How Much Does It Cost to Rent an Apartment in Italy? (2026 Expat Guide)

How Much Does It Cost to Rent an Apartment in Italy? (2026 Expat Guide)

Welcome to my blog,

If you’re new here, my name is Rebeah, and I create content about Italy, living in Italy, expat life, and my journey. I’m originally from the UK, and I’ve been living in Italy for over four years now.

If you’re planning to move, understanding the real cost of renting in Italy can help you choose the right city and avoid expensive mistakes.

In this post, I want to talk about something that so many people ask me about:

How Much Does It Cost to Rent an Apartment in Italy? (2026 Expat Guide)

 How much does it actually cost to rent an apartment in Italy?

I’m not just going to focus on Turin I’m going to give you a realistic breakdown across different cities so you can start thinking about what might work for you.

 First Things First: It Depends

Before we get into numbers, let me say this clearly…

 It really depends.

The cost of renting in Italy will vary based on:

  • Your budget
  • The size of the apartment
  • The condition (modern vs older)
  • Whether it’s furnished or not
  • And most importantly… location

Location will change everything.

 Rent Prices in Major Italian Cities

Let’s use a 50 square meter apartment as a rough example so we can compare cities.

📍 Rome

  • €750 – €1000+

Rome is expensive, and honestly, you can easily pay more.

📍 Milan

  • €850 – €1100+

Very similar to London vibes when it comes to pricing expect to pay over the odds.

📍 Florence

  • €700 – €900

📍 Bologna

  • €650 – €800

📍 Naples

  • €600 – €800

📍 Palermo

  • €650 – €800

📍 Turin

  • €350 – €8000

Now this is where things get interesting…

Turin is way more affordable, and you can actually get a lot more for your money.

My Personal Experience Living in Turin

Where I live now, my apartment is around 85–90 square meters:

  • 2 bedrooms
  • 2 balconies
  • Spacious

 If we were renting this place, it would be around €500–€600 per month.

And honestly? That’s amazing value.

 City Centre vs Outside the Centre

This is something you really need to think about.

 The further out you go:

  • The cheaper it gets
  • The bigger the space
  • The more peaceful it is

For me personally:

  • I love green spaces 
  • I like quiet
  • And I don’t mind travelling into the centre when I want

But I know some people want to be right in the middle of everything and that will cost you.

Important Things People Don’t Tell You

 Furnished vs Unfurnished

In Italy, “unfurnished” can mean:

 No kitchen 

Yes… no kitchen.

So you may need to:

  • Buy a kitchen
  • Install it yourself

(That’s definitely a whole other post )

 Condition of the Apartment

Lower prices often mean:

  • Older buildings
  • Less modern interiors

Not always a bad thing just something to be aware of.

 Bills Are Usually Separate

Just like in the UK:

  • Rent = separate
  • Bills = separate

This includes:

  • Gas
  • Electricity
  • Water

 Always ask:

“Is this with bills or without?”

 Deposits & Upfront Costs

This is a big one.

If you rent through an agency, expect:

  • 1st month rent
  • Deposit (usually 2–3 months)
  • Agency fee

 Total upfront:

€3000 – €5000 is realistic

It sounds like a lot but it’s normal here.

 A Quick Story Time

When I first moved to Turin…

 I was renting a room for €350 per month

And now looking back?

That’s basically the price of a small apartment here.

So things really do change as you settle in and understand the system.

 Contracts Are Important

Please, please make sure you:

 Get a proper contract

If you want more details on that, I’ve already written a post about renting contracts in Italy I’ll link it here when you’re ready.

So, how much does it cost to rent in Italy?

 It depends but now you have a realistic idea.

If you’re:

  • Moving to Italy
  • Thinking about it
  • Or just curious

This should help you start planning properly.

If you have any questions, drop them below 🤍

And if this helped you, feel free to share it with someone who’s thinking about moving to Italy.

Ciao for now 

xoxo Rebeah

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