Bruce A. Says:
I’m looking to live full-time in Italy. I would like a one-bedroom apartment, furnished, in a serene, quiet area near an urban center.
My budget is €1,400 per month. Am I even being reasonable or unrealistic to find such?
IL Italy Correspondent Chip Stites Says:
Hi Bruce,
The answer depends slightly on whether your budget of €1,400 per month is just for rent of the apartment you mention, or all living expenses.
It may be possible to live on €1,400 a month in the south of Italy, but in a very small town, but most of the numbers I have seen are closer to €2,000. You would have rent of €400 or less, and you would need to speak Italian, but that would not be the main problem.
Unless you are a citizen, you would need a visa, and the requirement for income is about €3,000 a month to qualify for a visa.
If the €1,400 is just for rent, you’re in luck.
There are seaside areas all around the southern and central parts of Italy that will offer what you seek. Bari, Lecce, Otranto, Brindisi, Ancona, Pescara, and San Benedetto del Tronto are all towns where you can find quiet neighborhoods close to the city centers.
To find a rental, use the real estate websites Immobiliare, Idealista, and/or Gate-Away.
Look at the province you want to live in: Puglia, Basilicata, Compania, Calabria, Abruzzo, etc. Then click on Rent or Affitate, and look at the houses or apartments available—I think you may find what you’re looking for.
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