Moving to Italy from South Carolina

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from South Carolina to Italy, you would find that Italy is 25.0% cheaper than South Carolina. A $75,000 salary in South Carolina would need to be roughly €50,200 in Italy to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Catalan and Italian.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Italy cheaper than South Carolina?

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

Restaurants

pay 1.4% less

Groceries

pay 25.7% less

Transportation

pay 28.3% more

Housing

pay 48.1% less

Childcare

pay 51.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 16.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.8929 EUR (November 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 Italy?

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 → €50,200

To maintain the same standard of living in Italy

Calculate with your salary →

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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from South Carolina to Italy, based on official data.

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Carolina to Italy.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2024

share of adults with obesity

SC
35.4%
IT
14.0%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2024

share of households with internet

SC
87.0%
IT
89.2%

Italy performs significantly better than South Carolina across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

SC
4.9%
IT
6.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

SC
$49,914
IT
$43,309

South Carolina performs better than Italy across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2024

average years of life at birth

SC
74.8 yrs
IT
84.0 yrs

Italy performs significantly better than South Carolina across all family life metrics.

Weather in Italy vs South Carolina

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Charleston Rain: 44.4 in/yr (1128 mm)
73° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Charleston Rome
Jan–Mar 61°/47°F (16°/8°C) 56°/39°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/75°F (30°/24°C) 85°/63°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 67°/54°F (20°/12°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Charleston Rome
Jan 57°/43°F (13.7°/6.0°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C)
Feb 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.5°C) 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C)
Mar 65°/52°F (18.3°/10.9°C) 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C)
Apr 72°/59°F (22.2°/14.9°C) 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C)
May 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C) 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C)
Jun 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.3°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C)
Jul 88°/77°F (30.9°/24.9°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C)
Aug 86°/76°F (30.2°/24.5°C) 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C)
Sep 82°/72°F (27.8°/22.1°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C)
Oct 75°/62°F (23.7°/16.9°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C)
Nov 67°/54°F (19.6°/12.0°C) 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C)
Dec 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.6°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

Can you move from South Carolina to Italy?

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 South Carolina?

Yes — Italy is on average about 25% cheaper than South Carolina. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Italy?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €12,550 in Italy on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Italy?

Usually fine from major cities in Italy. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Italy compared to South Carolina?

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

What's the weather like in Italy compared to South Carolina?

The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 73°F in Charleston. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Charleston gets 44.4 in.

What language do they speak in Italy?

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

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At a Glance

IT
Population 5,570,274 58,915,656
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