Cost of living in Italy

Are you thinking of moving to Italy? This country rich in culture, art, history, gastronomy and natural beauty? But do you have many questions about how to plan everything? The willingness to plan is a good sign and in doing so you will avoid unpleasant situations. One of the important issues within planning are costs. What is the cost of living in Italy?

It is very difficult to talk about the cost of living in Italy because we risk data generalization or even superficial information. Not wanting to take this risk, I decided to do it as completely as possible, talking about the main costs in the main Italian cities.

In other words, in this article you will discover the main expenses with:

House (rent and purchase price)
Monthly costs (water, electricity, internet, supermarket, etc.)
Variable expenses (transport and school for children)
Extraordinary costs (restaurant, leisure, clothes and more)
How much does it cost to live in Italy for a couple?

In addition, we will present the cost of living in three cities:

Milan
Rome
Naples

Remember: living in Italy is a dream, but without proper planning it can be a nightmare!

If you are reading this article it is because you are aware of it. Let’s go?

When we talk about costs, we must remember that values depend a lot on the lifestyle you choose to live in Italy!

I will take two stereotypes to clear the argument: do you want to have the life of an “intern” or a “manager” of a company?

Another thing to consider is the Italian lifestyle. They like to dress well (not necessarily paying absurd amounts) and travel in August.

In other words, the “ostentation” style doesn’t make much sense in Italy! Especially because the social inequality in Italy is lower in comparison with the Brazilian reality. The average Italian has his car and travels in August, even if they complain about the crisis, etc.

Obviously, there is always a group that flaunts some brands, but it is a minority!

So, when you look at the data tables above, consider the lifestyle you want to have.

Cost of living in Italy: how to read the data tables

In the tables below you will find the average cost of living in Italy. Since it is an average, there will obviously be a variation, more or less. The values are expressed in Euros.

Along with the data tables you will find a small explanation to help you read the table or make your decision.

Cost of living in Italy: housing

Usually one of the main fixed costs is renting a property. The choice of where to live will depend a lot on your lifestyle and what you want.

Living in the centre of Milan pros and cons:

Take for example the city of Milan. If you want to live in the centre of Milan, you probably won’t need a car, as public transport is very structured. Especially because the traffic in central Milan is horrible. Even on foot you will arrive faster… 😃

In addition, the city of Milan offers bicycles and cars for those who do not want to use the subway (you should make a subscription).

An advantage of living in the centre of Milan is the variety of activities you can carry out, such as: events, cinemas, museums, aperitifs in every corner, etc.

One of the disadvantages is the cost of renting. What you will pay for a small room in the centre would be enough to rent an entire apartment on the outskirts.

Living on the outskirts of Milan pros and cons:

If you want tranquillity, quality of life and cheaper costs; a good option would be to live in a suburb.

In addition, Italy, especially in the north, is well served by trains, subways and buses. To give you an idea, I have been living in Italy since 2011. I live alone, I don’t drive and I travel for work throughout Italy and abroad by public transport.

After all, how much does it cost to live in the main Italian cities?

If you want to buy an apartment or are planning, consult the cost table:

Cost of living in Italy: monthly bills and food

Together with the apartment, some bills arrive such as: water, electricity, heating, internet, etc. How much?

Another constant cost is food, in the data table below you will find the values of the main items that cannot miss in your purchases at the supermarket.

Cost of living in Italy: variable expenses

Another important element to identify in your expenses is transportation. Obviously, the total amount will vary based on the activities you need to do outside the home or if you use public transportation, private or both. In any case, in the following table you will find the information necessary to create your cost planning.

Cost of living in Italy: schools

As in Brazil, here in Italy there are public and private schools, but most Italian children attend public schools.

Public schools in Italy are of high quality, but there is a cost! Basically, you pay for your child meal at the school and the cost will vary from school to school, city to city, and in particular your financial situation.

An example: in Seregno (a small town near Milan) a meal costs from € 0 to € 5 per day. The amount will depend on your economic situation and your child will receive a snack and a lunch. Education is free!

If you want to enrol your child in a private school, here are the values:

Cost of living in Italy: extraordinary expenses

I classified as extraordinary expenses, rare or non-fundamental expenses, such as: restaurants, leisure, sports, clothes and shoes.

Do you like going to a restaurant? Italian food is so delicious that it’s worth it to separate some money to eat out with the family, but how much does it cost? Check out the table below:

Do you like playing sports or staying healthy by going to the gym? Or are you more “old school” and like watching movies in the cinema?

Here is the table with prices, but don’t forget that there are always promotions and loyalty programs. Just be careful and you can save even more!

Let’s go to the last point, but no less important, because I already said that Italians like to dress well! Fashion is part of Italian culture.

How much does a pair of jeans cost? Running shoes? Check the table:

Source: The values in the tables above were obtained from the Numbeo website and reflect the collaboration of thousands of people.

Cost of living in Italy: for a couple (summary)

If you have read everything and you have come this far, you may be wondering what is the cost of living in Italy for a couple? We have prepared a table with the data we have seen so far to get an idea of the overall cost. Watch out for the numbers!

Now you have the bases to do your calculations and to come safer in Italy. Do not forget the importance of creating a security capital. This amount of capital should represent a year of life here in Italy. That would be the ideal situation.

Another super tip: plan your career before you come. This will give you more speed to get started with your life in Italy.

If you want to be accompanied by career or business experts, write us an email and make an appointment without any commitment. Write to info@marcelaoliveira.it

Last thing…

If you want to be informed on the best way to find a job in Italy, join my VIP list by leaving your email.

Sign up now:

You will also receive a bonus via email: Resume Templates in Italian (Modelli di curriculum).

Was this article helpful to you? Write here in the comments and …

… follow me on my social networks. There are always tips to let you have your dream job here in Italy.

A strong hug!!!

Marcela Oliveira

Live in ItalyCost of living in Italy - Marcela Oliveira