Cost of living in Italy
It would be very interesting and useful to exchange informations about the cost of living in Italy. The idea is to help those who would like to live in Italy.
Don't forget to mention where you are living
Let's compare the:
> accommodation prices (how much does it cost to rent or to buy an accommodation in Italy?)
> public transportation fares (tube, bus etc ...)
> food prices(per month, how much does it cost you?)
> health prices (for those who need medical insurance)
> eduction prices (if you need to pay)
> energy prices (oil, electricity)
> common bills (Internet, television, telephone, mobile phone)
> prices of a good menu in a traditional restaurant
> prices of a beer or a coffee in a regular pub
Thanks in advance for your participation!
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Hi,
I live in Lecce, South of Italy, small ciy with around 150 000 people...
- accomodation : 500 聙 per month for 50 sq.m very close from the centre (2min walking)
- public transortation : 0,80聙 for a single ticket - 4聙 for a 6 courses ticket - 20聙 for a monthly subscription
- food prices : less than 200聙 per month for two people
- health prices : 1/3 of 19% of your gross salary
- education price : don't know but I guess it is "free" (a couple of euros per year)
- electricity : I pay 10聙 per month (I have Air Conditionning)
- gas : 10聙 per month (the water is heaten by gas)
- gasoline : 1,20聙 per liter
- internet : 35聙 per month for ADSL 4Mbps - 20聙 per month for 640Kbps - 2聙 per hour for 640 Kbps - 0,01聙 per hour for 56Kbps
- telephone : 15聙 per month + communication + 140聙 of installation
- mobile phone : 0,07聙 per minute - 0,10 per SMS
- good menu in a restaurant : 9 - 12聙
- beer : 4聙 half pint of guiness
- coffee : 1聙
My budget for two people to live without counting each euro is about 1000聙 per month (for two)
Here in Florence, Italy things are a bit more expensive...
- accommodation: 1000聙 per month for 65 sq.m downtown near Santa Croce
- public transportation:
- 1,00聙 for a 1 hour ticket
- 1,80聙 for a 3 hour ticket
- 4.50聙 for a 24 hour ticket
- 31聙 for a monthly subscription
- food prices: About 400聙 per month for two people (grocery store and open market)
- health prices: If you don't have insurance, a doctor visit is about 50聙
- education price: N/A
- electricity: We work from home and pay about 50聙 a month.
- gas: 20聙 per month (we have a gas heater and cook with gas as well)
- gasoline: 1,20聙 per liter
- internet: 35聙 per month for ADSL 4Mbps
- telephone: 15聙 per month (we generally use our cells)
- mobile phone: 0,07聙 per minute - 0,10 per SMS
- good menu in a restaurant:
- Lunch 10 - 16聙/per person
- Dinner 15 - 30聙/per person
- beer: 2,50聙 for a half pint
- coffee: 1,20聙
Salaries are supposedly not that high either. Some people take home about 1200聙/month here in Florence, so I've heard.
Since I am just arrived in Milan, I cant say much more than accomodation which is sooooooooo expensive. If you want to live by yourself, it is at least 700 euros for one room+bathroom (+expenses). due to the high prices a lot of young people live at 2 in the same bedroom (from 200 to 400 euros/month!!!). moreover don't hope to get a living room, it is rented as a bedroom!
well for this i have been quite lucky because I found a room 450 euros/months all inclusive in a small house, not so far from a metro stop...but it is extremly rare!
otherwise, prices seems quite normal. Public transport are not that expensive, 1 euros/ ticket and 30 euros for a monthly card.
Hey all!
Yes, this is a great topic I am looking for information on. I too want to move to Monaco, and anything would be appreciated. Is the tax shelter worth the extra cost for rent, food, and everything else? Would I be better off in Southern Italy paying upwards of 35% Income Tax, and basically every other form of taxes that are to be paid, but, everything else is easier on the pocket book(Rent, Food, etc)?? Is Monaco set up the same way as Italy? Do they have like 20 different taxes for assets and property, and capital gains? In any case, like I mentioned before, any information would be vital, and totally appreciated.
Thank you!
Ben From Montreal...
> accommodation prices (how much does it cost to rent or to buy an accommodation in Italy?) To buy, more than I would ever pay. To rent, 250 euros per month for a nice new single dorm room with expenses included
> public transportation fares (tube, bus etc ...) 25 euros a month to ride all the city buses all you want, or some 200 euros a year if you want to ride all buses and regional trains in the province (if you are a student!)
> food prices(per month, how much does it cost you?)I spend on average some 100 euros a month, but i do buy an awful lot of pasta and rice.
> health prices (for those who need medical insurance) I am lucky enough to be covered in the EU, so I have no idea
> eduction prices (if you need to pay)Grad school, for example, is like 5 thousand euros. For the whole program. So far I don't need any books. I know, it's weird.
> energy prices (oil, electricity)Not sure, but a friend who came to visit from Madrid said that gas in Trento was considerably higher than in Spain.
> common bills (Internet, television, telephone, mobile phone) I spend like 1o to 15 euros a month on my prepaid mobile. We have internet in the dorm, and the center of the city is completely wi-fi enabled (I live in the richest province of Italy), so we just skype and facebook each other a lot, even though I live in a small 100,000 inhabitant city.
> prices of a good menu in a traditional restaurant 10 to 15 euros. If you think pizza is traditional, 5 to 7 euros.
> prices of a beer or a coffee in a regular pubI try to hit the "aperitivos" and "happy hours", which usually get you a small beer or spritz for 1 euro or 1.5 . Coffees are in the same range.
> accommodation prices (how much does it cost to rent or to buy an accommodation in Italy?)
- inside the walls, apartments go for about 7 - 10 thousand euro /square meter. Outside the walls, depending on how far a radius we are looking at, from 2 - 6 thousand euro / square meter. We sold a 220 square meter villetta... with the same money bought a 55 square meter mini-loft about 100 meters from the "mure"
- in my neightborhood rentals are about 700 euro for a 50/60 squ.meter apartment + condo fees and expenses
> public transportation fares (tube, bus etc ...)
- I really don't know, I think the round trip fare by train or bus to Florence is about 12 euro, my husband commutes and spends 75 euro for a monthly commuter train ticket
as for busses - Lucca is a great bike city, I either walk or use my bike for everything, even light shopping.
We filled the tank on the car yesterday, diesel 1.04/liter - down alot as compared to last year
> food prices(per month, how much does it cost you?)
- I spend about 200 - 300 euro / month. Two adults. We eat very little red meat, drink very little wine (although wine is not a big expense in Italy). I do buy top quality products.
> health prices (for those who need medical insurance)
- we are covered by state med. ins. Private studios charge anywhere from 50 - 150 euro for a consultation/visit.
> eduction prices (if you need to pay)
- both my kids came up through the ed system here. Elementary school/middle school: just lunch and bus costs (too long ago to remember how much! but it wasn't much by US standards); High School: bus pass (about 300 euro/year), tuition fees (state and regional) about 200 euro/year. The biggest cost was books for middle school and high school: I spent an average of 500 euro/year. University: tuition about 1000 euro/year, books about 500 euro/year. Living expenses: shared apartment, about 600 euro/month including food; dorm, about 300 euro/month with cafeteria meal ticket.
> energy prices (oil, electricity)
- my apartment is all electric, I spend about 70 euro/month on electricity
> common bills (Internet, television, telephone, mobile phone)
Internet: about 60/month, flat rate, fastweb w/tv included
state tv: about 120 euro/year
phone: I eliminated my land line years ago, too expensive
mobile: I have a sim ricaricabile vodafon, I spend about 10-15 euro/month. I use skype, msn and other voip options to keep in touch with my son in germany, my daughter and parents in the states.
> prices of a good menu in a traditional restaurant
- soup to nuts, about 25/30 euro/person
> prices of a beer or a coffee in a regular pub
beer or wine by the glass can get quite pricey
coffee - at the counter about 聙0.80, at a table it's double that or more
Hoping this helps
littleitalyblogspot
I would also like to know about accommodation available there, in terms of price, location, access, etc.
Thank you.
Nachiket
Previous posts in this section will help with general costs. Things in Trento are more expensive than in the south of Italy but less expensive than a city like Milan. Rent should be around 800 euros a month for an apartment (furnished). A room in an apartment around 350 euro a month. For more on Italy google littleitalyblogspot and check out my weekly blog from here in Milan.
regards
James
So this is my first post and I hope someone can help me. I'm probably moving to Rome in about a month to do a 6 month internship at Starwood (Westin Exelcior and St. Regis) and will probably have to fin my own accomodation. Does anyone know how much would cost me and where I can check online for a studio, one-bedroom appartment...
Re. your note about Rome I might know some addresses where you can rent a room. If you are still interested let me know.
James Tierney at littleitalyblogspot
wondering if anyone can assist with accomodation sites, or know who I can talk to.
I'm moving to Rome in October, have an apartment for the first week or so (need to have a rest!!), then I'm doing a TEFL course for 4 weeks, Accom is covered during TEFL course, but post that, I have to find somewhere to live, and hopefully somewhere to work. Has anyone any ideas or contacts that I can use to find some accom in central Rome. I'd like to say money is not an issue, but hey, I'm a struggling mature age student!!!
thanks....
i've found some relly good website just from google. there'd about 10 pages of accom sites, just google "apartments for rent in rome italy" and they just show up!
I've been lucky enough to commect with another australian girl who I will be sharing with.
i guess it will all depend on where you want to stay and how much you wish to spend.
It seems that everyone is going there to teahc english, we should keep in touch to network and disucss schools and all other related issues.
ciao
I have lived in Rome, Taormina (Sicily) and Sorrento...and let me say they are all expensive places to live!
Rent: Rome depends on what you are looking for, and where you are looking. It is NOT cheap. A teeny, tiny studio flat on the outskirts of Rome will be about 800 euro. I used to live in San Paolo which was about 4 stops on the metro to the Colosseum and that was 2 bedroom = 1,200 p/month - not including bills.
I then moved to San Giovanni which is the centre of Rome, and for a dark and dingy 2 bedroom place it was 1,700 p/month plus 100 condo fees and bills on top. (thankfully my work pays my rent!)
Taromina and Sorrento are expensive, and it can be hard to find short term contracts in these places, but you'd be looking at about 600-800 for a one bedroom flat in the centre of both places. Obviously cheaper if you go out.
Transport wise Rome monthly unlimited pass on the metro and buses (trams to if you live near them) is 30 euro which is cheap, but then the public transport leaves a lot to be desired.
Eating out all 3 are expensive, Rome however there is a lot more choice so you can find something to suit every budget, where as in Taormina and Sorrento you are limited to more pricy places if you do not have a car to go out to the cheaper areas out of town.
I hope this helps anyone thinking of moving to these places!
Leanne
I live in Brisbane Australia and I'm moving to Italy in June/July 2010. I want to live in Florence as it's close to other regions I want to explore. I wish to stay for as long as possible. I have no contacts over there so I'm wondering if there's any sites I could visit to find other people to share accom/expenses with? As for employment I've heard you can go months before acquiring any, so I'd like advice from anyone on ways to avoid this... if there is any

In terms of work what kind of work would you advise one looks for? I've worked as a Photographer, retail Manager, Buyer and am halfway through a Forensic/Psych degree... I'm happy to take on anything, even picking fruit would be fun. Is it easier to find work when I get there?
I don't drive so I'll be relying on public transport, I've heard this shouldn't be a problem. Especially in places like Rome and Florence, the two places I desire to live in. But if I travel into the Tuscan countryside is it hard to travel around? Do you have any advice? Should I obtain a license before I leave Oz so I have the option?
Thanks in advance for any replies

So, before take decisions I want to know.
How expensive is Italy(Trento) to live?.
Currently I pay rent for one bedroom apartment (50 m2) + utilities around U$640 and I have a monthly payment of U$1600 and that amount is enough for me and my husband to afford our expense (transport, entertainment, food, clothes) with that money, is possible something like that with 聙20000 before taxes to live in Trento.
i will be visiting milan, italy on june 15 until sept. i would like to know how much i will expect my basic monthly expenses.
accommodation
transportation
food
communication
utility
many thanks for your time.
take care
Jan & Shaan
kaiapraia@yahoo.com
In as much I know life is always new for you in the first days of your arrival in any foreign country.
All you do go and see, then you will call the shots if you are not satisfied, but Italy is not a bad news and will never be for foreigners.
I am a 58 year-old woman hoping to live in Italy and to end my days there. I have Italian citizenship and reasonable-good standard (no dialect) Italian fluency. My parents, now deceased, were originally from Tuscany, so am familiar with many aspects of the culture.
I would be grateful for any advice anyone may have to offer, in particular, with regard to monthly cost of living figures, medical/hospital and to any entitlement I may/may not have at my age and in my situation. I have no family and would be there alone.
I had thought to settle somewhere around Lucca in Tuscany, but if too expensive then, perhaps, Barga or similar. I am prepared to be flexible. I don't wish to be isolated, so somewhere reasonably central, with appropriate facilities is needed.
Thank you in anticipation.

Did you get the chance to browse the forums in search of useful information and/or like minded contacts?
@ Caterina, there's also a forum for Tuscany which you might want to explore?
To rent a small house outside of Rome in the contryside or near the coast 聙1,200+ a month. A smart 2 bed apartment in Rome is 聙1,800+
Gas 聙200+ per month, electrity about 聙150 a month
Trains/metro - about 聙1 a trip.
Food - easi;y 聙500 a month
Health - afraid I don't know, as my employer pays
Meal for two in restaurant - 聙35
Don't come to Rome unless you have plenty of money!
Moh
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