Moving to and living in Roma
The capital with endless history and culture, noticeably cheaper than Milano, especially if you live outside the ring road or in the Lazio suburbs. By the community it works for families on a tighter budget, but it is chaotic: garbage, bureaucracy, a weak market for skilled work.
Updated: - permesso.love editorial team
In brief: city and relocation
- Region: Lazio
- Cost level: high cost
- Single-person budget, rough: 1155-2322 euro/mo
- Questura: permesso speed: usually slow (per community)
Housing and rent
You can actually find a place, unlike in Milano. By the community a one-bed in a decent area runs roughly 1200-1500 euro, while beyond the ring road and in Lazio towns 20 km out people find a decent flat for 500-700 euro. In tourist season prices and availability swing. Check current numbers yourself.
Russian-speaking community
There is a Russian-speaking community, but it is smaller and more scattered than Milano's, without as many regular meetups. Many come to study or for a short stay, so it feels more transient.
Jobs
Weaker than Milano for skilled work and with almost no IT ecosystem. Services, caregiving (badante), tourism and academia dominate, and salaries are lower. But the low cost of living lets a family get by on a modest income.
Living budget: Roma
- Single person, one-bed
- 1155-2322 euro/mo
- Family with kids, two-bed
- 2020-3384 euro/mo
Rough ranges, from the community and open data (ARERA, ISTAT). Check current numbers.
Build your own budget line by linePros
- Cheaper than Milano, especially in the suburbs - a family budget genuinely works out
- World-class history, culture and architecture on your doorstep
- Renting is easier and calmer than in Milano
- You can reach the Lazio sea and beaches in half an hour to an hour
Cons
- Problems with garbage collection and the general state of the infrastructure
- A weak market for skilled work, mostly services and caregiving
- Chaotic and slow bureaucracy, notorious queues
- A smaller community, the sense of "come to admire it, not to live in it"
Community voices
Before moving I was told Rome is not for living - I did not believe it. Now I agree: it is gorgeous to come and enjoy the museums and history, but living here is hard and impractical.
We settled in a small town in Lazio, about twenty kilometres from Rome. The family goes through 2000-2500 euro a month, and a decent flat with no extras costs 500-700 here.
The downside of Rome is that garbage goes uncollected for weeks, and in the heat it hits your nose. But medical care is provided free and the doctors are pleasant.
Quotes are paraphrased and anonymized; subjective experience, not statistics.
FAQ
How much does living in Rome cost?
Noticeably cheaper than Milano. By the community a one-bed in a decent area runs roughly 1200-1500 euro, while beyond the ring road and in Lazio towns 20 km out a decent flat goes for 500-700 euro; a family of four lives on roughly 2000-2500 euro a month. Check current prices.
Is there a Russian-speaking community in Rome?
There is one, but it is smaller and more scattered than Milano's, without as many regular meetups. Many come to study or short-term, so it feels more transient.
Is Rome worth moving to?
By community experience Rome works for families on a tighter budget: more affordable housing, history and the sea nearby. The downsides are garbage, slow bureaucracy and a weak skilled-job market; the chats joke Rome is better admired than lived in.
Documents and timing
These are subjective community observations across different years, not a ranking or a promotion. Verify prices and conditions on the ground.
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