Moving to Illinois from Italy
What to Expect
Considering a move from Italy to Illinois? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Italy to Illinois, you would find that Illinois is 29.0% more expensive than Italy overall. A €67,000 salary in Italy would need to be roughly $96,800 in Illinois to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Chicago averages 59°F vs 69°F in Rome, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Illinois cheaper than Italy?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 5.2% less
Groceries
pay 13.9% more
Transportation
pay 13.4% less
Housing
pay 77.3% more
Childcare
pay 2.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 32.8% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Illinois?
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → $96,800
To maintain the same standard of living in Illinois
Calculate with your salary →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 Illinois cost about 3% more than cities in Italy.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Illinois
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Italy to Illinois.
people moved from Italy to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
30.309,965
Italy
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Illinois compared to Italy.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Italy performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Illinois performs significantly 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
Illinois performs significantly better than Italy across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Italy performs better than Illinois across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Illinois vs Italy
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Rome | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) | 38°/22°F (3°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 48°/32°F (9°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Rome | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) | 31°/17°F (-0.6°/-8.6°C) |
| Feb | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) | 35°/20°F (1.8°/-6.6°C) |
| Mar | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) | 47°/29°F (8.1°/-1.6°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) | 59°/39°F (15.0°/3.8°C) |
| May | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) | 70°/48°F (21.1°/9.1°C) |
| Jun | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) | 80°/58°F (26.5°/14.5°C) |
| Jul | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) |
| Aug | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) | 82°/63°F (27.7°/17.2°C) |
| Sep | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) | 75°/54°F (23.8°/12.4°C) |
| Oct | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) | 62°/43°F (16.8°/6.0°C) |
| Nov | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) | 48°/32°F (9.0°/0.2°C) |
| Dec | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) | 35°/21°F (1.6°/-6.3°C) |
Data:
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology,
National Weather Service
Can you move from Italy to Illinois?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Italy and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Italy passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting Italy
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 Illinois than Italy?
On average Illinois is around 29% pricier than Italy, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Illinois?
Budget about $24,200 for 3 months in Illinois (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Illinois?
From major Illinois cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Italy and Illinois are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Illinois compared to Italy?
Italy performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Illinois compared to Italy?
The average high temperature in Chicago is 59°F, compared to 69°F in Rome. Chicago receives around 36.9 in of rainfall per year, while Rome gets 31.7 in.
What language do they speak in Illinois?
The official language in Illinois is English. In Italy, the official languages are Catalan and Italian.
