Moving to Italy from Netherlands

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Netherlands to Italy, you would find that Italy is 23.1% cheaper than Netherlands overall. A €65,700 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly €50,911 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 Amsterdam, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Netherlands and Italy.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 €50,911

To maintain the same standard of living in Italy

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 25.2% less

Groceries

pay 1.9% less

Transportation

pay 24.7% less

Housing

pay 38.9% less

Childcare

pay 39.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 23.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown

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 22% less than cities in Netherlands.

Netherlands

Rotterdam 72%
Eindhoven 67%
Zwolle 62%

Italy

Milan 69%
Varese 59%
Venice 59%
Monza 59%
Rome 57%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
863 ↑ 14% vs 2022

people moved from Netherlands 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 Netherlands.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

NL
0.8
IT
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NL
3.4
IT
5.0

Netherlands generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NL
$8,195
IT
$4,993
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NL
39.1
IT
42.5

Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands 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

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NL
6.6t
IT
5.1t

Netherlands generally does better on environment, though Italy leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NL
44.4
IT
31.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NL
16.1%
IT
29.6%

Netherlands performs better than Italy across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NL
3.6%
IT
7.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NL
$69,300
IT
$52,700

Netherlands generally does better on employment & economy, though Italy leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NL
82.2 yrs
IT
82.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NL
3.4
IT
3.2

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

Data: Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Amsterdam Rain: 30.7 in/yr (780 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Amsterdam Rome
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 56°/39°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) 85°/63°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Amsterdam Rome
Jan 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C)
Feb 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C)
Mar 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C)
Apr 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C)
Jun 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C)
Sep 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C)
Oct 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C)
Nov 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C)

Data: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands 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.

Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Italy

Visa Free
Netherlands passport holders can enter Italy without a visa.
Italy passport

Italy passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Free
Italy passport holders can enter Netherlands 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 Italy than Netherlands?

On average Italy is about 23% less expensive than Netherlands, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Italy?

Budget about €12,728 for 3 months in Italy (based on a €65,700 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Italy?

Connectivity is usually fine (Italy: 31.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Italy offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Italy safe for expats?

Netherlands 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 Netherlands.

How is healthcare in Italy compared to Netherlands?

Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in health coverage index. There are 42.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Italy, compared to 39.1 in Netherlands. Italy scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.

What language do they speak in Italy?

The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.

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At a Glance

NL IT
Population 17,400,824 61,095,551
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Dutch Catalan, Italian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +31 +39
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112