Italy

Italy

Southern Europe

EuropeEUSchengen
70
Overall score
Strong overall · 99% data coverage
Language
Italian
Currency
EUR
Citizenship
10 years (4 ancestry / 2 marriage)
Personal tax
23–43% + regional
Cost of living
€1,600 / mo (single)
Overall scoring rubric
64
Access

How easy it is to get in, stay, and build status.

17% of Overall
61Residence12%
71Citizenship and passport5%
71
Earning power

How far local income goes after prices.

25% of Overall
64Salary and work12%
77Buying power13%
57
Business and wealth

How friendly the country is for taxes, companies, and investing.

20% of Overall
52Taxes7%
62Business8%
56Investment5%
82
Daily life

How comfortable everyday life is for families and long stays.

25% of Overall
83Quality of life18%
80Education7%
71
Rights and institutions

How reliable freedoms and institutions are.

13% of Overall
84Freedom6%
60Rule of law7%

Safety (78) clears the 40 floor, so no penalty applies.

Healthcare (89) clears the 40 floor, so no penalty applies.

Environment (85) clears the 35 floor, so no penalty applies.

Rights and institutions (71) clears the 30 floor, so no penalty applies.

Overall score
Final weighted result
70

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.

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

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any residence / visa decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Openness to residents
Moderate
61
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines international migrant stock (40%), regulatory quality (20%), the breadth of named residence pathways (25%), and time to permanent residence (15%). Available indicators are reweighted.

Migrant stock11.0% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality0.64 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
Investor Visa (startup €250k / company €500k)Digital NomadSelf-employment (lavoro autonomo)Elective Residence
StudentStudent residence; up to 20 hrs/week work.
WorkWork permits via the Decreto Flussi quota; Blue Card for skilled.
Self-employedItalia Startup Visa for innovative founders; autonomo permits.
PermanentEU long-term residence after 5 years.
Citizenship

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any citizenship decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Citizenship accessibility
Moderate
63
Years required10 years (4 for ancestry-based, 2 via marriage)
Dual allowedtrue
LanguageB1 Italian
Residence10 years legal residence for general naturalisation
NotesJure sanguinis (descent) was tightened in 2025 to closer generations; verify eligibility carefully.
Passport

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any travel or visa decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Passport power
Excellent
96

Passport-index style mobility for the Italy passport. The score above is its world reach: the share of 198 destinations reachable without a prior visa.

191 / 198
Mobility
#4
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free144
  • On arrival38
  • eTA9
  • Visa required7

Passport Index style mobility data (2024–2025 estimate). Placeholder figures; verify current entry rules with each destination’s authority before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Moderate
64
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines output per worker (a proxy for wage potential at 40%), unemployment (35%) and labour-force participation (25%). Available indicators are reweighted; the curated profile fields remain below.

Output per worker$130,388 PPP (2024)
Unemployment6.4% (2025)
Participation49.3% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$3,174 · $4,691 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$4,353 · $6,433 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceGrowing; regime forfettario attractive for freelancers
Job marketMilan is the main tech/finance hub; lower pay than Northern EU.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Good
77
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score estimates how far money goes for the typical person here. It combines GNI per capita at PPP (30%) and actual household consumption per person at PPP (15%) with a price-advantage term from the local price level (25%) that rewards lower prices, then adjusts for income equality via the Gini index (20%), so unequal economies don't ride a high average, plus price stability via consumer inflation (10%). Available indicators are reweighted; it is a comparison, not a personal budget estimate.

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)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Moderate
54

Our 0–100 affordability score is derived from the local consumer price level (World Bank, US = 100): the cheaper everyday prices are, the higher it scores. Lower price level means your money goes further here.

Price level73 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent€800–1,400 (1BR major city)
Monthly€1,600
CitiesMilan, Rome, Turin, Bologna
Economy
Economic strength
Good
76
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines income level (GDP and GNI per capita, output per worker), growth momentum (real GDP growth), price stability (inflation) and labour utilisation (unemployment). Available indicators are reweighted; the sector split and industry profile below are descriptive, not scored.

Output & income
GDP$2.6T (2025)
GDP / person$43,309 (2025)
GNI / person$62,870 PPP (2025)
GDP growth0.7% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation1.5% / yr (2025)
Unemployment6.4% (2025)
Output per worker$130,388 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture2.1% of GDP (2025)
Industry22.6% of GDP (2025)
Services64.5% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
Machinery & manufacturingFashion & luxuryAutomotiveFood & wineTourismDesign
Top exports
MachineryFashion & textilesVehicles & partsFood, wine & pharmaceuticals
TypeHigh-income, manufacturing- and design-led
Key sectorsIndustrial machinery (Made in Italy), Fashion & luxury, Tourism
SummaryA manufacturing and design powerhouse known for machinery, fashion, autos and food, plus major tourism.
CurrencyEuro (eurozone member)

Business and wealth

Taxes

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Tax friendliness
Moderate
52
Personal23–43% national + regional/municipal surtaxes
Corporate24% IRES + ~3.9% IRAP
Capital gains26% on financial assets
Dividends26%
Exit taxCorporate exit tax (ATAD); flat-tax regime caps foreign income for new residents
Foreign cosCFC rules apply (ATAD)
Personal tax

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Personal tax
Low
22
Personal23–43% national + regional/municipal surtaxes
FreelanceRegime forfettario: 5–15% flat tax for small turnover
Capital gains26% on financial assets
Dividends26%
Exit taxCorporate exit tax (ATAD); flat-tax regime caps foreign income for new residents
Corporate tax

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Corporate tax
Limited
31
Corporate24% IRES + ~3.9% IRAP
Capital gains26% on financial assets
Dividends26%
Foreign cosCFC rules apply (ATAD)
Business
Business friendliness
Moderate
62
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score measures the operating environment without counting tax a second time: company formation and ownership rules contribute 40%, regulatory quality 30%, and government effectiveness 30%. Available indicators are reweighted; the values are shown below.

Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality0.64 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness0.79 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign co.Yes: full foreign ownership
Local co.S.r.l. (incl. simplified S.r.l.s. from €1) via notary
FreelanceRegime forfettario: 5–15% flat tax for small turnover
Investment

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any investment / tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Investing environment
Moderate
56
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score measures market access without counting tax a second time: broker availability contributes 50%, equity-market depth 30%, and private credit depth 20%. Available indicators are reweighted.

Market cap27% of GDP (2014)
Private credit60% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains26% on financial assets; flat-tax regime shields foreign income
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxIVIE/IVAFE on foreign property & financial assets
BrokersGood: Directa, Fineco, Interactive Brokers
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax / investment decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Wealth accumulation
Moderate
58
How this score is calculated

How favourable Italy is for building wealth: earnings and business/investment upside, tax drag, and how much a typical income keeps after living costs. Estimated from the factors below.

Salary & work
Moderate
64
Business
Moderate
62
Investment
Moderate
56
Tax friendliness
Moderate
52
Cost of living
Moderate
54

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Good
78
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines personal safety (intentional homicide rate at 50%), political stability and absence of violence (30%), and control of corruption (20%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below. Always check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Personal safety
Homicide rate0.6 per 100,000 (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption0.55 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability0.31 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Excellent
89
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines health outcomes (life expectancy at 25% and under-5 mortality at 20%) with system capacity (physicians at 20% and hospital beds at 15% per 1,000 people) and health spending per capita (20%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below.

Outcomes
Life expectancy84.0 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality2.7 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians4.19 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds3.06 per 1,000 (2022)
Health spending$4,993 PPP / person (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemUniversal public (SSN) + private
InsuranceResidents enrol in the SSN; private optional
Avg costVoluntary SSN registration from ~€2,000/yr for some non-EU residents
Environment
Environment score
Excellent
85
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines annual population-weighted PM2.5 exposure at 60% with freshwater stress at 40%. Lower exposure and lower water stress score better. Air quality alone can produce a score because it covers most countries; water stress alone cannot.

Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure14.3 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress29.8% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Excellent
80
How this score is calculated

The score combines digital access, resilience and download performance (30%), electricity access and network losses (30%), and transport infrastructure covering rail, logistics and aviation (40%). Available inputs are reweighted, but a country needs both digital and transport data to receive a score.

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)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality3.80 / 5 (2022)
Rail density58.5 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity3,148 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Excellent
80
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines attainment (expected schooling at 30% and mean schooling at 25%) with participation (tertiary enrolment at 25%) and public investment (government education spending at 20%). Available indicators are reweighted; tuition and study rules remain separate profile fields below.

Attainment
Expected schooling16.7 years (2023)
Mean schooling10.8 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment76% gross (2023)
Education spending4.1% of GDP (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition€900–4,000 / yr (public; income-scaled)
Public uniPublic universities low & income-based; many scholarships
LanguagesItalian, English (growing number of programs)
Student workUp to 20 hrs/week
HDI
Human development score
Excellent
92
How this score is calculated

The UN Human Development Index is the geometric mean of three dimension indices (a long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living), shown on a 0–100 map scale (HDI × 100). The 2023 UNDP inputs behind each dimension are listed below.

HDI0.915 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy83.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling16.7 years (2023)
Mean schooling10.8 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$52,389 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Excellent
84
How this score is calculated

The score weights Freedom House’s 0–100 Freedom in the World score at 60% and its Freedom on the Net score at 40%. If either report does not cover a country, the available score is used alone. Scores of 70 and above are rated “Free”, 40–69 “Partly free”, and below 40 “Not free”.

Freedom in the World90 / 100 (Free)
Freedom on the Net74 / 100 (Free)
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Moderate
60
How this score is calculated

The World Bank’s Rule of Law indicator captures how well contracts are enforced and how independent and effective the courts, police and property-rights regime are. We show its 0–100 percentile rank, where higher means stronger, more predictable institutions.

Rule of Law percentile60 / 100
Resources

Mock data for demonstration only. Not legal or tax advice.