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Italy: visas, tax & cost of living

Moving to Italy, made plain. The digital nomad visa and its income bar, the 183-day tax rule, the flat-tax regimes, and what a month really costs.

Italy: visas, tax & cost of living
Your passport

United KingdomItaly

Your move to Italy on a United Kingdom passport

  • VisitEasyVisa-free entry
  • NomadEasyNomad visa — likely eligible
  • RelocateMediumResidence with conditions

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity:Issued within the last 10 years and valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; at least 2 blank pages recommended.

Heads-up:EU Entry/Exit System (EES) biometric registration replaced passport stamps (phased from 12 October 2025, fully operational 10 April 2026), and ETIAS pre-authorisation is expected in the last quarter of 2026 with a fee around EUR 20.

At the border:Border officers may ask for a return or onward ticket, proof of sufficient funds, proof of accommodation, and travel insurance with at least EUR 30,000 medical cover, and amounts of EUR 10,000 or more must be declared.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad / Remote Worker Visa.

Income needed:~EUR 24,789/yr minimum (Digital Nomad / Remote Worker Visa, 3x the healthcare-exemption threshold; some consulates apply ~EUR 28,000)(estimate)

Duration:12months

Fee:~116 EUR(estimate)

Who qualifies:Highly qualified remote workers for non-Italian employers or clients with a university degree, licensed profession, or about 5 years of experience (3 for ICT specialists), at least 6 months prior remote-work experience, annual income of roughly EUR 28,000, health insurance of at least EUR 30,000, and a clean criminal record.

Tax and residency

Resident if >183 days OR habitual home/centre of interests in Italy; forfettario (15%) or impatriati (~50% exemption) regimes(estimate)

The UK decides residence with its Statutory Residence Test (days in the UK plus your ties). As a non-resident you are usually taxed only on UK income; where one exists, a double-tax treaty with the destination decides who taxes what.

Double-tax treaty:yes, in force since 1990

Practical

Currency:EUR. Cost of living:mid.

Healthcare:Visitors carry travel insurance or a GHIC (EU reciprocity); nomad and long-stay applicants need private health cover of at least 30,000 EUR, and legal residents can enrol in the national health service (SSN).

Healthcare agreement:UK GHIC covers medically necessary state treatment for short visits

Driving:Visitors can drive on a foreign licence, with an International Driving Permit recommended for non-EU holders, but residents must convert to or obtain an Italian licence.

Sources: Italy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs · GOV.UK: tax on foreign income · HMRC: double-taxation treaties

Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.

Should you move to Italy?

The lifestyle sells itself. Food, design, history, and slow afternoons people cross the world for. The honest part is the paperwork, plus the price gap between regions. Milan can rival Northern Europe on cost, while the south and the small towns stay among the cheapest places to live in the EU. Where you land matters as much as whether you come.

Which visa do you need?

EU and EEA citizens move freely; no permit, just a registration once you settle. Non-EU remote workers now have a real option: the Italy digital nomad visa, opened in 2024. It expects you to be a qualified or skilled remote worker, and the income floor is roughly 24,789 euros a year (about 2,065 a month), set at three times the healthcare-exemption threshold. Some consulates ask for more in practice, closer to 28,000 euros a year, so treat the higher figure as a safe target rather than the rule. You also show health cover of at least 30,000 euros, an Italian address, and a clean record. For short stays, the Schengen 90-in-180-day rule still applies.

How tax residency works

Three things can make you a tax resident: spending more than 183 days here, holding your habitual home here, or having your centre of life and interests here. Any one of them is enough, so the day count is not the whole story. Two regimes help new arrivals. The regime forfettario is a 15 percent flat rate for the self-employed under about 85,000 euros of revenue (5 percent for the first five years). The impatriati break exempts roughly half your work income for five years. You pick one, not both, and each carries conditions, so check before you bank on either.

What does it cost to live here?

The currency is the euro. Cost of living swings hard by city, so budget for your actual town, not the country average. Milan runs high; a comfortable single month lands near 2,800 to 3,500 euros. The south and the smaller towns are far gentler, often 1,200 to 1,800 euros for a similar life. Across the country, plan for a mid-range budget and adjust once you know where you are headed.

Figures are estimates. Always check the official source linked below.

At a glance

Currency
EUR
Cost of living
Moderate
Digital-nomad visa
Yes
Tax & residency
Resident if >183 days OR habitual home/centre of interests in Italy; forfettario (15%) or impatriati (~50% exemption) regimes

Frequently asked questions

Italy: is there a digital nomad visa?
Digital Nomad / Remote Worker Visa. Highly qualified remote workers for non-Italian employers or clients with a university degree, licensed profession, or about 5 years of experience (3 for ICT specialists), at least 6 months prior remote-work experience, annual income of roughly EUR 28,000, health insurance of at least EUR 30,000, and a clean criminal record.
Italy: when do you become a tax resident?
Resident if >183 days OR habitual home/centre of interests in Italy; forfettario (15%) or impatriati (~50% exemption) regimes
Italy: what is the cost of living?
The cost of living is moderate and the local currency is the EUR. Treat any figures as estimates.
Italy: do you need health insurance?
Visitors carry travel insurance or a GHIC (EU reciprocity); nomad and long-stay applicants need private health cover of at least 30,000 EUR, and legal residents can enrol in the national health service (SSN).
Italy: can you drive on a foreign licence?
Visitors can drive on a foreign licence, with an International Driving Permit recommended for non-EU holders, but residents must convert to or obtain an Italian licence.

Terms worth knowing

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Put it to work

Last verified: 2026-06-24

Sources: Italy — Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Voymo gives general information to help you organise your move. It is not legal, tax, or immigration advice, always confirm with an official source or a qualified professional before you act.

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