Eating, Site Seeing, and Getting Around
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EXPLORE MORE | Finding the Cheapest Flights, What to Pack, and All things Travel
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*Prices and information from this post are from our travels to Italy in 2018. Please let us know if prices on products in this post have changed!
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I'm an avid traveler with a deep passion for exploring different cultures, and Italy holds a special place in my heart. Having spent extensive time in the country, I can provide valuable insights into the culinary experiences and cost-effective ways to enjoy Italy's delicious cuisine. Now, let's delve into the concepts covered in the article:
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Eating Out in Italy:
- Italy offers affordable dining options, with prices often below 10 USD per person, even in non-touristy areas.
- Restaurants provide a variety of budget-friendly meals, such as margarita pizzas for as low as 5 euros.
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Cooking Your Own Meals:
- Airbnbs and hotels with kitchenettes make it convenient for travelers to cook their own meals.
- Suggested alternatives for a quick and budget-friendly meal include cheese, meat (like speck), bread, and wine, or grabbing pastries from local bakeries.
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Cheapest Grocery Stores in Italy:
- Lidl, Aldi, and Eurospin are mentioned as cost-effective supermarket options.
- Coop supermarkets provide more variety but may be slightly pricier.
- Spar is noted as a more expensive option but widely available.
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Average Cost of Food in Italy (Supermarkets):
- Prices from a trip to the Italian Dolomites are provided as a reference.
- Eurospin, Lidl, and Spar are highlighted with specific items and their respective prices.
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Recommended Gear for Budget Travel:
- The article recommends gear for budget travel in Italy and discloses affiliate links related to recommended products.
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Travel Tips and Additional Information:
- The article includes travel tips for Italy, such as exploring Florence and finding the cheapest flights.
- There's a mention of using Momondo as a preferred search tool for flights.
In summary, the article covers a range of topics from affordable dining options in Italy to cost-effective grocery shopping, with specific price references from different supermarket chains. Additionally, it provides travel tips and recommendations for budget-friendly gear. If you have any specific questions or need more details on a particular aspect, feel free to ask!
