Moving to Italy from California
What to Expect
Considering a move from California to Italy? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from California to Italy, you would find that Italy is 22.6% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly €49,716 in Italy to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Catalan and Italian.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between California and Italy.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €49,716
To maintain the same standard of living in Italy
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 13.4% less
Groceries
pay 22.5% less
Transportation
pay 10.8% more
Housing
pay 49.6% less
Childcare
pay 67.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 33.8% 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 36% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from California to Italy.
people moved from United States to Italy · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Italy compared to California.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Italy performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California 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
share of people below the poverty line
California performs better than Italy across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Italy performs significantly better than California across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Italy
Visa Free
Italy passport holder visiting United States
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 California?
On average Italy is about 24% less expensive than California, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Italy?
Budget about €12,429 for 3 months in Italy (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Italy?
From major Italy cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in California and Italy are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Italy compared to California?
Italy performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Italy compared to California?
The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in Italy?
The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In California, the official language is English.
