Moving to Italy from Germany
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Germany to Italy — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Germany to Italy, you would find that Italy is 11.6% cheaper than Germany overall. A €65,700 salary in Germany would need to be roughly €61,252 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 56°F in Berlin, making it significantly warmer.
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 Germany to Italy.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → €61,252
To maintain the same standard of living in Italy
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 13.2% less
Groceries
pay 1.8% more
Transportation
pay 11.3% less
Housing
pay 26.0% less
Childcare
pay 15.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 10.1% 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 9% less than cities in Germany.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Germany to Italy, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Germany to Italy.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Germany 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 Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Germany 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
Germany generally does better on infrastructure, though Italy leads in water stress level.
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
Germany 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
Italy generally does better on family life, though Germany leads in education spending.
Data: Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt), 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 | Berlin | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Berlin | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) |
| Mar | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) |
| May | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) |
| Oct | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) |
| Nov | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) |
| Dec | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) |
Data:
Deutscher Wetterdienst,
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Germany 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.
Germany passport holder visiting Italy
Visa Free
Italy passport holder visiting Germany
Visa FreeData: 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 Germany?
Yes — Italy is on average about 7% cheaper than Germany. 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 €15,313 in Italy on a €65,700 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?
Germany 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 Germany. About 61% of people in Italy feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Italy compared to Germany?
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 42.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Italy, compared to 45.2 in Germany. Italy scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Germany: 88).
What's the weather like in Italy compared to Germany?
The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.
What language do they speak in Italy?
The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In Germany, the official language is German.
