Italy : Cost of Living by City
Cost of Living in Italy
How Much Does It Cost to Live in Genoa?
The best thing that you can do in Genoa is actually walk around the old city center, the largest in Europe. If you are a fan of the quiet life, outdoor activities, seaside, culture and Italian food, Genoa represents a perfect mix of these.
What you spend there depends greatly on your priorities and what you choose to save up on, and – on the other hand – what you choose to spend your money on.
As a general rule, though, the most expensive thing about living cost in Genoa, like in the rest of Italy, is the rents.
Cost of Living Breakdown in Genoa
RESTAURANTS
Restaurants and pubs are often more expensive than in other Italian cities, because it’s Genoa, but that’s quite normal for a major tourist destination. If you want to save up some money, you can always order a pizza that ranges between 3$ and 9$, or a pasta, or even a cheaper a beer for around 3$.
| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $17.12 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $5.71 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $1.14 |
MARKETS
If you plan on cooking, take advantage of the fact that you’re in Italy and buy a bulk of their pasta, it’s cheap and nutrient. For future reference, let’s say that a kilo of pasta is around 2$ and tomato sauce is 1$ for 700m. You should also know that supermarkets keep basically the same prices as all the other stores along the country.
| Average Market Prices | |
|---|---|
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.54 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $2.27 |
| Eggs (12) | $3.42 |
TRANSPORTATION
Public transport is not perfectly organized and consists of 1 line Metro that connects Certosa to Brignole and another 142 bus lines. However, the best way to move on a daily basis is by scooter/motorbike, so it would be smart to buy one if you’re planning to relocate here. Public transport is fairly cheap though, and your cost of moving around Genoa should be very manageable.
| Average Transport Prices | |
|---|---|
| One Way Ticket | $1.71 |
| Monthly Pass | $52.49 |
| Gasoline | $1.76 |
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Be prepared to spend around 120$ per month for electricity, water, gas. When there’s a heavy usage of utilities, like during winter or summer, the utility bill will likely double. For an apartment around 85m2 (which is definitely bigger than a usual apartment for one or two people) these will cost you 160$ approximately.
| Average Utilities Prices | |
|---|---|
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $187.51 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.16 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $29.67 |
SPORTS & LEISURE
Genoa is a touristy city so you should expect sports activities like gym, fitness or tennis to be more expensive than the average. A membership at the gym or a fitness club costs around 50$, and you can go to a cinema if you want to pay around 10$ per person for a cinema ticket. Renting a tennis court is very expensive.
| Average Leisure Prices | |
|---|---|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $51.82 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $21.68 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $10.04 |
CLOTHING & SHOES
Genoa, as a tourist destination, is full of shopping malls and little local shopping stores where you can buy clothes. If you want a pair of Levi’s, it will cost you around 100$, though. Quality sneakers cost about the same. This is, however, expected to happen since Italian cities are famous for their fashion industry.
| Average Clothing Prices | |
|---|---|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $94.99 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $34.87 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $95.42 |
RENT PER MONTH
If you’re looking to rent an apartment and save some money, you will need to stroll out of the center of Genoa and here you can rent one for around 450$ which is actually relatively low for Italy’s average rent price. But if your mind is set on an apartment in the city center, than add another 200$ to that price.
| Average Rent Prices | |
|---|---|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $610.99 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $467.58 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $1017.83 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Genoa?
Most of the money in the city of Genoa gets spent on food, in markets and grocery stores. As we mentioned, you can count on 200$ a week going on food, if you have a family.
One of the biggest expenses in Genoa, is rent though it’s not as expensive in certain areas, as you would expect it to be.
Restaurants and transportation go side by side like in most countries – people like going to restaurants in Genoa and who can blame them? It’s Italy!
Transportation, on the other hand is one of the fundamental needs, regardless of the city you live in.
Average Costs Breakdown
Genoa: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
Citizens of Genoa (and most other Italian cities) have a relatively reasonable minimum wage. This enables them to cover all the necessary expenses and not stress out about it.
Their monthly average net salary is almost 1600$. This means that people that live in Genoa, generally, live a comfortable life and don’t have to worry about paying bills and obtaining all the necessities.
If you live and work in this city, it is likely that you will be able to manage your salary and pay everything upfront, live comfortably and not worry about making ends meet.
Genoa Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Genoa Safety Review
| OVERALL RISK | MEDIUM |
|---|---|
| TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK | MEDIUM |
| PICKPOCKETS RISK | HIGH |
| NATURAL DISASTERS RISK | HIGH |
| MUGGING RISK | LOW |
| TERRORISM RISK | MEDIUM |
| SCAMS RISK | HIGH |
| WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK | MEDIUM |
| TAP WATER RISK | LOW |
Cost of Living by City in Italy
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Bologna |
69.5 |
| Cagliari |
61.3 |
| Florence |
77.21 |
| Milan |
73.89 |
| Naples |
61.3 |
| Padova |
73.49 |
| Palermo |
61.16 |
| Rome |
69.03 |
| Trieste |
71.51 |
| Turin |
66.68 |
It’s pretty wild to think that while you’re soaking up all that culture and seaside charm, the rent could really take a chunk out of your wallet! Guess you have to decide if you want a cozy place or endless gelato!
Genoa sounds perfect for slow days by the sea, but hearing that rents are the biggest bite makes me hesitate about actually moving there. I can see myself cutting back on meals and excursions, yet high housing costs would still keep me up at night.