Moving to
Italy
Moving to Italy: one person needs about $2,000/month in Milan (a family about $4,500), the top personal income-tax rate is 43% — roughly $35,560 take-home on a $60,000 salary — and it offers a digital-nomad visa. Permanent residency takes about 5 years, and citizenship about 10.
Milan is Italy's business, fashion and finance engine — far more work-focused and fast-moving than the postcard south, with a real hiring market and the best transport links. La dolce vita is genuine (food, culture, weekend trips across Europe), but so is the legendarily slow bureaucracy and low local wages. People move for the lifestyle and the nomad-visa-plus-residency path into the EU.
Last updated August 2026 · How we calculate this
Italy by the numbers
Relative scores across cost, safety, healthcare, quality of life and connectivity (higher is better).
Why move to Italy
- Incredible food, culture and lifestyle
- Nomad visa plus residency path
- Central EU base, cheap travel
The catch
- Bureaucracy is legendarily slow
- Low local wages, high taxes
- Permesso di soggiorno delays
Take-home pay
Net salary in Italy on a $60k gross, after income tax and social security:
IRPEF brackets + regional surcharge + ~10% social. Approximate.
Cost of living · Milan
Average all-in monthly cost in USD — estimates for guidance.
Compare cities →Visa & residency
Digital-nomad visa (2024) for skilled remote workers with proof of income and insurance.
Typical income requirement: $2,700/month.
The digital nomad visa (income ~€28,000+, proof of highly-skilled remote work for a non-Italian employer or clients) gives a renewable permit; other routes are the self-employment (lavoro autonomo) visa under annual quota, the elective residence visa for those with passive income, or an EU Blue Card via an employer.
How can I move here? → Do I qualify? → Track your 90/180 days →Economy & everyday life
At roughly $62,800 GDP-per-capita PPP, purchasing power is genuinely comfortable and inflation has fallen to a mild 1.5%. Salaries lag northern Europe and the south is far cheaper than Milan, so where you land decides whether money feels tight or easy. Life expectancy hits 84, among the world's highest; the public SSN is strong and cheap, though many expats add private cover to cut waits and find English-speaking doctors.
Healthcare
World Bank data, most recent available — shows how well the system is resourced, not what you'll personally pay.
Safety
US State Department advisory level, country-wide — general guidance, not neighbourhood-specific. Full advisory →
Education
World Bank data, most recent available — learning score reflects harmonised international test performance.
Connectivity
World Bank data, most recent available.
Getting a passport
Compare all countries →10 yrs for non-EU (4 for EU nationals, 3 by descent); B1 Italian required. PR = EU long-term permit at 5 yrs.
By residence — confirm with the official authority.
Best time to go
Full climate →Average daily temperature by month · 2023 (Open-Meteo).
Where expats live in Italy
Cost of living by city
All cities →All-in monthly cost for one person — tap a city for the full breakdown. Figures are averages, for guidance.
Living in Italy
Healthcare
The public system (SSN) is high quality and cheap once you register as a resident, and private care is affordable by Western standards; nomad-visa holders need private insurance with min €30K coverage.
Money & banking
Getting a codice fiscale (tax code) is easy and step one; a resident bank account needs that plus residency proof, though Revolut, N26 and Wise cover most needs while you wait.
Internet
Fiber is widespread and fast in the north (Milan, Bologna) but patchier in the rural south; coworking is abundant in Milan and remote work is well established.
Etiquette & culture
Greetings, tipping and the taboos to dodge — fit in fast. Open the guide →
On arrival
Full essentials →Getting there
Flight distances →Rome Fiumicino (FCO) and Milan Malpensa (MXP) are the two big intercontinental hubs, backed by budget carriers that make the rest of Europe a short, cheap hop.
Safe — just watch pickpockets in tourist cities.
Dial 112 for police, ambulance or fire.
Best for remote workers and food-and-design lovers who'll tolerate paperwork for la dolce vita.
Your move to Italy — roadmap
Key terms
- Effective tax rate
- The share of your gross income actually lost to income tax and social contributions combined — almost always lower than the headline top tax bracket.
- Take-home pay
- What actually reaches your account after income tax and employee social contributions are taken off your gross salary.
- Tax residency
- The country entitled to tax your worldwide income — usually where you spend 183 days or more in a year, though the exact test varies by country.
- Permanent residency
- The right to live and work in a country indefinitely — the stage before citizenship, and those years usually count toward naturalization.
- Cost of living
- The all-in monthly spend for one person — rent, food, transport and bills — in the country's main relocation city.
Moving to Italy — FAQ
Is there income tax in Italy?
Yes. Italy taxes income on progressive brackets. On a $60,000 salary the effective rate is about 40.7%, leaving roughly $35,560.
Can digital nomads get a visa for Italy?
Yes — Digital-nomad visa (2024) for skilled remote workers with proof of income and insurance.
How do you get residency in Italy?
The digital nomad visa (income ~€28,000+, proof of highly-skilled remote work for a non-Italian employer or clients) gives a renewable permit; other routes are the self-employment (lavoro autonomo) visa under annual quota, the elective residence visa for those with passive income, or an EU Blue Card via an employer.
How much does it cost to live in Milan?
A single person needs roughly $2,000/month in Milan, and a family around $4,500/month, all-in.
Is tap water safe to drink in Italy?
Yes — tap water in Italy is generally safe to drink.