Moving to and living in Varese
In short
A green town of about 80 thousand between the lakes and the Alpine foothills, an hour by train to Milano. By the community it is a family choice: after a metropolis it feels small, yet "does not get boring". It suits families with kids and remote workers who want nature with Milano in reach.
Updated: - permesso.love editorial team
In brief: city and relocation
- Region: Lombardia
- Cost level: medium cost
- Single-person budget, rough: 895-1770 euro/mo
Housing and rent
The market is calmer than Milano's: by the community families signed a lease within a month or two of arriving, though fresh price reports are few. Watch the location: busy roads are noisy - a bus can stop right under your balcony. Check current prices yourself.
Russian-speaking community
Small but active: regular Russian-speaking mountain hikes gathering at the Varese station, a Russian-Ukrainian grocery, a Russian-speaking dentist (people come even from Como - cheaper), beauty masters. There is an international IB school. A chat tip: follow the local Italian groups and newspapers - language practice plus town news.
Jobs
Local vacancies barely appear in the chats: people work in Milano (an hour by train) or remotely. On the bright side the community praises the healthcare: tests and scans without ordeal, a doctor calling back personally with results, and a pediatrician swap with no bureaucracy.
Market now: Varese
- Asking rent, idealista.itSeptember 2026, -1.1% year on year
- 11.3 euro/m2 a month
- Asking rent, immobiliare.itAugust 2026, +4.7% year on year
- 11.71 euro/m2 a month
- A 50 m2 flat at these ratesrate x floor area, utilities excluded
- 570-590 euro/mo
- Asking sale price, immobiliare.itAugust 2026, +6.0% year on year
- 1,923 euro/m2
- Vacancies on it.indeed.com, the comune only, repeats and agencies includedas of 2 October 2026
- 868
The two portals' averages differ by 4% here: each has its own listings and method, and Immobiliare runs a month behind. Sources: idealista.it, report prezzo immobile (September 2026); immobiliare.it, mercato immobiliare (August 2026); it.indeed.com (2 October 2026). Refreshed monthly.
Living budget: Varese
- Single person, one-bed
- 895-1770 euro/mo
- Family with kids, two-bed
- 1700-2980 euro/mo
Rough ranges: the community has few concrete rent figures here, so this is a price-tier estimate plus ARERA and ISTAT reference values. Check current numbers.
Build your own budget line by linePros
- Lakes, mountains and hiking routes right from town
- An hour to Milano by train
- Good reports on the local healthcare
- An active Russian-speaking core: hikes, a grocery, familiar doctors
Cons
- Nobody praises the local permesso timelines
- Little local work - you need Milano or remote income
- Roadside homes are noisy, and air quality is occasionally flagged
Community voices
A month after moving we signed the lease and exhaled. After Moscow Varese feels tiny, yet half a year in it has not gone stale: the lake, the mountains and plenty of places we have not reached yet.
The healthcare here is surprisingly good: after a biopsy the doctor herself called a couple of days later with the result. The pediatrician did not suit us - we swapped without a single extra paper.
On weekends we hike with the Russian-speaking group - gathering right at the yellow station. One winter day it snowed, and the kids got their snowball fights in before lunch, before it melted.
FAQ
How much does living in Varese cost?
Mid-range Lombard costs without the Milano premium: fresh price reports are few in the community, but families found housing within a month or two, and daily life is cheaper than Milano. Check current prices.
Is there a Russian-speaking community in Varese?
Yes, small but lively: regular mountain hikes from the station, a Russian-Ukrainian grocery, a Russian-speaking dentist and beauty masters. For a wider circle Milano is next door.
Is Varese worth moving to?
By community experience - yes for families: nature, a calm pace, good healthcare and an hour to Milano. The downsides are a thin local job market and, by the reports, unhurried permesso timelines in the province.
Documents and timing
Other cities in Lombardia
These are subjective community observations across different years, not a ranking or a promotion.
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