Moving to Italy from Australia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Australia to Italy — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Australia to Italy, you would find that Italy is 10.9% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$107,450 salary in Australia would need to be roughly €60,239 in Italy to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Catalan and Italian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Australia to Italy.
What does your salary buy?
A$107,450 → €60,239
To maintain the same standard of living in Italy
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 0.9% more
Groceries
pay 0.8% less
Transportation
pay 16.1% more
Housing
pay 24.3% less
Childcare
pay 46.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 28.0% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Italy cost about 6% less than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Italy
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Australia to Italy, based on official data.
people moved from Australia to Italy · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Australia to Italy.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Australia generally does better on environment, though Italy leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Australia performs better than Italy across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Australia performs better than Italy across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia performs better than Italy across all family life metrics.
Data: Australian Taxation Office, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Canberra | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Italy. To live, work, or study long-term in Italy, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Italy's immigration authority.
Australia passport holder visiting Italy
Visa Free
Italy passport holder visiting Australia
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Italy than Australia?
Yes — Italy is on average about 8% cheaper than Australia. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Italy?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €15,060 in Italy on a A$107,450 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Italy?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Italy has 31.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Italy safe for expats?
Australia generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Italy is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Italy compared to Australia?
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in health coverage index. There are 42.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Italy, compared to 39.8 in Australia. Italy scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Italy compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Italy?
The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In Australia, the official language is English.
