Retire in Italy

Thinking about spending your retirement in Italy?

Many Americans and Britons dream of retiring in Italy — the food, the pace, the sea — but stop at the practical questions. What will it really cost? What about taxes and healthcare? Which visa do you need? And where should you actually live?

Retirement in Italy is more affordable than most people expect, especially in the south. A flat 7% tax on your foreign pension, public healthcare for around €2,000 a year, and a cost of living well below the US or UK put a comfortable life within reach of an ordinary pension — not just the wealthy.

This site answers the practical questions in plain language, and points you to the parts of Italy that welcome retirees best. When you're ready to make it real, you talk to a licensed Italian lawyer who does this every day — not a call centre.

What life there is actually like

Older friends enjoying coffee at an outdoor cafe in a southern Italian town

Mornings are slow on purpose. You walk to the bar for a coffee that costs about a euro, pick up bread and vegetables from a market where the stallholder starts to know your name, and the afternoon heat sends everyone home for a while. Evenings belong to the passeggiata — the whole town out walking, talking, unhurried.

The seasons are gentler than most of the US and northern Europe: long warm autumns, short mild winters, springs full of blossom. The coast is never far, and the food is local, seasonal and cheap. It is, for a lot of people, the life they pictured retirement to be — and couldn't quite afford at home.

None of this asks you to be adventurous or fluent. The southern towns that suit retirees are safe, walkable and welcoming, and there's usually a small circle of other expats who arrived a year or two ahead of you and are happy to show you the ropes.

Why the south of Italy, in three numbers

Flat tax on your pension

Move to a qualifying town in the south and pay a flat 7% on all your foreign income — pension, investments, rental income, the lot — for up to ten years. On top of that, the regime frees you from Italy's wealth taxes and from having to report your foreign accounts and property each year.

For an American or Briton with a home and savings back home, that combination often matters even more than the headline rate.

How the taxes work

~€2,000

A year for full public healthcare

Once you're resident you can join Italy's national health service, the SSN, for a low yearly fee — a family doctor, specialists and hospital care included, on the same terms as any Italian citizen. Italy's health system is regularly ranked among the best in the world.

For retirees used to American premiums, the price — and the peace of mind — is often the single biggest surprise.

Cost & healthcare

2,500+

Towns where the 7% applies

The 7% rate applies in smaller towns across the south, plus a band of central Italian towns. From Sicilian hill villages to the Puglian coast, there are more than 2,500 of them — and you can filter and explore every one on our interactive map.

Explore the map

What it costs to live there

The south is one of the most affordable corners of western Europe — which is why an ordinary pension stretches so far.

Every town is different, but as a rough guide a retired couple can live comfortably on around €2,000–€2,500 a month in a small southern town, all in. Renting a two-bedroom home often runs €400–€600 a month; an espresso at the bar is about a euro; a relaxed dinner out for two, with wine, rarely troubles €70.

Add the flat 7% tax and roughly €2,000 a year for healthcare, and the maths behind the dream starts to make sense. We break the numbers down properly, town by town.

See the full cost of living

How retiring in Italy actually works

Four steps, from daydream to living there. Most people are surprised how manageable it is with the right help.

Decide it's right for you

Work out the cost of living, the tax you'd pay and whether the south suits you. Most of this you can do from your armchair, using this site.

Check that you qualify

Confirm your income meets the visa threshold and that your pension fits the 7% regime. A short call settles both quickly.

Make the move

Apply for your visa, choose your town and register as a resident. We prepare the paperwork and handle the Italian tax side.

Settle in

Join the health service, open a bank account and start living the part. We stay on for your yearly tax return.

Retiring from the United States?

American retirees have a few extra things to plan — but none of them are dealbreakers, and each has a clear answer.

You'll want to know how your Social Security and pension are treated, which visa to apply for (usually the elective residence visa), and how the US and Italy tax you at the same time. The good news: the two countries have a tax treaty, you keep filing back home, and the 7% regime even lifts Italy's foreign-asset reporting — so the paperwork is lighter than most people fear.

Then there's the practical side: moving money across, timing your move within the tax year, and keeping your US accounts open. We've written a plain guide for American retirees that walks through each piece, so nothing catches you by surprise.

Read the guide for US retirees

Where would you live?

Three of the most-loved regions for retirees — each with its own coast, climate and pace. All three sit firmly inside the 7% zone, so wherever you land, the tax break comes with you.

Sardinia

Clean beaches, clean air, and one of the world's rare "blue zones", where people routinely live past 100. Quieter and a touch cooler than the mainland south.

Living in Sardinia

Sicily

Deep history, lively markets and mild winters, at the lowest cost of the three. Bigger towns mean more English spoken and easier flights home.

Living in Sicily

Puglia

Whitewashed towns, olive groves and a long, gentle Adriatic coast. A favourite for its food, its light and its walkable historic centres.

Living in Puglia

Renting or buying: which first?

Citizens of the EU, the US and the UK can buy property in Italy freely; a reciprocity rule restricts some other nationalities (checked case by case). Either way, most retirees are better off renting first — here's the honest trade-off.

Rent first

Live in a town for a season before you commit
No large upfront cost or purchase taxes
Easy to change your mind or move on
Time to learn the area, the neighbours, the light

Then buy

Southern property is remarkably affordable
Your home, your renovations, your roots
We guide the purchase, the taxes and the notary
Trusted local help for the search

Common questions about retiring in Italy

Do I need a visa to retire in Italy?

If you're a US, UK or other non-EU citizen, yes — usually the elective residence visa, the natural route for a retiree living on a pension. EU citizens don't need a visa; they simply register as residents once they arrive. More on visas →

How much income do I need?

For the elective residence visa you generally need to show around €31,000 a year in stable income (more for a couple). For many people, Social Security plus a pension clears this comfortably.

Is the healthcare really that affordable?

Once you're a resident you can join Italy's national health service for a low yearly fee — often around €2,000, and capped even for higher incomes. That gives you a family doctor and hospital care on the same terms as any Italian. Cost & healthcare →

What is the 7% tax, exactly?

Move to a qualifying town in the south and you can pay a flat 7% on all your foreign income — pension, investments, rental income — for up to ten years. You're also freed from Italy's wealth taxes and from reporting your foreign assets. How the taxes work →

Will I be taxed twice, by both Italy and the US?

The US and Italy have a tax treaty, and US citizens still file back home — but the system is built to stop you paying twice on the same income. Setting this up correctly is exactly the sort of thing we handle. Guide for US retirees →

Do I have to speak Italian?

Not to begin. Many retirees get by in English at first, especially with a hand from us and from the local expat community. Learning some Italian makes daily life far richer over time.

Where can I actually use the 7% rate?

In smaller towns across the south — Sicily, Sardinia, Puglia, Calabria and more — plus a set of central Italian towns. There are over 2,500 of them; you can see every one on the map. Explore the towns map →

How long does the visa take?

You apply for the elective residence visa at an Italian consulate before you move. Timelines vary by consulate, so planning three to six months ahead is sensible. We help you put together a clean application so it isn't held up.

Can my spouse and family come too?

Yes. A spouse and dependent family members can be included, with a somewhat higher income requirement. We handle the family paperwork alongside yours.

Can I buy a house in Italy?

Most foreigners can — but Italy applies a reciprocity rule. Citizens of the EU, the US and the UK can buy freely, while nationals of some countries (for example Canada and several Asian countries) may be restricted or unable to. It's checked case by case, and we verify your position. Many retirees rent for the first year anyway, to be sure of the town, then buy — and we point you to trusted local help.

Is southern Italy safe?

For everyday life, the small towns and coastal areas popular with retirees are very safe and community-minded. The usual big-city common sense applies, as it would anywhere.

Can I keep my US or UK bank accounts?

Yes, and most people do. You'll usually also open a local Italian account for day-to-day bills and to make residency simpler.