Contents 6
What things cost
| What | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso at the bar | EUR 1.20 — 1.50 | at a table it is 2–4 times more |
| Cappuccino | EUR 1.50 — 2 | Italians do not drink it after 11 am |
| Gelato, small | EUR 3 — 4 | by the main squares, from 5 |
| A slice of pizza al taglio | EUR 3 — 5 | sold by weight, which is normal |
| Pizza in a trattoria | EUR 8 — 12 | drinks extra |
| Lunch for a family of four | EUR 50 — 70 | two blocks off the square it is half the price |
| Bottle of water in a shop | EUR 0.5 — 1 | by the Colosseum the same bottle is EUR 3 |
| Transport ticket | EUR 1.50 | free for children under 10 |
| Colosseum with the Forum | EUR 18 | free under 18, but a ticket is still needed |
| Pantheon | EUR 7 | up from EUR 5 on 1 July 2026, free under 18 |
The tourist tax: count it separately
This is the line that usually misses the budget and then demands cash at reception.
Rome charges a city accommodation levy: EUR 3 to 10 per person per night, depending on the category of accommodation. In apartments, rented flats and B&Bs it is EUR 6. It is charged for a maximum of ten consecutive nights, after which it stops.
Children under ten are exempt. But — and this matters — the exemption does not apply itself: you have to mention it at check-in, and the host must record and keep the details. Say nothing and it will be charged for everyone, babies included.
A family of four with two children under ten, five nights in an apartment: 2 × 6 × 5 = EUR 60 instead of 120. The difference is worth one sentence at check-in.
Three places where everyone overpays
1. Coffee at a table. In Italy the price at the bar and the price at a table legally differ, and the difference is shown on the price list. An espresso at the bar is EUR 1.20–1.50; the same espresso at a table on a square is EUR 5–6. You are paying for the seat, not the coffee.
2. The first café by a monument. The rule works across the centre: walk two or three blocks away from the square and the price halves while the food improves. A menu in six languages with photographs of the dishes is a reliable sign you are in a tourist trap.
3. Water. Rome has more than two thousand drinking fountains — nasoni, cast-iron columns with constantly running water. The water is drinkable and free. A reusable bottle for the family saves more over a week than you would think: half a litre by the Colosseum costs EUR 3.
Tips and coperto
Tipping in Italy is not compulsory. In many regions the bill carries coperto — a charge for the table, cutlery and bread, EUR 1.5–3 per person. But in Rome and the whole of Lazio charging coperto is banned: the regional law No. 22 of 6 November 2019 says so directly. If the line still appears on your bill, you can ask for it to be removed. A service charge (servizio) does exist, but it too must be stated on the menu in advance.
A tip is not compulsory — rounding up is enough. If the service was good, 10% will be a pleasant surprise, but nobody expects it.
Card or cash
Cards work almost everywhere: shops, museums, transport and the metro gates. Keep cash for three things: the tourist tax in apartments, small markets and change in family trattorias where the terminal occasionally “does not work”.
Keep cash in two places rather than one wallet. The reason is mundane: in the crowds by the main squares and on metro line A there are pickpockets, and that is the only real threat to your money in Rome.
A day’s budget for a family of four
Two adults and two children, accommodation excluded:
- Breakfast at a bar (coffee and a cornetto standing) — EUR 10.
- Lunch in a trattoria away from the square — EUR 50.
- Gelato and water — EUR 15.
- Transport, two journeys per adult — EUR 6.
- A simpler dinner, pizza al taglio — EUR 20.
About EUR 100 a day without entry tickets. One paid site a day adds EUR 40–60 for the family — and that is the upper estimate, because under-18s enter state museums free.
And remember that a good part of Rome costs nothing at all: entry to St Peter’s is free, all the squares are free, and at the Trevi Fountain only going down to the basin now costs, and that is EUR 2.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do you need for a day in Rome
Excluding accommodation and museums, EUR 80–100 a day covers food and transport for a family of four. With one paid site a day, add another EUR 40–60.
What is the tourist tax in Rome
A city accommodation levy: EUR 3 to 10 per person per night depending on the category, EUR 6 in apartments and B&Bs. It is charged for a maximum of 10 consecutive nights and usually paid in cash on the spot.
Do children pay the tourist tax
Children under ten are exempt, but the exemption is not automatic: you have to mention it at check-in and show a document with the date of birth. Otherwise it is charged for everyone.
Why is coffee at a table more expensive
It is a legal difference in price: one price at the bar, another at a table, sometimes three times higher. In a bar overlooking a square an espresso at the bar is about EUR 1.5, at a table it can be EUR 5–6.
Do you need cash in Rome
Cards work almost everywhere, including metro machines and gates. Keep cash for the tourist tax in apartments, small markets and change in family trattorias.
Is tipping expected in Italy
Not compulsory; rounding up is enough. A coperto — a charge for the table and bread — is banned in Rome by Lazio regional law; if one appears on the bill, you can ask for it to be removed.
