Moving to Italy from Spain
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Spain to Italy — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Spain to Italy, you would find that Italy is 13.5% more expensive than Spain overall. A €65,700 salary in Spain would need to be roughly €67,178 in Italy to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Spain to Italy.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → €67,178
To maintain the same standard of living in Italy
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 6.9% more
Groceries
pay 21.4% more
Transportation
pay 14.9% more
Housing
pay 1.8% more
Childcare
pay 18.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 19.1% more
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 3% more than cities in Spain.
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?
Real numbers on people moving from Spain to Italy, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Spain and Italy stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Spain generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Italy leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Spain performs better than Italy across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Spain generally does better on infrastructure, though Italy leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Italy generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Spain generally does better on family life, though Italy leads in life expectancy.
Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Madrid | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madrid | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) |
| Mar | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) |
| Aug | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) |
| Oct | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) |
| Nov | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) |
| Dec | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) |
Data:
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología,
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.
Spain passport holder visiting Italy
Visa Free
Italy passport holder visiting Spain
Visa FreeData: 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 Spain?
Headline costs are within a few percent between Italy and Spain; rent and dining are where you'll actually feel differences.
How much money do I need to move to Italy?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,700 comparable salary, that's around €16,794 in Italy for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Italy?
With 31.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Italy can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Spain and Italy.
Is Italy safe for expats?
Spain 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 0.7 in Spain. About 61% of people in Italy feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Italy compared to Spain?
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Italy leads in adult obesity rate. There are 42.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Italy, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Italy scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).
What's the weather like in Italy compared to Spain?
The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.
What language do they speak in Italy?
The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.
