Moving to Italy from Washington

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Washington to Italy, you would find that Italy is 33.8% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly €44,300 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 Washington?

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

Restaurants

pay 12.5% less

Groceries

pay 20.3% less

Transportation

pay 5.3% more

Housing

pay 56.0% less

Childcare

pay 67.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 31.3% 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 → €44,300

To maintain the same standard of living in Italy

Calculate with your salary →

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 17% less than cities in Washington.

Washington

Redmond 81%
Seattle 81%
Bellevue 80%
Puyallup 76%

Italy

Milan 68%
Bologna 60%
Monza 58%
Aosta 57%
Lucca 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?

How many people actually move from Washington 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 Washington to Italy.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of adults with obesity

WA
31.1%
IT
14.0%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

WA
93.1%
IT
89.2%

Washington 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

WA
5.3%
IT
6.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

WA
$87,768
IT
$43,309

Washington 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

WA
79.2 yrs
IT
84.0 yrs

Italy performs significantly better than Washington across all family life metrics.

Weather in Italy vs Washington

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Seattle Rain: 37.5 in/yr (952 mm)
60° / 45°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Seattle Rome
Jan–Mar 50°/38°F (10°/3°C) 56°/39°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 74°/55°F (23°/13°C) 85°/63°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 52°/41°F (11°/5°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Seattle Rome
Jan 47°/37°F (8.4°/2.7°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C)
Feb 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.7°C) 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C)
Mar 54°/39°F (12.1°/4.1°C) 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C)
Apr 58°/42°F (14.7°/5.7°C) 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C)
May 65°/47°F (18.2°/8.5°C) 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C)
Jun 70°/52°F (21.1°/11.1°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C)
Jul 76°/56°F (24.3°/13.1°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C)
Aug 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.3°C) 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C)
Sep 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.2°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C)
Oct 60°/46°F (15.4°/7.7°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C)
Nov 51°/40°F (10.5°/4.4°C) 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C)
Dec 46°/36°F (7.6°/2.0°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

Can you move from Washington 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 Washington?

Yes — Italy is on average about 34% cheaper than Washington. 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 €11,075 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 Washington?

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

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

The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 60°F in Seattle. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Seattle gets 37.5 in.

What language do they speak in Italy?

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

Share this

At a Glance

IT
Population 8,001,020 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