Living in Milan: neighbourhoods, cost of living and relocation

Milan is a circular city, organised in concentric rings around the Duomo. Distance from the centre determines both price and commuting time, with a regularity that few European cities show so clearly.

The historic centre and Brera form the most prestigious and most expensive area. Flats there are old, often small, and daily life is pleasant but without affordable local shops.

Porta Romana, Navigli and Porta Venezia make up the sought-after inner ring: neighbourhood life, restaurants, good transport links. The Navigli are very lively in the evening, which makes them a questionable choice for a family.

Isola and Porta Nuova embody contemporary Milan, rebuilt around the towers and the Biblioteca degli Alberi park. Buildings there are recent and energy-efficient, prices high, and large homes genuinely available.

Finally, the outlying neighbourhoods — Città Studi, Lambrate, Bicocca — and the municipalities of the inner suburbs offer markedly lower prices. The metro and commuter rail network makes them practical, which is not the case everywhere in Italy.

We do not publish a median rent for Milan: the real estate market observatory of the Italian revenue agency publishes ranges by zone, but we were unable to verify its current values for Milan directly. We do not use estimates from property listing portals.

Milan is by far the most expensive market in Italy, and the gap with Rome and with the rest of the country has widened. The city concentrates head offices, finance, fashion and leading universities, and its rental market reflects this.

Italian tenancy law distinguishes several types of contract, including the so-called agreed-rent lease (canone concordato), which has a shorter term and gives the landlord a tax advantage in return for a rent capped by local agreements.

For a tenant, the type of contract determines the term, renewal and notice options. Check it before signing, as a transitional lease does not offer the stability of a standard lease.

Registering the lease with the tax authorities is mandatory and determines whether it is enforceable against third parties. An unregistered lease is void, and this irregularity is not uncommon among furnished lets offered to foreigners.

Housing aside, Milan remains cheaper than Paris for eating out and services, but the gap is modest and has narrowed. It is the Italian city where the cost of living comes closest to northern European levels.

We do not publish a typical monthly budget: we have not found an official Italian series measuring a basket of spending comparable to that of an expatriate.

The continental climate of the Po plain means heating in winter and air conditioning in summer, and air quality is a documented public health issue, with regular winter pollution peaks.

Salaries in Milan are the highest in Italy but remain below French levels for comparable qualifications. The gap closes for profiles eligible for the incentive regimes.

Personal taxation follows the national scale, whose top marginal rate reaches 43%⁵, plus the regional and municipal surcharges.

Milan is home to the largest international community in Italy, driven by finance, consulting, fashion and design. The French community there is long-established and has a full school and consular network.

The impatriate workers' regime is aimed precisely at these profiles: it exempts part of employment income from tax, namely 50%⁶, for 5 years⁷, subject to conditions.

The new residents' regime, for its part, is aimed at substantial fortunes: an annual flat tax of €300,000⁸ on all foreign income, for a maximum of 15 years⁹, with €50,000¹⁰ per family member included.

These regimes have been amended several times, and the flat-tax amount depends on the date of the transfer of residence. The applicable rule is the one in force on that date, so you need to date your plans precisely.

Milan's metro is the most developed in Italy, complemented by a historic tram network and commuter trains. The city is one of the few in the country where living without a car is genuinely practical.

Three airports serve the city, one of which is an intercontinental hub. High-speed trains reach Rome in three hours and Paris on a direct service, making return trips easy.

Lombardy's public healthcare system is reputed to be the best in Italy, with hospitals of European standing. Access requires registration with the national health service after obtaining a tax code and residence.

• The Italian tax code (codice fiscale) is the prerequisite for everything: lease, bank account, employment contract, utility and phone contracts.
• Registration with the municipal registry office gives access to a family doctor and to schools.
• The lease must be registered with the tax authorities: an unregistered lease is void.
• A presence of more than 183 days¹¹ entails Italian tax residency.