Cost of Living in Italy for International Students 2025
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Cost of Living in Italy for International Students 2025

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Aishwarya
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert
Updated on Dec 11, 2024 17:53 IST
The cost of living in Italy for international students is lower than in other European countries. The annual average cost of living in Italy for an international student is around €8,400 approx. This annual cost includes accommodation which is around €600 - €1,200, the cost of meals which is €3,600 and the cost of personal expenses account for €3,600 approximately, it may vary from person to person.  
cost of living in italy

In case students do not find on-campus housing and are bound to opt for rented accommodation in Italy, then the cost can increase by €660 to €700 depending upon the current rates and type of shared options chosen. The cost of living in Italy for international students will also vary based on which Italian city they would be studying in. For instance, the cost of living index in Italy is the highest for Rome and Milan but the lowest for cities like Naples, Turin and Catania. 

Check out: A Complete Guide for International Students in Italy 2024

Cost of Living in Italy 2024 Highlights 

Annual Cost of Living in Italy 

€3,800 - €5,500 approx. 

Rented Accommodation Cost in Italy 

€200 - €600 per month 

Average Cost of Living in Italy for Students 

€1,500 - €2,400 annually  

Costliest Italian City 

Rome & Milan 

Cost of On-Campus Housing 

€200 - €300 per year 

Cost of Food  

€200 - €300 per month 

Personal Expenses 

€200 or above per year 

Cheapest Italian Cities

Naples, Pisa, Turin and others

Cost of Living in Italy for Indian Students  

Living expenses in Italy for Indian students depend on the kind of accommodation they choose for themselves. In case they opt for on-campus housing accommodation at their respective Italy University of study, then the rates may be lower, or else rentals can be 20-30% higher than university accommodations.  

  • Universities offering on-campus housing options can cost an international student studying in Italy between €200 - €300 for one academic year. 
  • Whereas, international students going for rented housing options in Italy can pay up to €700 a month. 
  • Indian students can on average spend up to €200 on dining outside in a month, be it inexpensive or inexpensive restaurants. 
  • Personal expenses can again vary depending on personal needs. On average, an Indian student in Italy can spend €300 per year. 

Read more about Cost of Studying in Italy

Cost of Living in Italy for International Students 

The following table summarises the cost of various expenditures that would be incurred by an international student during their stay in Italy: 

Living Expenditures 

Costs Incurred (Per Month) 

Monthly Pass for Travel  

€35 

Cost of Dining Outside 

€80 - €90  

Basic Utilities - Mobile bills, WiFi, Gasoline, Electricity  

€175 - €180 (per month) 

Clothing  

€31 - €75 

Sports & Leisure  

€65 

Groceries  

€50 - €70 (per month) 

1 Bedroom Apartment within the City  

€664 

1 Bedroom Apartment outside the City 

€513 

3 Bedroom Apartment within the City 

€1,287 

3 Bedroom Apartment outside the City 

€906 

Entertainment  

€9 

Note: The above-given costs may vary in Italy for international students at the time of admission. Students are advised to double-check each cost and then proceed with their choice of options for accommodation, dining out and other expenses they wish to incur. 

Expenditure Analysis in Italy for International Students

As per the expenditure analysis for international students who would be spending on their living expenses in Italy, it can be said that a large chunk of the expenses would go into purchasing food items followed by monthly rent payments. Just for reference, a percentage-wise bifurcation has been given below for reference for the cost of living in Italy for international students: 

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  • Markets: 30.7%
  • Monthly rent: 21.7%
  • Eating out: 18.5%
  • Transportation: 11.2%

As per the pie chart given above, it can be noted that the maximum expenditure is incurred on buying groceries from supermarkets, that is, 30.7% of the expenses. The next area where a handsome amount is spent is the housing rent. Shoes, clothing and accessories expenses are still lower in Italy for international students because only 3% of it is spent.  








Since the cost of expenditure on groceries is higher, the following table throws light on the rates of various grocery items in Italy for Indian students in the Indian currency:

Grocery Items Rate in Italy Rate as per Indian Currency
Dining in an inexpensive restaurant €15 INR 1,338
1 litre of milk €1.20 INR 107.05
White bread loaf €1.62 (per 500 gm) INR 145
1 kg white rice €2 INR 179.22
A dozen eggs €2.90 INR 268
1 kg local cheese €12.50 INR 1,120
1 kg red meat €15 INR 1,344
1 kg apples €1.90 INR 170.26
1 kg bananas €1.65 INR 148
1 kg oranges €1.86 INR 167
1 kg tomatoes €2.40 INR 215
1 kg potatoes €1.28 INR 115
1 kg onions €1.32 INR 118
1.5-litre water bottle €0.42 INR 37.64

The rates given above are calculated based on €1 = INR 89.61 as on August 24, 2023. The rates are subject to change, hence the applicants must calculate with caution. 







Read more about Part-Time Work Options in Italy

Cost of Living in Italian Cities: Rome & Milan 

Since Rome and Milan are the two top cities in Italy, the cost of living in Milan and Rome is also very high. The cost of living for a single international student in Milan for a year is around €10,032 while in Rome is €9,925. Thus, the cost of living in Milan is slightly higher than the cost of living in Rome. 

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Is this recommendation relevant?

For better clarity of difference, the following table shows a comparison of the costs in Milan and Rome for international students thinking about studying in Italy: 

Factors Affecting Costs in Rome & Milan

Milan 

Rome 

Cost of Living Index 2022 

67.57 

60.42 

Cost of Living 

€932 

€830 

Rented Accommodation Costs 

€830 - €1,260 

€720 - €1,044 

Food & Dining Costs 

€100 - €120 

€85 - €95 

Transportation Charges (Travel Pass) 

€40  

€35 

Utility Cost 

€232 

€218 

Clothing & Accessories 

€34 - €153 

€36 - €110 

The cost of living in Italy is higher in the following areas for Milan in comparison to Rome: 

  • Rented accommodation costs are higher in Milan by 1.4%. 
  • For utilities, Milan is 0.8% higher in expenses than Rome. 
  • Milan is 1% higher in terms of expenses when it comes to clothing and fashion accessories. 

In other areas of comparison like transportation charges, groceries & food items and for recreation Rome supersedes Milan. Thus, based on thorough calculations, an international student must decide on his/her choice of Italy university for study, keeping the cost of living details handy. 

Check out: Italy Student Visa Guide

Cost of Living in Italy FAQs

Q. Is Italy cheaper than the UK in terms of cost of living?

A. Yes, the cost of living in Italy is cheaper than that of the UK. Italy is three times cheaper than the UK for international students. In terms of cost of living index for the year 2022, Italy was scored at 59.8 while UK was scored at 62.96, which means Italy is cheaper than United Kingdom. The reasons why UK is costlier than Italy is because:

  • Rented accommodations cost 60.7% higher in UK in comparison to Italy.
  • Consumer prices in UK are 5.3% higher than Italy.
  • Dining out in restaurants cheap or expensive is still higher in UK by 16.6% in comparison to Italy. 

Q. How many cities in Italy rank above 60 points in cost of living index?

A. There are nine Italian cities which rank above 60 points as per the cost of living index rating of 2022. These cities are - Milan, Florence, Parma, Trento, Genoa, Bergamo, Bologna, Rome, Vicenza, Cagliari, Bergamo and Trieste. This means that the cost of living in these Italian cities are higher than other Italian cities in general. The living costs are higher also because of rents, accommodations, 

Q. Where do international students spend their money while studying in Milan?

A. The maximum expenses are spent in Milan on rented accommodation. International students can spend upto 40% of their expenses on the same while they are studying and living in Milan. In terms of top expensive cities in Italy, Milan is the most expensive city for living and studying. Thus, applicants who are studying in Milan will have to shell out extra money to cover their expenses. 

Q. Which cities in Italy are cheaper for living while studying for international students?

A. In terms of cheaper cost of living in Italy for international students, cities like Pisa, Padua, and Turin are 30% lesser expensive than Milan and Rome. But in terms of cost of living index, Italian cities like Catania, Palermo, Naples, Verona, Rimini, Bari and, Turin are cheaper and lower in the cost of living index scores and ranking. Thus, these cities are cheaper and international students can look for accommodations here if given an opportunity to choose between certain options. 

Q. Where can international students find accommodation options while studying in Italy university?

A. International students going to study in Italy can find accommodation options through HousingAnywhere or UniPlace which are online housing portals. Other options include, interacting with seniors and understanding the best possible options for accommodation in and around the university or city. Through networking students may also find some really good accommodation options and it is possible that they get recommendation for accommodation too through personal introductions. 

Q:   What is the acceptance rate for Istituto Marangoni Italy?

A:

According to a few unofficial sources, Istituto Marangoni acceptance rate is around 80%. This means that the institute is not too selective at the time of granting admissions. As per an unofficial source, about 67% of BA students at Istituto Marangoni are international. If the acceptance rate is considered to be around 80%, then it means that students having a good academic background and meeting all the requirements have a higher chance of getting admission.

Q:   Why do Indian students choose to study at Istituto Marangoni - Italy?

A:

Indian students choose to study at Istituto Marangoni in Italy for several reasons. With a broad choice of undergraduate and graduate executive programs in business, fashion, and design offered by Istituto Marangoni, students have the chance to collaborate on industry projects with renowned businesses and establish high-level connections with the fashion and luxury sectors. Students who wish to work in the fashion and design industries find the school's approach appealing as it combines the newest trends, industry advancements, and practical skills. The possibility to work on real-life industrial projects and the association with the prominent fashion company N21 are other factors that make Istituto Marangoni a desirable option for Indian students. 

Q:   How can I get admission to the Sapienza University of Rome?

A:

Sapienza University of Rome offers a number of certificates, diplomas and degree programmes at the undergradaute and postgradaute levels .To get Sapienza University, international students must meet the course-specific and general admission requirements. Check below the general admission requirements for international students are:

  • International applicants must have a high schoolDiplomaearned after at least 12 years of study for a Bachelor’s program
  • International applicants must have at least a 3-year bachelor’s degree from arecogniseduniversity in a relevant discipline for a Master’s program
  • Students must have at least an upper-intermediate knowledge of English or Italian (B2 level), depending on their chosen program
  • Proficiency in the English language

Q:   Is Istituto Marangoni, Italy cheaper than Istituto Europeo di Design?

A:

Istituto Marangoni in Italy offers a range of fashion design courses with varying tuition fees. For example, the tuition fee for the MA in Fashion & Luxury Brand Management is $31,500 per year, and the tuition fee for the MA in Fashion Styling, Creative Direction & Digital Content is $30,900 per year. On the other hand, IED Istituto Europeo di Design offers undergraduate programs with tuition fees ranging from $16,124.90 per year to $32,249.79 for international students. Therefore, the tuition fees at Istituto Marangoni can be higher or lower than IED, depending on the specific programme and duration chosen. 

Q:   Is the Sapienza University of Rome good?

A:

Yes, the Sapienza University of Rome is one of the finest and among the best universities in the world. Sapienza University of Rome rankings consistently puts Sapienza University among the top universities globally and nationally. The QS World University Rankings 2024 ranked the Sapienza University of Rome #134 in the world. Meanwhile, the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2024 ranked the Sapienza University of Rome in the range of #181 in the world. Also, the U.S. News and World Report 2023 ranked the university #125 among the global universities

Q:   What is the ranking of the Sapienza University of Rome for MBA?

A:

The Sapienza University of Rome offers a variety of MBA programs to international students. Sapienza University of Rome programmes in the business and management are recognised all over the world. The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2023 ranked Sapienza University in the range of #201-250 for its business and economics programmess. Sapienza University has improved its rankings significantly from last year’s #251-300 in the same category.

Q:   Which university is better to study as an international student in Italy, University of Pavia or the University of Bologna?

A:

 University of Pavia or the University of Bologna offer unique campus cultures and academic programs. While they share a great reputation, there are subtle differences between the two universities. The below table compares the rankings, fees and acceptance rates of University of Pavia or the University of Bologna . Overall this information could be useful for students who are considering them.

Here is the comparison highlighting the differences between the Universities:

Name of The University

Ranking

Acceptance Rate

1st Year Tuition Fee

University of Pavia 

#469

50%

INR 36K

University of Bologna

#154

73%

INR 54K- 1L

Q:   Is Bocconi University, Italy a better option than IIM Ahmedabad for doing MBA?

A:

Both Bocconi University in Italy and IIM Ahmedabad are prestigious institutions for pursuing an MBA. According to the Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2023, SDA Bocconi School of Management is ranked 6th, while the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad is ranked 51st. SDA Bocconi's MBA programme is known for its high international mobility rank, strong alumni network, and a significant salary percentage increase after graduation. On the other hand, IIM Ahmedabad is recognised for its excellent career progress rank and high overall satisfaction. The choice between the two institutions depends on various factors such as career goals, location preferences, and specific programme offerings. It is important for prospective students to carefully consider their individual priorities and conduct thorough research before making a decision.

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Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert

Aishwarya is a professional Writer currently working as a Study Abroad Expert in the Editorial Team at Shiksha. She has over 5 years of experience and is skilled at creating Online Content with leveraged knowledge i... Read Full Bio

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