Cost of Living in Italy (2026)
Italy can cost EUR 900 a month in the south or EUR 2,500 in Milan. Here is what a single person should plan for in each big city, and what a student really pays.
Read the Bologna guideMonthly budget for one person
| City | 1-bed rent | Single budget per month |
|---|---|---|
| Milan | EUR 1,300 (outside centre) | EUR 2,400 to 2,800 |
| Rome | EUR 1,000 | EUR 1,900 to 2,300 |
| Florence | EUR 950 | EUR 1,800 to 2,200 |
| Bologna | EUR 850 | EUR 1,600 to 1,900 |
| Turin | EUR 700 | EUR 1,400 to 1,700 |
| Naples | EUR 600 | EUR 1,100 to 1,400 |
| Palermo | EUR 450 | EUR 900 to 1,200 |
Source: Italy Handbook, Budgeting for Italy (published 10 March 2026, modified 28 October 2026). Italy Handbook is a commercial site and labels these figures as estimates, so use them to compare cities, not as a quote.
Rent decides everything
Across the same source, groceries run EUR 300 to 400 a month and utilities EUR 150 to 200 for a small flat, in every city. Rent is the number that moves: a one-bedroom costs almost three times as much in Milan as in Naples.
Fiber internet is about EUR 25 to 30 a month and a 100 GB mobile plan about EUR 10, according to the same estimates. Add a yearly waste tax (TARI) of EUR 150 to 300 for a small flat.
Open the Italy hubWhat a student really pays
Students spend far less than the table above, because most take a shared room or a university hall. Uniplaces puts a shared room in Bologna at EUR 300 to 650 (most students pay 400 to 500) and an all-in student budget at EUR 800 to 1,100 a month.
Source: Uniplaces, cost of living in Bologna, published 16 June 2026. Uniplaces is a commercial housing platform.
See the full Bologna budget
Four ways to lower your budget
- Choose a mid-size city such as Turin or Bologna over Milan or Rome.
- Share a flat or apply for a university hall.
- Use the student transport pass: the University of Bologna lists a subsidised TPER annual pass at EUR 161 for 2026/27 degree and exchange students.
- Learn Italian before you land, so you can read a lease and talk to the landlord yourself.
Plan your move on your own
Get the Italy move guides, unlock every course with Mondosol+, or talk through your plan in a paid relocation call.
See the move guidesBook a relocation callNo affiliate links on this page. Sources: Italy Handbook, Uniplaces, University of Bologna. Checked November 2026. Prices change, so confirm them before you commit.
