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A GUIDE FOR Moving TO

Italy

white motor scooter near building

A GUIDE FOR Moving TO

Italy

white motor scooter near building

A GUIDE FOR Moving TO

Italy

GUIDE FOR

Moving to Italy? Here is what you need to know

Moving to Italy? Here is what you need to know

Italy has always been a dream destination for expats, retirees, students, and digital nomads. With its world-famous cuisine, breathtaking architecture, warm climate, and relaxed lifestyle, Italy offers an irresistible blend of beauty and comfort. Whether you’re imagining life among the canals of Venice, the rolling Tuscan hills, the vibrant streets of Rome, or the sunny southern coastlines, Italy provides endless charm for newcomers.

To make your move smooth and rewarding, it’s important to understand Italy’s culture, work environment, lifestyle, and the practical costs involved in relocating.
This guide gives you a complete overview of Italy, including cultural insights, work life, language basics, and relocation tips.

How much does it cost to move to Italy?

The cost of moving to Italy varies depending on your point of departure, shipment size, and transportation method. Here are realistic average price ranges for international relocations to Italy.

Average moving costs by region of origin

  • From within Europe: €1,200 – €4,000

  • From the UK: €1,800 – €4,500

  • From North America (USA/Canada): €4,500 – €8,500

  • From Latin America: €5,000 – €9,000

  • From Asia/Oceania: €6,000 – €12,000

  • From the Middle East: €2,800 – €6,000

Costs depend on the volume of goods, whether you choose shared container (groupage) or full container shipping, and additional services like packing, storage, insurance, customs handling, or vehicle/pet relocation.

Factors that influence your moving cost

  • Distance and country of origin

  • Volume of belongings (m³)

  • Transport type:

    • Sea freight – economical

    • Air freight – faster but expensive

  • Season: peak demand in spring and summer

  • Additional services: packing, customs assistance, insurance, pet relocation, storage, vehicle shipment

Typical examples

  • Move from France to Milan with 10 m³: €1,500 – €2,500

  • Couple relocating from the USA to Rome with 20 m³: €5,000 – €7,000

  • Family moving from Australia to Florence with 30 m³: €8,000 – €12,000

For the most accurate pricing, requesting a personalised quote is the best option.

A Glimpse into Italy

Geography and climate

Italy is a southern European country shaped like a boot, bordered by France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. Known for its dramatic coastlines, fertile plains, mountains, and volcanic regions, it offers an incredible variety of landscapes.

Climate varies by region:

  • North: colder winters, warm summers (Alps and Po Valley)

  • Central Italy: mild climate, warm summers (Tuscany, Lazio)

  • South and islands (Sicily, Sardinia): hot summers, warm winters

With its diverse geography and Mediterranean climate, Italy appeals to a wide range of lifestyle preferences.

A snapshot of history

Italy’s history is one of the richest and most influential in the world. It is the birthplace of the Roman Empire, the Renaissance, and countless cultural inventions that shaped modern Europe.

Key historical highlights:

  • Roman Empire: advanced engineering, architecture, and law

  • Middle Ages: rise of city-states such as Venice, Florence, Genoa

  • Renaissance (14th–17th century): explosion of art, science, and culture

  • Unification of Italy (1861): formation of the modern nation

  • 20th century: reconstruction after WWII, development into a democratic republic

  • Today: a cultural powerhouse with global influence in food, fashion, design, and art

Italy’s past is visible everywhere, through ancient ruins, medieval towns, and Renaissance masterpieces.

Diving into Italian culture

Italy is vibrant, warm, expressive, and deeply connected to tradition and family life.

Food and drink

Italian cuisine is beloved worldwide for its simplicity, freshness, and flavour. Each region offers something unique. Popular dishes include:

  • Pizza (Naples)

  • Pasta (countless regional varieties)

  • Risotto (Lombardy)

  • Gelato

  • Tiramisu

  • Espresso and cappuccino

  • Olive oil, cheeses, and cured meats

Sharing meals with loved ones is central to Italian culture.

Festivals

Italy hosts countless festivals and cultural events throughout the year:

  • Carnevale (Venice): elaborate masks and costumes

  • Palio di Siena: historic horse race

  • Ferragosto (August): nationwide summer celebration

  • Easter processions: major religious events

  • Food festivals: truffles, wine, chocolate, olives, and regional specialties

These celebrations bring communities together and reflect Italy’s passion for tradition.

Lifestyle and social norms

Daily life in Italy reflects warmth, connection, and enjoyment:

  • Family is central: relatives often live close and gather frequently

  • Social culture: Italians enjoy lively conversation and café culture

  • Relaxed lifestyle: especially in the south

  • Style and presentation: elegance and appearance are valued

  • Respect for food and dining rituals

  • Punctuality: more flexible than in northern Europe, but varies by context

Adapting to these cultural rhythms helps newcomers feel at home.

Working in Italy

Italy’s work culture blends professionalism with personal relationships.

Business culture

  • Relationships and trust matter greatly

  • Meetings may include informal conversation

  • Hierarchies exist but collaboration is common

  • Communication is often expressive and warm

  • Work–life balance varies by region and industry

Job opportunities for expats

  • Tourism and hospitality

  • Education (especially English teaching)

  • Fashion and design

  • Engineering and manufacturing

  • Technology and startups (growing sector)

  • Research and academia

  • Food and wine industries

Northern cities like Milan, Turin, and Bologna offer strong job markets, while Rome is significant for government and international organisations.

Italiano made simple

While many Italians speak English learning basic Italian will greatly improve your experience and help you connect with locals.

Common Italian phrases

English

Italian

Hello

Ciao / Buongiorno

Goodbye

Arrivederci

Thank you

Grazie

Please

Per favore

How are you?

Come stai?

I don’t understand

Non capisco

Where is the nearest…?

Dov’è il/la più vicino/a…?

Can you help me?

Puoi aiutarmi?

How much does this cost?

Quanto costa?

Do you speak English?

Parli inglese?

Even a few phrases will help you navigate daily life with confidence.

Final thoughts

Italy offers an unforgettable blend of history, beauty, warmth, and lifestyle. From its delicious cuisine and iconic cities to its friendly people and relaxed pace of life, Italy has something for everyone. Whether you’re relocating for work, family, education, or simply to enjoy la dolce vita, Italy welcomes newcomers with open arms.

Embrace the culture, enjoy the rhythm of everyday life, and discover why so many people dream of calling Italy home.

Benvenuto/a in Italia! (Welcome to Italy!)

Sponsors

A + International

A + International

A + International

APRIL International is a global leader in international health insurance, providing coverage to over 150,000 policyholders worldwide in both their professional and personal lives. Our mission is to make healthcare easily accessible, no matter where you are.

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A Place in the Sun Currency

A Place in the Sun Currency

A Place in the Sun Currency

Our service is specifically designed for anyone making overseas payments to buy, maintain, or sell an overseas property. We understand the importance of an efficient and transparent currency service and have an experienced team in place to help make your money go further and secure your very own “place in the sun”.

Buying and transferring currency across borders is a critical part of any overseas property transaction to get right, and our personal account-manager led service is here to help you understand and navigate the process safely and securely, without incurring any unnecessary costs. You can benefit from our knowledge about both the currency markets, and the logistics of international payments.



Abroad Experience Recruitment

Abroad Experience Recruitment

Abroad Experience Recruitment

Abroad Experience specializes in connecting international professionals with exciting career opportunities in the Netherlands. With a focus on multilingual job seekers, we help candidates find roles that align with their skills, ambitions, and background.

From recent graduates to experienced professionals, we provide guidance throughout the recruitment process, offering job placements in fields such as customer service, finance, marketing, and more. Our goal is to make international job transitions seamless, ensuring candidates find the right opportunities while supporting them every step of the way.

It is of utmost importance to us that we offer a high level of service and build strong and trusting relationships with clients and candidates. As an international agency, we are devoted to international professionals in order to help them succeed on the Dutch labor market. As part of our recruitment services we can provide you with feedback on your CV & interview preparation sessions.

ActiveQuote Ltd

ActiveQuote Ltd

ActiveQuote Ltd

ActiveQuote is a leading comparison platform for health insurance, providing an easy way for individuals and businesses to compare health plans from a wide range of providers. With a focus on transparency, ActiveQuote helps customers find the best insurance coverage that suits their needs and budget, whether for personal or family health insurance, or for small businesses looking to provide benefits to employees.

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Aetna Health Insurance

Aetna Health Insurance

Aetna Health Insurance

Aetna is a leading global health insurance company providing a wide range of health plans and services for individuals, families, and businesses. With a strong presence in both the United States and internationally, Aetna focuses on improving health outcomes by offering affordable and accessible healthcare coverage.

Aetna provides a comprehensive range of products, including health, dental, vision, and disability insurance, as well as health management programs designed to support customers in leading healthier lives. With an emphasis on innovation and customer care, Aetna aims to deliver high-quality healthcare solutions that meet the needs of diverse populations worldwide.

Agato Visa & Immigration

Agato Visa & Immigration

Agato Visa & Immigration

Our life is full of metaphors; sometimes we don’t even notice them. However, if you look at today’s world through such a metaphorical lens, you understand why it can be compared to the river. It is dynamic, it is fast moving, every day it gets filled with new streams of ideas, tendencies, and innovations. Then, we can consider different organizations as banks of that river. They all have their traditions, cultural colors, and shades. That’s why there must be something to connect these banks, to make them united by common desires, ideas, business, strategies, language, etc. Therefore, our company come to serve as the bridge for that; we can build a connection between people, business organizations and various establishments. This singular belief makes ourselves and our clients’ products/services and international brand distinguishable amongst all of the rest.

April International

April International

April International

Global Health Insurance, 100% Online – Anytime, Anywhere!

Whether you're an expatriate, student, frequent traveler, au pair, or business, we offer flexible insurance solutions for anyone traveling abroad. From registration to reimbursement, we make it easy to manage your health needs worldwide!

As a global leader in international health insurance, APRIL International provides comprehensive coverage for individuals, families, and businesses. Specializing in expatriate insurance, we offer tailored health plans that ensure access to quality healthcare—whether for short-term trips, long-term stays, or corporate needs.

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Apt Wealth Partners

Apt Wealth Partners

Apt Wealth Partners

Apt Wealth Partners is a trusted financial advisory firm based in Australia, providing expert wealth management, financial planning, and investment solutions. With a client-first approach, we help individuals, families, and businesses achieve their financial goals through tailored strategies and long-term planning.

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Arag

Arag

Arag

As an independent family enterprise, we take pride in our unique identity. With operations in 19 countries, we are Germany’s largest family-owned company and the world’s leading legal insurer. Our commitment to legal protection has made us one of the top providers in the German insurance industry.

At ARAG, we empower individuals, families, and businesses with access to legal support. With decades of expertise, we offer comprehensive legal coverage, ensuring our clients can defend their rights without financial strain.

Whether it’s personal legal matters or business disputes, we provide tailored solutions, including legal consultations, court representation, and mediation services. Our dedication to justice and accessibility drives us to make legal support available to everyone, helping our clients navigate legal challenges with confidence.

Arslan Lit

Arslan Lit

Arslan Lit

At Arslan Lit Advocaten, we specialize in commercial and corporate law in the Netherlands, offering high-quality legal services tailored to your needs. Whether you're a business or an individual, we provide expert advice and representation on matters such as contract disputes, corporate governance, and business litigation.

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