Moving to United Kingdom from Italy

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Italy to United Kingdom — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Italy to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 32.5% more expensive than Italy overall. A €67,000 salary in Italy would need to be roughly £74,300 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°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 United Kingdom cheaper than Italy?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 2.5% more

Groceries

pay 13.2% less

Transportation

pay 26.9% more

Housing

pay 76.0% more

Childcare

pay 2.5 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 45.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 0.8377 GBP (October 2026)

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 United Kingdom?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → £74,300

To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom

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 United Kingdom cost about 21% more than cities in Italy.

Italy

Milan 68%
Bologna 60%
Monza 58%
Aosta 57%
Lucca 57%

United Kingdom

Surrey 79%
Harrow 74%
Ealing 72%
Wigan 68%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Italy to United Kingdom, based on official data.

Moved in 2019
18,000 ↓ 41% vs 2018

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

Who's moving to United Kingdom?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Italy to United Kingdom.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IT
0.6
GB
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IT
5.0
GB
2.4

Italy generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IT
$4,993
GB
$6,606
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

IT
41.9
GB
33.0

Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IT
15.0
GB
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IT
5.1t
GB
4.2t

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Italy across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IT
31.8
GB
42.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IT
29.8%
GB
14.3%

United Kingdom generally does better on infrastructure, though Italy leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IT
6.4%
GB
4.8%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IT
$43,309
GB
$57,602

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Italy across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IT
84.0 yrs
GB
81.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IT
2.3
GB
4.1

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

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Italian Revenue Agency (2016), HM Revenue & Customs (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in United Kingdom vs Italy

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Rome London
Jan–Mar 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) 49°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) 64°/48°F (18°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) 72°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 53°/43°F (12°/6°C)
View all months
Month Rome London
Jan 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C)
Feb 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C)
Mar 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C)
May 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Jul 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C)
Aug 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C)
Sep 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C)
Oct 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C)
Nov 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C)
Dec 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C)

Data: Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology, Met Office Met Office

Can you move from Italy to United Kingdom?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Italy and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.

Italy passport

Italy passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Italy passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United Kingdom.
United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Italy

Visa Free
United Kingdom passport holders can enter Italy 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 United Kingdom than Italy?

No — United Kingdom is on average about 32% more expensive than Italy. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly £18,575 in United Kingdom on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?

Internet is rarely the blocker — United Kingdom has 42.2 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 United Kingdom safe for expats?

Italy generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Italy.

How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Italy?

Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index. There are 33.0 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 41.9 in Italy. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Italy: 84).

What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Italy?

The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 69°F in Rome. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Rome gets 31.7 in.

What language do they speak in United Kingdom?

The official language in United Kingdom is English. In Italy, the official languages are Catalan and Italian.

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At a Glance

IT GB
Population 58,915,656 69,487,000
Currency Euro (€) British Pound Sterling (£)
Languages Catalan, Italian English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +39 +44
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 112 999