Moving to Italy from New York

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from New York to Italy, you would find that Italy is 16.9% cheaper than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly €54,048 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 58°F in Albany, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between New York and Italy.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 €54,048

To maintain the same standard of living in Italy

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 4.4% less

Groceries

pay 21.5% less

Transportation

pay 21.6% more

Housing

pay 39.4% less

Childcare

pay 65.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 32.3% less

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.

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 25% less than cities in New York.

New York

Queens 73%
Ithaca 62%

Italy

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

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Italy

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 New York 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 New York.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of adults with obesity

NY
29.9%
IT
19.9%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

NY
89.7%
IT
75.0%

New York 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

NY
4.4%
IT
7.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NY
$91,992
IT
$52,700

New York performs better than Italy across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NY
77.7 yrs
IT
82.6 yrs

Italy performs significantly better than New York 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.

Albany Rain: 39.4 in/yr (1000 mm)
58° / 39°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Albany Rome
Jan–Mar 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) 56°/39°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) 85°/63°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Albany Rome
Jan 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C)
Feb 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C)
Mar 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C)
Apr 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C)
May 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C)
Jun 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C)
Jul 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C)
Aug 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C)
Sep 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C)
Oct 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C)
Nov 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C)
Dec 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°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 New York?

On average Italy is about 17% less expensive than New York, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Italy?

Budget about €13,512 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 New York and Italy are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Italy compared to New York?

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

What's the weather like in Italy compared to New York?

The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 58°F in Albany. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Albany gets 39.4 in.

What language do they speak in Italy?

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

Share this

At a Glance

IT
Population 19,378,102 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