Moving to Italy: The Complete Relocation Checklist
Everything to arrange before and after moving to Italy — codice fiscale, residency, the impatriati tax regime, healthcare, and realistic monthly costs.
By EuropeCalculators Team ·
Italy is the relocation where the gap between the dream and the paperwork is widest — and where one number closes most of it: the codice fiscale. Like Portugal's NIF, this tax code is the key to renting, banking, contracts, even a SIM card, and you can get it before you arrive. Combine that with one of Europe's most generous expat tax regimes and surprisingly low living costs outside Milan, and the dream holds up well.
Here's the checklist, in the order that actually works.
Before you arrive
1. Get your codice fiscale early
The codice fiscale is free and can be issued by any Italian consulate abroad, usually within days. Having it before your flight means you can sign a rental contract and open a bank account in week one instead of week six. In Italy, the Agenzia delle Entrate issues it on the spot.
2. Sort your right to stay
- EU/EEA/Swiss citizens: move freely; after 90 days, register your residence (residenza) at the local town hall (comune).
- Non-EU professionals: employer-sponsored work permits run through Italy's quota system (decreto flussi), with out-of-quota routes for highly skilled workers (EU Blue Card). The Italy digital nomad visa (2024) covers qualified remote workers earning roughly €28,000+ per year.
- Non-EU arrivals must apply for the permesso di soggiorno (residence permit) within 8 days of arrival — the kit comes from the post office.
3. Understand your net salary — and the impatriati regime
Italian income tax (IRPEF) is progressive up to 43%, with employee social security (INPS) around 9.2%, plus regional and municipal surcharges. Salaries are commonly paid in 13 or 14 monthly instalments — clarify every offer.
The headline act is the lavoratori impatriati regime: qualifying workers who move their tax residence to Italy pay tax on only 50% of employment income (up to €600,000) for five years — with conditions on prior foreign residence and staying in Italy. If you qualify, it transforms the net salary maths.
Run your offer through the Italy salary calculator, see the brackets in the Italy income tax calculator, and benchmark against the average salary in Italy.
Week 1–4: the registration chain
- Permesso di soggiorno kit (non-EU) — post office within 8 days of arrival, then a police appointment for fingerprints.
- Residenza — register your address at the comune; expect a follow-up visit from the local police to confirm you actually live there. Residenza unlocks healthcare and many discounts.
- Bank account — with codice fiscale and ID; Italian banking fees are among Europe's highest, so compare online banks too.
- SSN healthcare registration — register with the national health service at the local ASL office and choose your GP (medico di base). Registration is free for employees; some categories pay an annual fee.
Month 1: settling in
- Rent reality: one-bedrooms run €1,200–€1,600 in Milan, €900–€1,300 in Rome, €600–€900 in Bologna, Turin or Florence, and far less in the south. Contracts are commonly 4+4 years (transitional contracts exist); deposits up to 3 months. Check affordability with the rent affordability calculator.
- Utilities: electricity averages around €0.33/kWh — among the euro area's priciest. Estimate bills with the Italy electricity calculator.
- Phone & internet: excellent value — mobile plans from €8–€12/month, fibre €25–€30.
- Transport: urban passes €35–€60/month; high-speed rail (Frecciarossa, Italo) makes intercity life genuinely practical.
The money picture
A realistic single-person monthly budget in a major Italian city (2026):
| Category | Amount (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Rent (1-bed) | €750 – €1,400 |
| Groceries | €380 |
| Utilities & internet | €180 – €220 |
| Transport | €40 – €60 |
| Leisure | €150 – €300 |
| Total | ≈ €1,550 – €2,300 |
National averages sit near €1,550/month; Milan is the outlier at 40–60% above, while the south can halve the housing line. Model your own numbers with the Italy cost of living calculator, and see the full country picture on our Italy page.
Cultural fine print
- Ferragosto empties the country. Mid-August is a national pause; cities hand themselves to tourists and bureaucracy hibernates.
- The north–south divide is real — in salaries, rents, and job markets. The same role can pay 20–30% differently between Milan and Naples, with living costs to match.
- Paper and stamps still matter: the marca da bollo (revenue stamp from tobacco shops) is required on many official documents. Tobacconists (tabaccai) are secret admin hubs.
- Relationships open doors — a recommendation, a patient landlord, a helpful neighbour. Time invested in people is time saved on process.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a codice fiscale without a visa? Yes — it's an identification code, not a residence right, and consulates issue it to non-residents. It's the single best pre-move errand.
Do I qualify for the impatriati 50% tax break? Broad strokes: you haven't been an Italian tax resident in the previous three years, you commit to staying at least four, and you work primarily from Italy as a qualified worker. Details shifted in the 2024 reform — verify your case before counting the money.
Do I need Italian? For daily life outside international companies in Milan, yes — more than in most Northern European destinations. Public offices, healthcare and landlords operate overwhelmingly in Italian.
More relocation guides
Weighing up other destinations? We have the same checklist for the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, France, Switzerland, and Norway.
All figures are approximate estimates for general guidance and do not constitute financial, tax, or immigration advice.