Moving to Italy from Kentucky

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Kentucky to Italy? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Kentucky to Italy, you would find that Italy is 3.2% more expensive than Kentucky. A $75,000 salary in Kentucky would need to be roughly €68,690 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 Kentucky and Italy.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 €68,690

To maintain the same standard of living in Italy

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 9.9% more

Groceries

pay 2.2% more

Transportation

pay 54.1% more

Housing

pay 27.2% less

Childcare

pay 55.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.8717 EUR (June 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Kentucky to Italy.

Moved in 2023
2,683 ↑ 22% vs 2022

people moved from United States 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

The numbers behind daily life in Italy compared to Kentucky.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

KY
38.2%
IT
19.9%

Italy performs significantly better than Kentucky across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

KY
87.4%
IT
75.0%

Kentucky performs better than Italy across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

KY
3.5%
IT
7.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

KY
$50,135
IT
$52,700

Kentucky generally does better on employment & economy, though Italy leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

KY
73.5 yrs
IT
82.6 yrs

Italy performs significantly better than Kentucky 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.

Bowling Green Rain: 49.9 in/yr (1267 mm)
69° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bowling Green Rome
Jan–Mar 52°/31°F (11°/-1°C) 56°/39°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/55°F (25°/13°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/64°F (30°/18°C) 85°/63°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/38°F (15°/3°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Bowling Green Rome
Jan 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.1°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C)
Feb 50°/30°F (10.0°/-1.3°C) 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C)
Mar 60°/37°F (15.4°/2.8°C) 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C)
Apr 70°/46°F (20.9°/7.6°C) 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C)
May 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.8°C) 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C)
Jun 86°/64°F (30.1°/17.7°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C)
Jul 89°/68°F (31.9°/19.9°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C)
Aug 89°/66°F (31.6°/18.9°C) 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C)
Sep 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.4°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C)
Oct 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C)
Nov 59°/38°F (15.2°/3.1°C) 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C)
Dec 48°/29°F (8.8°/-1.6°C) 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology 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

United States passport holder visiting Italy

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Italy without a visa.
Italy passport

Italy passport holder visiting United States

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

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 Kentucky?

On average Italy is around 5% pricier than Kentucky, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Italy?

Budget about €17,172 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 Kentucky and Italy are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Italy compared to Kentucky?

Italy performs significantly better than Kentucky across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 69°F in Bowling Green. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Bowling Green gets 49.9 in.

What language do they speak in Italy?

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

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At a Glance

IT
Population 4,339,367 61,095,551
Currency United States Dollar ($) Euro (€)
Languages English Catalan, Italian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +39
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 112