Moving to Italy from Belgium

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Belgium to Italy — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Belgium to Italy, you would find that Italy is 15.9% cheaper than Belgium overall. A €65,700 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly €58,574 in Italy to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Catalan and Italian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Rome averages 69°F vs 57°F in Brussels, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Belgium to Italy.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 €58,574

To maintain the same standard of living in Italy

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 20.1% less

Groceries

pay 0.2% more

Transportation

pay 7.1% less

Housing

pay 23.5% less

Childcare

pay 29.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 15.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Belgium to Italy, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
563 ↑ 13% vs 2022

people moved from Belgium to Italy · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Italy?

Top countries of origin for Italy's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Belgium and Italy stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BE
1.1
IT
0.6
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

BE
62%
IT
61%

Belgium generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BE
$7,489
IT
$4,993
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BE
63.9
IT
42.5

Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BE
15.0
IT
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BE
7.3t
IT
5.1t

Belgium generally does better on environment, though Italy leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BE
43.5
IT
31.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BE
51.9%
IT
29.6%

Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Italy leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BE
5.5%
IT
7.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BE
$63,600
IT
$52,700

Belgium generally does better on employment & economy, though Italy leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BE
81.9 yrs
IT
82.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BE
3.2
IT
3.2

Italy generally does better on family life, though Belgium leads in education spending.

Data: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Rome Rain: 31.7 in/yr (804 mm)
69° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Brussels Rome
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 56°/39°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) 85°/63°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Brussels Rome
Jan 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C)
Feb 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C)
Mar 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C)
May 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C)
Jun 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C)
Jul 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C)
Aug 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C)
Oct 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C)
Nov 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C)

Data: Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique, Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium 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.

Belgium passport

Belgium passport holder visiting Italy

Visa Free
Belgium passport holders can enter Italy without a visa.
Italy passport

Italy passport holder visiting Belgium

Visa Free
Italy passport holders can enter Belgium without a visa.

Data: 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 Belgium?

Generally yes: Italy runs about 11% cheaper than Belgium on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Italy?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,700 comparable salary, that's around €14,644 in Italy for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Italy?

With 31.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Italy can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Belgium and Italy.

Is Italy safe for expats?

Belgium 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 1.1 in Belgium. About 61% of people in Italy feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Italy compared to Belgium?

Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 42.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Italy, compared to 63.9 in Belgium. Italy scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belgium: 86).

What's the weather like in Italy compared to Belgium?

The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Italy?

The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.

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At a Glance

BE IT
Population 11,847,338 61,095,551
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Dutch, French, German Catalan, Italian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +32 +39
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112