The supply will probably be from the National Electric Energy Authority (ENEL), unless you’re in larger cities like Milan and Rome, where there is competition from companies such as AEM and ACEA. Note, though, that your bill will be a great deal higher if you do not use gas and if you choose to live in one of Italy’s alpine regions. Most families get an electricity bill of around $70 every two months. Prices vary from commune to commune, but are normally between $0.001 to $0.002 per cubic foot. Individual homes are on a metered supply controlled by the local municipality. Water charges ( acquedotto comunale) are seldom included in the service charges for apartment dwellings. This is only likely to prove a problem if you cannot produce your permesso di soggiorno (stay permit) and codice fiscale (tax number)-both are needed in order to sign contracts.īills will arrive every two months, and you can settle them at the utility offices, post offices, or at your local bank. Getting things reconnected will mean signing new contracts with a local provider. Whether you are buying or renting a property in Italy, you’ll almost certainly find that the gas, electricity, and telephone have been disconnected. It’s impossible to give any kind of average square foot price for real estate in Italy, though as a rule of thumb, you’ll pay far less for homes in provincial towns than in major cities. If you’re in a position to share an apartment, your monthly rent will be lower and your disposable income accordingly higher. With a monthly rent of, say, $680, disposable income is about $680 a month, or $8,160 a year. In practical terms this means that if you’re an English teacher in Florence, for example, you can expect to earn around $1,360 a month after taxes. Couples may require an income of between about $28,500 and $45,500 euro. Housing costs aside, singles can enjoy a comfortable lifestyle in northern and central Italy on an annual income of around $18,000 to $28,500. Obviously, how much it costs to live in Italy will depend on your own lifestyle and where you choose to settle. Living like a local (eating local produce, drinking local wine, using public transportation) makes living in Italy very affordable. Obviously, how much it costs to live in Italy is largely dependent on your own lifestyle and where you choose to settle. In these areas, a meal in a nice restaurant costs less than $20 a head. In Italy’s south, you can buy jugs of local wine for as little as $4. Mark’s Square in Venice, and all your fears are likely to be confirmed! Truth is, outside of the tourist hotspots, you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy the good life. Many tourists are under the impression that Italy is expensive and therefore the prospect of living in Italy seems unrealistic.