LIVING IN ITALY
Italy leads Europe in life expectancy and is considered one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Thanks to these two factors alone, thousands of immigrants from all over the world dream of moving to an Italian city to stay here forever. Italy has a fairly strong economy, great nature and all conditions for a happy life.
The population of Italy is just under 60 million people. About 8% of local citizens are foreigners. For example, 1.8% of Italians are Romanians, 0.8% Albanians, and just over 1% natives of Arab countries – Tunisia, Libya and Syria. In addition, a lot of Chinese and Ukrainians live here. Below we will talk about prices, taxes, professions, salaries, education, medicine, as well as the pros and cons of living in Italy in 2024.
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Pros and cons of living in Italy
In terms of climate, prices and overall comfort level, the best cities to live in Italy in 2024 are Milan, Bolzano, Aosta, Belluno and Trento.
Pros of living in Italy
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Italy is the cradle of Western civilization with an incredible culture, including beautiful architecture, museums, galleries, exhibitions, theater performances and so on. It is home to the largest concentration of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world.
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Italian cuisine is known far beyond the Old World and each region has specialty dishes with a distinctive cooking style. Local cafes and restaurants are the pride of Italy.
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Italy has an excellent climate and plenty of places for outdoor activities, including gorgeous seashores and mountains.
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Good public transport system, quality medicine and efficient education system.
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Siesta every weekday from 12:00/13:00 to 15:00/16:00 in many cities, particularly in southern Italy.
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Locals in most regions of Italy are very friendly.
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Reasonable cost of living and real estate prices, the purchase of which allows you to get a residence permit in Italy without the right to work.
Cons of living in Italy
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High unemployment rate (about 4-5%) and huge competition for decent jobs in Italian companies.
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Italians are too sociable, emotional and loud. Not everyone likes it.
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For faster adaptation you need to know Italian. With the exception of metropolitan areas, the level of English among the local population is very poor.
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High taxes and difficulties with doing business in Italy. Italy ranks only 51st in the Doing Business agency's ranking.
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A lot of garbage in the streets, especially in major tourist centers.
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Bureaucracy and corruption in government agencies.
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A large number of stray dogs in the southern part of the country.
Prices and cost of living in Italy
In Italy, to rent a one-room apartment in the city center on average costs about 600-650 euros per month, and 450-500 euros outside the city. For a more comfortable apartment (3 rooms and more) will have to give at least 1 thousand euros. Property prices range from 20 thousand euros for a house somewhere in the village in the south, to several million euros for a villa on Lake Como.
In a typical Italian city, you can buy a quite comfortable apartment for 80-140 thousand euros. A residential house will cost from 150-200 thousand euros and above. The most expensive cities in Italy for living in Milan, Rome and Venice. Much cheaper to live in Naples and in the south of the country.
Prices in Italy in 2024
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Bread (500 g) – 1.99 euros
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Milk (1 L) – 1.46 euros
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Eggs (12 eggs) – 3.45 euros
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Chicken Fillets (1 kg) – 10.65 euros
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Potatoes (1 kg) – 1.57 euros
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Italian cheese (1 kg) – 13.15 euros
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Bananas (1 kg) – 1.86 euros
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Apples (1 kg) – 2.02 euros
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Gasoline (1 liter) – 1.84 euros
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Cab (1 km) – 1.50 euros
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Public transport (one-way ticket) – 1.70 euros
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Monthly bus pass – 35 euros
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Utilities (85 sq. m.) – 198.65 euros per month
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Mobile Tariff Local (month) – 12.90 euros
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Internet – 27.60 euros per month
Note. The above prices are average figures for different cities in Italy.
Taxes in Italy
Italy has a complex tax system with high rates. For example, income tax is levied at three levels – national, regional and municipal. In the latter two cases, the rates depend on the city and range from 0.7% to 3.33% and from 0 to 0.9%, respectively.
Tax rates in Italy in 2024
Corporate income tax – 24% (national) and 3.9% (regional). For banks and financial companies – 27.5%.
VAT – 22%, reduced rates for certain goods and services –10, 5, 4 and 0%
Income tax
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Annual income up to 28,000 euros – 23%
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Annual income from 28,001 to 50,000 euros – 35%
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Annual income more than 50,001 euros – 43%
Social contributions:
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Employee – employer contribution is about 30% of annual salary and employee contribution is about 10%
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Self-employed person – the rate is 24% to 32.72%
Jobs and wages in Italy
Youth unemployment in Italy reaches 25%. This is one of the worst indicators in Europe and a big problem for the development of the local labor market. In contrast to Italians and Europeans, for foreign workers from outside the European Union there are special quotas (Decreto Flussi), which are set by the government 1-2 times a year, based on the needs of the economy. It is practically impossible to get a work visa to Italy beyond the limits of the quota.
Most required professions in Italy are engineers, builders, programmers and other technical specialists. Seasonal (tourist destination) and unskilled labor – housekeepers, waiters, nannies, cleaners, janitors, caregivers – are popular with job seekers from third countries. If you are looking for work in Rome and other major cities in Italy, you can count on employment in a variety of industries.
In contrast to other developed European countries, in Italy there is a significant income disparity between different social groups. There is no minimum wage at the national level, but very rarely local workers get less than 800-900 euros per month. The average wage in Italy in 2024 is about 2,915 euros per month before taxes. The highest income in the country as a whole comes from working in Milan.
Higher education in Italy
The prestigious QS World University Rankings 2024 include 14 Italian universities in the top 500 higher education institutions in the world. The most prestigious are considered the Technical University of Milan, the University of Bologna and the Sapienza University of Rome. In total in the country there are 60 public and 17 private universities. In the first case, the cost of education is about 900-1000 euros a year, and in the second, from 10 to 25 thousand euros. To enter a local university you must know the Italian language.
Medicine in Italy
Italy has had a well-developed health care system since the 1970s. It is fully accessible to both locals and citizens of the European Union. Emergency medical assistance is available to absolutely everyone, but foreigners need to register with the national health care system Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN) to be fully served. The cost is about 400 euros per year. In addition, private medical services of high quality are available in Italy.
In conclusion, the average life expectancy in Italy in 2024 is 82 years (men – 80, women – 85).
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