It makes no sense to talk about the difference between buying a house and renting it if you don’t know what you’re getting into first. Italy is a beautiful country, rich in culture, art, history and traditions but also breathtaking landscapes, welcoming people and good food. 

However, everything is not always perfect, and for those who do not know our territory well it is easy to meet even cons that could eventually overcome the pros. For this reason we need to know all the pros and cons of living in Italy. 

Here is a list provided by our staff. Enjoy reading!

What are the Pros?

  1. The nightlife! Unlike many other European realities, Italy does not close its doors in the evening! Nightlife (the so-called movida) is present in every region. The premises are open even until late and this allows you to meet new people and make it easier to get acquainted. Dinner time is much later than the European (and non-European) average and after that you usually go around pubs, discos or just to have a drink. The desire to socialize is very strong, so much so that often also country fairs are organized that welcome hundreds of people.
  2. The amazing surroundings! As is widely known, in Italy there are more UNESCO sites than in the rest of the world. This translates into an abundance not only of museum sites, theaters, cinemas and jewels of modern architecture such as the Tower of Pisa, but also with an unprecedented historical deepening: the Colosseum, the Pantheon. Even from a natural point of view, Italy is immersed and surrounded by the deepest nature: it is impossible to get bored or run out of things to see.
  3. The food! Supermarkets in Italy are much cheaper than the European average: here you can find offers of any type and for all budgets. In fact, the abundance of food is also due to the numerous possibilities of growing fresh fruits and vegetables, at zero kilometer. The Mediterranean diet is famous all over the world for a good reason! Even the classic street food is great, with specialties in every region, from north to south. Italy is not only the country of pasta and pizza, but also of countless other delicacies to taste.
  4. The public trasportation! Public transport in Italy comes everywhere: they are cheap, fast and safe. Most of the time they are reliable. In fact, they have a higher average delay than the European one, but there is also to say that there are many more trains, buses and metro than can exist in any other state! Public transport is also taken care of by private companies that take over the metros, such as the ANM in Naples and this allows a better and certainly faster management. The entire nation is connected from north to south via the state rail system, and this also makes it possible never to use the car and not to stress about traffic!
  5. The weather! The weather conditions in Italy are a real paradise, especially for those people who come from the far north or who are used to tropical climate. The climate in Italy is generally mild, characterized by not too hot summers and not too cold winters. This obviously changes depending on where you are, it is clear that the North will get colder than the South. There are regions, such as Sicily, where it is possible to take a bath in the sea as early as February. A weather like this also puts you in a good mood!

 

What are the Cons?

  1. You need to know Italian. Unfortunately, the knowledge of English in Italy is very low. Although it is studied since primary school and for at least ten years, it is a problem that comes up especially in rural areas as in the far south. People of a certain age are not able to understand or speak English and this could generate a great difficulty towards those tourists who do not even know a word of Italian. For Italians to make themselves understood has never been a problem, they are in fact champions of gestures... but this in the long run could be a problem.
  2. There is no work. The general advice is to move to Italy as a pensioner. This is because finding work here is almost impossible: the employment rate is one of the lowest in Europe, and in general there is an abundance of fixed-term contracts that cause instability. Italy is also one of those countries with a very high rate of graduates but little space to occupy open positions, for this reason we often speak of "brain drain" that sees the protagonists of the boys. For a pensioner, however, it is a golden land and full of entertainment opportunities. For this reason, we at WillAge invite everyone to retire to our magnificent country.
  3. The cost of living. The cost of living in Italy is low, but this is not always true. There are places with higher costs than others. The general advice is always to move from large cities, especially those that have an excellent tourist following. Living in the center of Milan can become extremely complex because of the very high prices and certainly not accessible compared to, for example, those of the suburbs of the city.
  4. The bureaucracy. The bureaucracy in Italy is a real hell. Often public offices close even when they should not and to get a signature can take months. This is especially reflected in the real estate market, where selling something could be a bad choice (since they are also tied to bank lending). To live well in Italy, in fact, it would be necessary to stay as far away as possible from any bureaucratic situation and to do this you can rely on experts.
  5. Driving. Fortunately, public transport works, because in fact the average Italian driver does not comply with road safety standards. The roads are not very wide, which is why the risk of accidents increases. This feature also involves not having many places to park and you always risk finding cars in the lanes reserved for driving.