Is it expensive to live in Italy?
Is it expensive to live in Italy? Italy is one of the cheapest countries to live in. In fact, Italy is the 4th cheapest country in Western Europe.
Total cost to live in Italy
Our total fixed cost to live in Italy is about 1.400 Euros, but you can round it up to 1.500 per month, which is basically what we spent monthly, really. There is always something to pay over here, others over there, a burnt lamp, a train ticket, or whatever.
The average rent in Italy can go anywhere from 200-1000 euros (240-1200 USDs). It all depends on where you live. If you plan on living in a city like Rome, Milan, Naples or Florence, and you plan on living in the city centre, then you must be ready to fork out some good amount of money.
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Here's a sample of regular monthly expenses for two people and some prices on staple items:
Expense | U.S. $ |
---|---|
Rent (two bedroom apartment) | $650 |
Utilities | $220 |
Gasoline, insurance and maintenance for one car | $300 |
Property Taxes | $30 |
Overall, it's cheaper to live in Italy or the USA? The United States is 34% more expensive to live in than Italy. The only areas where American prices are more affordable are clothing and gas.
Italy is one of the worst countries to live and work in, according to an international survey of expat life around the world. Italy ranked alongside Nigeria and Kuwait in the latest Expat Insider survey by InterNations, an information and networking site for people living overseas.
Family of four estimated monthly costs are 2,688$ (2,698€) without rent. A single person estimated monthly costs are 762$ (765€) without rent. Cost of living in Italy is, on average, 18.95% lower than in United States. Rent in Italy is, on average, 56.90% lower than in United States.
Italians earn USD 37 769 per year on average, less than the OECD average of USD 49 165. Another essential factor of employment quality is job security, in terms of expected loss of earnings when someone becomes unemployed.
In order to retire to Italy, a foreign citizen must comply with a few requirements. Among these, the foreign citizen must be retired and have a minimum annual income of EUR 31,000. For married couples seeking to retire in Italy, the minimum amount necessary is EUR 38,000.
Italy's health care system is a regionally based national health service that provides universal coverage largely free of charge at the point of delivery. The main source of financing is national and regional taxes, supplemented by copayments for pharmaceuticals and outpatient care.
How much is a Coke in Italy?
Italy - Coca-Cola - price, June 2022 | |
---|---|
EUR | 1.190 |
USD | 1.186 |
Italy is 16.9% more expensive than Spain.

Living in a foreign country can be both rewarding and challenging. But if you're prepared for the pros and cons, you'll be ready for anything. Living in Italy is a dream for many people. Gorgeous weather, amazing food, and stunning scenery are just a few of the things that make Italy so appealing.
What is this? On average you can expect a trip to Italy to cost €55-130 per person per day (around $60 to $150 USD) for budget to mid-range travellers. These prices will be heavily influenced by how you chose to spend your money across accommodation, transportation, food, activities, and entertainment.
Tax rates are progressive and range from 23% to 43%. Additional taxes are due at the regional (0.9% to 1.4%) and local (0.1% to 0.8%) levels. If you're a foreign resident working in Italy, you're only taxed on the income earned in Italy.
Dinner in Italy is an event; Italians love to linger over each of the many courses and chat late into the night. A meal at an inexpensive restaurant, for one person, is usually around $18 to $20, whereas a meal for two people at a mid-range restaurant, with drinks, will typically cost around $70 to $80.
In 2019, the most common crime in Italy was theft – the police reported about 1.1 million delinquencies of this kind to the juridical authority. The three regions which registered the highest number of thefts were Lombardy, Lazio and Emilia-Romagna.
The Italian job market is notoriously difficult to break into, especially if you're not a native speaker. Besides that, many of the best jobs in Italy are only available to locals, so it can be tough to find a job if you're not from the country.
What costs more in Italy? Even though Italy is one of Europe's biggest food producers, buying groceries here is more expensive than the EU average: 13 percent higher, in fact, making it cheaper than Ireland, Sweden or France but pricier than Germany, the Netherlands, Spain or the UK.
In 2019, the average pay in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors in Italy amounted to 9.2 euros per hour. Moreover, the average hourly payment was equal to 18.3 euros in the manufacturing industry, the largest value among the considered sectors.
What is considered rich in Italy?
This statistic illustrates the opinion of Italians about the main factor which determines that a person is wealthy, in Italy in 2017. According to the figure, 47 percent of the respondents believed that a person can be considered rich when the annual income exceeds 50,000 euros.
- Surgeons: up to 21,000 Euros a month.
- Lawyers: up to 14,000 Euros a month.
- Bank managers: 13,000 Euros a month.
- Marketing directors: 2,390 to 7,620 Euros a month.
- College professors: 3,190 to 10,200 Euros a month.
Normally, persons who are not U.S. citizens may receive U.S. Social Security benefits while outside the U.S. only if they meet certain requirements. Under the agreement, however, you may receive benefits as long as you reside in Italy regardless of your nationality.
Property tax ranges from 0.4% to 0.7% of fiscal value, depending on location and property type. There is no wealth tax in Italy. Individuals are exempt of capital gains tax five years after the purchase. If the property is sold within five years capital gains are taxed at 20%.
In Italy, Abruzzo is the least expensive area with property average prices around 61.735 Euro for houses and 89.175 Euro for apartments.