Cost of Eating Out in Milan 2026 — Restaurant Prices, Aperitivo Costs and Milan Food Budget Guide

Cost of Eating Out in Milan 2026

Milan is Italy's most expensive city for dining out, significantly pricier than Rome, Florence, or Naples, reflecting its status as Italy's financial and fashion capital. However, Milan's famous aperitivo hour (from around 6-9pm) remains one of Italy's great food bargains — buy a drink (€8-14) and access an often substantial buffet of finger foods, cicchetti, and hot dishes at no additional cost. This guide covers eating-out costs in Milan in 2026.

Milan Restaurant Prices by Category

• Espresso at a bar (standing): €1.20-1.80 ($2.02-$3.02 AUD)
• Aperitivo drink with free buffet: €8-14 ($13.44-$23.52 AUD)
• Panzerotto or focaccia (snack, street food): €3-6 ($5.04-$10.08 AUD)
• Lunch set menu (menù fisso): €12-22 ($20.15-$36.95 AUD) per person
• Navigli or Isola neighbourhood trattoria: €30-55 ($50.40-$92.40 AUD) per person
• Brera or Corso Como restaurant dinner: €45-85 ($75.60-$142.80 AUD) per person
• Upscale Milan fashion-district restaurant: €80-160 ($134.40-$268.80 AUD) per person

Milan Best-Value Food Areas

• The Navigli district is Milan's best neighbourhood for aperitivo bar hopping — dense with bars offering generous aperitivo buffets; Isola neighbourhood has a local restaurant scene at lower prices than the city centre; the area around Porta Ticinese has mid-range trattorias popular with university students; the Quadrilatero della Moda (fashion district) has the highest restaurant prices and is primarily for expense-account dining

Tipping in Milan

• Tipping is less expected in Milan than in Northern European cities; leaving €1-2 per person at a trattoria is sufficient; at espresso bars, leaving small coins in the dish is traditional; service charges ("coperto" and "servizio") at sit-down restaurants are legitimate surcharges and will appear on the bill

Milan Daily Food Budget

• Budget (aperitivo drinks, market lunch): €20-38 ($33.60-$63.84 AUD) per day; Mid-range: €50-90 ($84-$151.20 AUD) per day; Upscale: €100-200 ($168-$336 AUD) per day

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