Italy
Southern Europe
EuropeEUSchengen
World-class lifestyle, food and culture with an investor visa, a 2024 digital-nomad visa and a flat-tax regime for wealthy newcomers - plus an ancestry (jure sanguinis) citizenship route, though general naturalisation takes ten years.
70
Overall score
Good · 99% data coverage
Language
ItalianCurrency
EURCitizenship
10 years (4 ancestry / 2 marriage)Personal tax
23–43% + regionalCost of living
€1,600 / mo (single)Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.
Score breakdown
64
Access
17%61Residence12%
71Citizenship and passport5%
71
Earning power
25%64Salary and work12%
77Buying power13%
57
Business and wealth
20%52Taxes7%
62Business8%
56Investment5%
82
Daily life
25%83Quality of life18%
80Education7%
71
Rights and institutions
13%84Freedom6%
60Rule of law7%
Pros
- Digital nomad + investor visas
- €100k/200k flat tax for new HNW residents
- Ancestry citizenship route
Cons
- 10-year general naturalisation
- High taxes & bureaucracy
- Italian required for citizenship
Best for
People of Italian descentRemote workers & investorsLifestyle-first movers
Score profile
Access
Residence
61
Citizenship
63
Passport
96
Earning power
Salary & work
64
Buying power
77
Cost of living
54
Economy
76
Business and wealth
Taxes
52
Personal tax
22
Corporate tax
31
Business
62
Investment
56
Wealth building
58
Daily life
Safety
78
Healthcare
89
Environment
85
Infrastructure
80
Education
80
HDI
92
Rights and institutions
Freedom
84
Rule of law
60
Access
Residence
Openness to residents
61Moderate
Migrant stock11.0% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality0.64 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Main pathways
Investor Visa (startup €250k / company €500k)Digital NomadSelf-employment (lavoro autonomo)Elective Residence
| Student | Student residence; up to 20 hrs/week work. |
|---|---|
| Work | Work permits via the Decreto Flussi quota; Blue Card for skilled. |
| Self-employed | Italia Startup Visa for innovative founders; autonomo permits. |
| Permanent | EU long-term residence after 5 years. |
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
63Moderate
| Years required | 10 years (4 for ancestry-based, 2 via marriage) |
|---|---|
| Dual allowed | Yes |
| Language | B1 Italian |
| Residence | 10 years legal residence for general naturalisation |
| Notes | Jure sanguinis (descent) was tightened in 2025 to closer generations; verify eligibility carefully. |
Passport
Passport power
96Excellent
191 / 198
Mobility
#4
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
- Visa-free144
- On arrival38
- eTA9
- Visa required7
Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.
Earning power
Salary & work
Labour-market strength
64Moderate
Output per worker$130,388 PPP (2024)
Unemployment6.4% (2025)
Participation49.3% of 15+ (2025)
Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$3,174 · $4,691 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$4,353 · $6,433 PPP (2024)
| Freelance | Growing; regime forfettario attractive for freelancers |
|---|---|
| Job market | Milan is the main tech/finance hub; lower pay than Northern EU. |
Buying power
Purchasing power score
77Good
GNI / person$62,870 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$33,377 PPP (2023)
Price level73 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality34.3 Gini (2023)
Inflation1.5% / yr (2025)
Cost of living
Affordability
54Moderate
Price level73 (US = 100) (2025)
| Rent | €800–1,400 (1BR major city) |
|---|---|
| Monthly | €1,600 |
| Cities | Milan, Rome, Turin, Bologna |
Economy
Economic strength
76Good
Output & income
GDP$2.6T (2025)
GDP / person$43,309 (2025)
GNI / person$62,870 PPP (2025)
GDP growth0.7% / yr (2024)
Stability & labour
Inflation1.5% / yr (2025)
Unemployment6.4% (2025)
Output per worker$130,388 PPP (2024)
Sector composition
Agriculture2.1% of GDP (2025)
Industry22.6% of GDP (2025)
Services64.5% of GDP (2025)
Main industries
Machinery & manufacturingFashion & luxuryAutomotiveFood & wineTourismDesign
Top exports
MachineryFashion & textilesVehicles & partsFood, wine & pharmaceuticals
| Type | High-income, manufacturing- and design-led |
|---|---|
| Key sectors | Industrial machinery (Made in Italy), Fashion & luxury, Tourism |
| Summary | A manufacturing and design powerhouse known for machinery, fashion, autos and food, plus major tourism. |
| Currency | Euro (eurozone member) |
Business and wealth
Taxes
Tax friendliness
52Moderate
| Personal | 23–43% national + regional/municipal surtaxes |
|---|---|
| Corporate | 24% IRES + ~3.9% IRAP |
| Capital gains | 26% on financial assets |
| Dividends | 26% |
| Exit tax | Corporate exit tax (ATAD); flat-tax regime caps foreign income for new residents |
| Foreign companies | CFC rules apply (ATAD) |
Personal tax
Personal tax
22Low
| Personal | 23–43% national + regional/municipal surtaxes |
|---|---|
| Freelance | Regime forfettario: 5–15% flat tax for small turnover |
| Capital gains | 26% on financial assets |
| Dividends | 26% |
| Exit tax | Corporate exit tax (ATAD); flat-tax regime caps foreign income for new residents |
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
31Limited
| Corporate | 24% IRES + ~3.9% IRAP |
|---|---|
| Capital gains | 26% on financial assets |
| Dividends | 26% |
| Foreign companies | CFC rules apply (ATAD) |
Business
Business friendliness
62Moderate
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality0.64 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness0.79 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Operating rules
| Foreign company | Yes: full foreign ownership |
|---|---|
| Local company | S.r.l. (incl. simplified S.r.l.s. from €1) via notary |
| Freelance | Regime forfettario: 5–15% flat tax for small turnover |
Investment
Investing environment
56Moderate
Market cap27% of GDP (2014)
Private credit60% of GDP (2024)
| Capital gains | 26% on financial assets; flat-tax regime shields foreign income |
|---|---|
| Dividends | Data not available yet |
| ETFs & funds | Data not available yet |
| Wealth tax | IVIE/IVAFE on foreign property & financial assets |
| Brokers | Good: Directa, Fineco, Interactive Brokers |
| Foreign access | Data not available yet |
| Tax-advantaged | Data not available yet |
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
58Moderate
Salary & work
64Moderate
Business
62Moderate
Investment
56Moderate
Tax friendliness
52Moderate
Cost of living
54Moderate
Daily life
Safety
Safety & stability
78Good
Institutions & stability
Control of corruption0.55 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability0.31 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.
Healthcare
Healthcare score
89Excellent
Outcomes
Life expectancy84.0 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality2.7 per 1,000 births (2024)
Capacity & resourcing
Physicians4.19 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds3.06 per 1,000 (2022)
Health spending$4,993 PPP / person (2024)
System & costs
| System | Universal public (SSN) + private |
|---|---|
| Insurance | Residents enrol in the SSN; private optional |
| Average cost | Voluntary SSN registration from ~€2,000/yr for some non-EU residents |
Environment
Environment score
85Excellent
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure14.3 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress29.8% (2022)
Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
80Excellent
Digital infrastructure
Internet use89.2% (2024)
Internet resilience69 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed78 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed69 / 100 download index (2026)
Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index
Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses7.1% of output (2024)
Transport
Transport quality3.80 / 5 (2022)
Rail density58.5 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity3,148 departures / million people (2023)
Education
Education score
80Excellent
Attainment
Expected schooling16.7 years (2023)
Mean schooling10.8 years (2023)
Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment76% gross (2023)
Education spending4.1% of GDP (2022)
| Tuition | €900–4,000 / yr (public; income-scaled) |
|---|---|
| Public university | Public universities low & income-based; many scholarships |
| Languages | Italian, English (growing number of programs) |
| Student work | Up to 20 hrs/week |
HDI
Human development score
92Excellent
HDI0.915 (2023)
Knowledge
Expected schooling16.7 years (2023)
Mean schooling10.8 years (2023)
Rights and institutions
Freedom
Freedom score
84Excellent
| Freedom in the World | 90 / 100 (Free) |
|---|---|
| Freedom on the Net | 74 / 100 (Free) |
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
60Moderate
| Rule of Law percentile | 60 / 100 |
|---|
Sources
Resources
Official references
Polizia di Stato: Permesso di soggiornopoliziadistato.itAgenzia delle Entrate: Taxagenziaentrate.gov.itItalia Startup Visaitaliastartupvisa.mise.gov.itUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.orgILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)ilostat.ilo.org
Quick links
Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.