Cost of Living: Milan vs Bologna (2026)

Italy vs Italy — relocation comparison

Your passport:

Livability Score

Milan

Bologna

$1,737/mo

Rent

1BR centre

$1,130/mo

−$20k/yr

Take-home savings

At each city's local median pay

−$10k/yr

5 yr

PR path

5 yr

Impatriati Regime, Regime Forfettario, New Residents Flat Tax, 7% Retiree Flat Tax

Tax breaks

Open incentive regimes for newcomers

Impatriati Regime, Regime Forfettario, New Residents Flat Tax, 7% Retiree Flat Tax

Freelance setup

Regime Forfettario

VAT-free under €85k
26% social
€1000/yr accountant

WiseStripe

Regime Forfettario

VAT-free under €85k
26% social
€1000/yr accountant

WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRBologna is 35% cheaper on rent ($1,130/mo vs $1,737/mo). Both are solid options for settling down — the spreadsheet won't save you from this one.

Too close to call — 71 vs 68. Bologna has a slight edge, but Milan might suit you better depending on your priorities.

Verdict delivered. Your move.

The winner's file

🇮🇹 Bologna

Full profile. Verify before you pack.

Due diligence

🇮🇹 Milan

Every verdict deserves an appeal.

Plot twist

Rome vs Milan

Someone else's dilemma, equally unsolvable.

Household

Milan

Metric

Bologna

$760/mo

🛒

Living costs (no rent)

lower is better

$724/mo

$9,944

🧳

Cost to land

lower is better

$6,884✓

80 / 100

🛡️

Settler safety

higher is better

80 / 100

0.5 / 100k

🔒

Homicides

lower is better

0.6 / 100k

5.0 / 100k

🚗

Road deaths

lower is better

5.0 / 100k

46 / 100

🚨

Safety Index

higher is better

51 / 100✓

82°F

☀️

Summer high

personal taste

88°F

32°F

❄️

Winter low

personal taste

36°F

90 Mbps

⚡

Internet speed

higher is better

—

27.9 μg/m³

🌬️

Air quality (PM2.5)

lower is better

15 μg/m³✓

84 / 100

🏥

Healthcare

higher is better

85 / 100

7.6 / 10

🗳️

Democracy

higher is better

7.6 / 10

6.5 / 9

🤝

Migrant acceptance

higher is better

6.5 / 9

25 / 100

🏳️‍🌈

Rainbow Index

higher is better

25 / 100

29/100

🗣️

Street English

higher is better

29/100

$62k

💼

GDP per capita (PPP)

higher is better

$62k

1.0% · Practically frozen

📈

Inflation

lower is better

1.0% · Practically frozen

89/100 — Mostly stable

⚡

Grid reliability

higher is better

—

87/100

🗽

Freedom House

higher is better

87/100

A median Software Engineer in Milan takes home $2,350/mo under Standard employee. In Bologna: $2,253/mo under Standard employee.

$97/mo more in Milan

🎯 Milan's Impatriati Regime isn't modelled above — if you qualify, take-home would be $2,962/mo instead.

🎯 Bologna's Impatriati Regime isn't modelled above — if you qualify, take-home would be $2,825/mo instead.

Each city pays its own median — Software Engineer gross via Levels.fyi / Eurostat. Moving changes your salary too; that's the point.

$46k

💰

Gross income

$43k

−$13k

🏛️

Income tax

Standard employee

−$12k

−$4k

🛡️

Social contributions

−$4k

✓$28k/yr

$2k/mo

💵

Take-home pay

$27k/yr

$2k/mo

−$48k

🏠

Cost of living

−$37k

−$20k/yr

🐖

Annual savings

−$10k/yr✓

Swap the local medians for your actual number

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · Gallup · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated May 2026

💰

Cost of Living

Bologna

$607/mo cheaper on rent alone

☀️

Weather

—

82°F vs 88°F summers

Sun

How much sky you actually get

57% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

Sky clear

avg daytime

50% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

8.7h

Shortest day

Dec

8.9h

15.7h

Longest day

Jun

15.5h

Sun clocks out before 5pm in both cities come December. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

stable →

Democracy trend

improving ↑

Inflation trend

stable →

fashionfinanceluxurytech

Industries

—

active

Startup ecosystem

—

Moderate

🇺🇸 Your visa

Moderate

Easy

EU visa

Easy

Complex

RU visa

Complex

Easy

UA visa

Easy

✅ Partner can work immediately

Spouse works

—

Not recognized

unione civile / convivenza di fatto (no immigration rights)

Partner pathway

Not recognized

unione civile / convivenza di fatto (no immigration rights)

€2,583/mo

Retiree visa

—

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request

Abortion access

On request

12 wk

Gestational limit

12 wk

On request up to 90 days. 7-day waiting period. High rates of conscientious objection limit practical access.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Civil union

Marriage

Civil union

Step-child only

Adoption

Step-child only

Yes

Job protection

Yes

Hate crime law

Milan vs Bologna — Common Questions

Is Milan cheaper than Bologna?▾

Bologna is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1130/month there vs $1737/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Milan or Bologna?▾

Milan is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Milan has a rate of 0.55 per 100,000 and Bologna has 0.57 per 100,000.

Should I move to Milan or Bologna?▾

Too close to call — 71 vs 68. Bologna has a slight edge, but Milan might suit you better depending on your priorities. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Milan or Bologna?▾

Milan: Italy Digital Nomad Visa (moderate requirements, 1 year (renewable)). Bologna: no specific remote work visa. See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Milan or Bologna?▾

Bologna is warmer in summer (88°F vs 82°F). Milan has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

What's the cost of rent in Milan vs Bologna?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1130/month in Bologna, $1737/month in Milan (Numbeo). That's 35% cheaper rent in Bologna.