Living in Italy: cost of living, rents and the salary you need

Example: the same life, elsewhere

A single person living in London in a one-bedroom home, with the average spending of a similar household, spends about £3,350 a month. To keep the same life in Rome, they would need about €1,430 net a month locally (−64%).

For a couple with two children in a two-bedroom home (state school), it would take about €2,650 net a month in Rome.

Calculated on 2 October 2026 with the official averages of London and the destination’s prices. Yours depends on your city, home and habits: the calculator works it out in a few minutes, no sign-up.

Rents in Italy

City	Studio	1 bedroom	2 bedrooms	3-bedroom house
Rome	€390	€630	€910	€1,330
Milan	€500	€800	€1,160	€1,690
Naples	€220	€360	€520	€750
Turin	€270	€440	€640	€930
Bologna	€380	€610	€880	€1,290
Florence	€400	€650	€940	€1,370
Genoa	€210	€340	€490	€720
Palermo	€170	€270	€390	€560

Monthly rent in EUR, outside the most sought-after areas. Studio 28 m², 1 bedroom 45 m², 2 bedrooms 65 m², house 95 m² where rent is known per m². Agenzia delle Entrate (OMI), 2026 property report: average annual rent per m² of new long-term ordinary leases signed in 2025, by major city and region, updated with the Eurostat rent index (August 2026).

Wages

No statutory minimum wage: minimums are set by each sector’s collective agreements.

Average wage: €27,600 gross a year.

Healthcare

With a job, registration with the national health service is compulsory and free; otherwise, voluntary registration costs at least €2,000 a year, dependants included.

In the example above: with a job, registration with the national health service is compulsory and free: nothing more to pay.

Visa and residence permit

The official visa portal shows the right visa for your nationality and purpose; the residence permit must be requested within 8 days of arrival. Not needed for Europeans, who simply register at the town hall.

Cost: €240 per person (€120 per child).

National visa and residence permit.

To live on income from abroad: the remote worker visa, for highly qualified profiles earning at least three times the health-fee exemption threshold, about €28,000 a year; for retirees and people living on savings, the elective residence visa.

Moving in and everyday life

Deposit: 3 months’ rent
Agency fees: 1 month’ rent
School: Free state school
Electricity: €0.30 per kWh
Home cleaning: €10 an hour

Frequently asked questions

What salary do you need to live in Rome?

For a single person keeping the same life as in London: about €1,430 net a month.

How much is rent in Rome?

About €630 a month for a one-bedroom home and €910 for a two-bedroom home, according to Agenzia delle Entrate (OMI), 2026 property report.

Do you need a residence permit to live in Italy?

The official visa portal shows the right visa for your nationality and purpose; the residence permit must be requested within 8 days of arrival. Not needed for Europeans, who simply register at the town hall. Cost: €240 per person (€120 per child).