Cost of living in Italy

Hi
I'm currently living in Bangalore, India. I'm interested in pursuing my Masters n Interior Design, in either Florence or Milan. In either of the two places, I will probably have to arrange for my own accommodation and everything. Can anyone tell me how safe it would be, since I'm going to be a foreigner there? Are there like good student hostels and stuff? How much could my monthly expenses be?
Thanks

Thank you so much

Hi.Living in Milan Italy

Accomodation    : 700 eur/month, 2 bedrooms appartment. (unfurnished, so cheaper).
Transporation   : 1 eur - bus ticket (i think, i mostly drive)
Food prices     : Around 50-70 eur per week, (groceries from the supermarket) - better prices in markets
Health prices   : I don't know about public, but private visits to a doctor are VERY expensive. I payed 130 euros for just a visit.
Education prices: --- (no idea)
Energy prices   : Diesel is around 1.6 eur/ litre, electricity around 150 euros every 6 months, gas is cheaper.
Common bills:   : Internet + TV + Phone - (45 euros/month)
                  Mobile phone - I use prepay only, around 20 euros / month. 1 ricarica - 10 euro
Good restaurant : Between 30-50 euros in a 'normal' restaurant. That includes an aperitivo, 2 courses, desert, 2 drinks, maybe a bottle of wine and coffee after.
                  If you go to a 'high class' place in the center of Milan be sure that amount's gonna be at least double for the same stuff:)
Prices of a beer/coffee: I don't drink beer, however I think it's around 3-4 euros in a pub. Coffee around 1.5 - 2 euros. If you go to a normal, small bar a coffee is between 90 cents to 1.10 euros.

Hi rexxy,

Thank you very much for this useful information.

No problem

This is a really interesting discussion and has given me some much needed info.

aww italy is expansive!

Hi i live in milan , for food i can tell u that for 20 or 30 euro u can buy a lot of things in supermarket like PENNY MARKET and LIDL for a 1 or 2 week.
For transport , its will cost 1,50 E a ticket
For lunch with 10 euro u have a menu in many bar or restaurant with main dish and second with water + coffe , but now around the town there are more chinese restaurant that make italian food aswell that its more cheap and its will cost like 7 or 8 euro.
For dinner well there are the aperitivo that it cost around 10 euro and u can eat all u want until u are not satisfied.

By the way u can find more deal in internet that give many opportunites to eat or anything else with very less price for example like this one http://it.letsbonus.com/milano , i know many of this site that offer many deal

Hi All.
I am moving to Milan next Month for one year and I really need the help of those who are living in Milan.I looking to move in  nice apartment  close to the center where  I will do my bussiness and i want to know how much they cost. I contacted one agnecy and they told me it costs 1700 euro + elec + gas .  my question , is this price reasonable for a 1 bedroom aprt which is clean and close to the center? please note that I can't speak italian but hopefully after one year I will  ...

thank you in advance.

well an appartment in the center its cost very much , but i think u can find a better price than that , but depend which one are u looking for!

Hi! I live in Milan, downtown - it is one of the most expensive cities.
It has a very defined structure:
1) city centre: VERY EXPENSIVE
2) semi-centre "Intern Circonvallazione": EXPENSIVE but Affordable
3) Out of the "Circonvallazione" - sort of ring street in the city: Affordable

accommodation prices:
1) 600€ for a room, 2000€ and more for a double room apartment
2) 450€ for a room, 1200€ for a double room apartment
3) 300€ for a room, 800-1000€ for a double room apartment

> public transportation fares 1,50€ a one way ticket that lasts an hour but beware: you can take the underground and then the bus, but if you get the bus and then the sub you have to pay for a new ticket!

> food prices 300€ - 500€, it depends on your purchases.

> health prices: free - mostly if public or very very cheap but good quality

> energy prices: now oil is 1,8€/litre - very expensive

> common bills:
mobile 30€/month
house+internet: 20/30€/month
electricity: 30€ +-

> prices of a good menu in a traditional restaurant: 30€

> prices of a beer or a coffee in a regular pub: beer 4,5€, coffee 1€, long drinks (Mojito): goes from 6/7 to 12. And 10€ in disco.

If you have any question just contact!

Thank you for your input

Aurélie

I have read about everywhere in Italy but for Trento - as anyone an idea of the cost of living or is it similar to let say Milan or Rome ?

Trento is a lot cheaper than Milan or Rome..! to all the prices you have read you can chop off a good third!

Thank you so much for the fast reply...

And I am pleased to learn that !!!

Would this mean that an house or an apartment
smack downtown Trento would be under 1000 Euros ?

you are welcome!
well...i'd say that a small apartment would be even 800 euros..! I'm talking about a bachelor kind of apartment! I guess a 2 bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom would be 1200/1300 maybe..! I really don't know for the houses..here are not many..age certainly not downtown..! in the city you can find 99% flats!

Good to know !

According to our Budget, we figured that a house/apartment or whatever should be in the area of 650 to 900 Max Euros...
We'll worry about it once there.

My wife is going before me, like in August. So her job will be to hunt for living quarters while I'll be there only around Sept. or Oct. with the dog. That's our biggest worry right now. To get a Dog from Canada to Italy is quite complicated. I haven't understood everything yet but I know that it's gonna take time.

And the fact, that - if - we do not sell our House before the 14th of Oct. I will to hunt for renters... Oh what fun !!!

yes, as far as I know (a friend had to bring 2 dogs from Venezuela to Italy) it was around 400$ per dog..and quite tricky, if I remember well the dogs had to stay a certain period to check their health in the hands of the guards (maybe because it was Venezuela..)..

where are you from Canada? I'm moving in Toronto the beginning of September..do you have tips?

I hope you'll have a wonderful trip! I live in Milan, but if you're wife has any kind of difficulRt
please don't be afraid to contact me, I'll be glad to help!!

elettra

Thank you for your offer...

Of all the Canadian cities - Why Toronto ?
If you think that Milan is expensive...

But most people I know are living with others
They tend to co-rent aparts because it is so
expensive. I also know someone who, in the
summer time lives in his car because the only
house he could afford was like 4 hours away
from downtown Toronto.

But if you're lucky and get a decent place
Toronto can be very entertaining. There is
always something going on and there is a lot
to see. I live next to Ottawa, 6 hours from
Toronto and 2 hours away from Montreal and
even if I'm from there I still prefer to go
visit Toronto when I can.

Matter of taste I suppose...

But feel free to ask any questions about
Canada. It's a big country and even if it's
quite young, it is still a beautiful place.

I like to say; a rock without hitting something historical !
Where in Canada you can't through a rock hard
enough to hit anything !!!>

well..I chose Toronto for working reasons..and also its closer to europe than Vancouver and is an English region..plus it looks beautiful!
is sad to know is such expensive..I hope I'll find a good place to stay...

actually I have a couple of questions..
how much does it take to cross by underground the entire city?
how do you fight winter?
what is the thug you prefer and the one you hate most?

thank you!!

Hello Elettra_90.

I think you should start a new thread on the Toronto forum for better viisbility and interaction.

PS: The topic is on Cost of living in Italy.

Thank you,
Aurélie

So I have transferred our discussion here.......

Cost of Living in Toronto

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 346#805236

can you tell me the cost of living i venice....
i got an admmission in ca foscari university

The cost of living, anywhere from Naples going north is pretty much the same. It is expensive in general but you do have to watch for those special bargains.

Rent is a good deal when it includes everything but try to avoid surrounding the U. They tend to be more expensive. Don't be afraid to travel a bit to save money.

Food is not too bad. Look for deals at the different Markets if you get the fliers.

Clothing is the same - watch for sales

But most important - learn Italian before you get here. It's a plus...

Hi everyone,
I live in Bangladesh & working as a tour guide. Recently I've got the chance to study in Italy. University of Insubria, located in Como. So I plan to move there this August 2013.
I don't have any Idea about the cost of living in Como. so It will be a great help for me if someone give me detail answer.
Thanks.

I live in Lombardia, in a small town not too far from Monza.

accommodation prices (how much does it cost to rent or to buy an accommodation in Italy?)
I pay 600€/month for an 85m2 apartment in a cute old town. Buying that apartment would probably be around 250K€.

public transportation fares (tube, bus etc ...)
there's very little public transportation around here. regional trains are cheap (about 1€/10km) but slow and dirty. I bought a car!

food prices(per month, how much does it cost you?)
the company subsidizes lunch, so I pay something like 1€/day for lunch. My groceries cover breakfast, snack, dinner and I probably spend 150€/month (but I "buy expensive," with quite a lot of "convenience fresh food")

health prices (for those who need medical insurance)
It's deducted from my paycheck, I never really checked. I also pay an complementary insurance via work, which also pays a part. I think I pay about 10€ a month for that. you do have to pay most of the drugs. And I still haven't figured out what's reimbursed and what's not.

education prices (if you need to pay)
I don't think tuition is high.

energy prices (oil, electricity)
oil is expensive, one of the highest in Europe (around 1.80€/liter), electricity is rather cheap (I pay about 10€/month, I don't have A/C), methanol gas? it's heavy: to heat my home and water, it reaches almost 1000€/year, concentrated around winter months. I checked with my neighbors, this is standard around here.

common bills (Internet, television, telephone, mobile phone)
Internet isn't cheap and the service isn't too good. I pay about 90€ every two months for internet and land line with telecom italia. I don't have TV. I have prepaid phone: 2€/weeks for data, and I pay my phone calls. Italy is one of the last countries that charges establishing a phone call.

prices of a good menu in a traditional restaurant
Lunch menus are cheap: about 10€. Count 25 in the evening, or if it's a fish/meat menu.

prices of a beer or a coffee in a regular pub
coffee 1€, pint 4€.