Why Live in Italy? 
Living in Italy is a dream come true for many expats.
Learn more about living in Italy in IL Postcards. Many tourists are under the impression that Italy is expensive and therefore the prospect of living in Italy seems unrealistic. Have a cup of coffee on St. Mark's Square in Venice, and all your fears are likely to be confirmed! Truth is, outside of the tourist hot-spots, you don't have to spend a fortune to enjoy the good life. In the deep south, and in rural Lunigiana and Liguria, you can buy liter-jugs of local wine for as little as $4. In these areas, a meal in a nice restaurant will cost less than $20 a head. Obviously, how much it costs to live in Italy is largely dependent on your own lifestyle and whereabouts you choose to settle. Housing costs aside, on current exchange rates, singles can probably live on an annual income of $20,000 to $26,000 to enjoy a middle class lifestyle in northern and central Italy. Couples may require an income of between $26,000 and $40,000. The nuts and bolts of living in Italy: An introduction to apartment prices
It's impossible to give any kind of average square foot price for real estate in Italy, though most provincial properties fall into the $185 to $315 per square foot range. As a rule of thumb, you'll pay far less for apartments in provincial towns than in major population centers. Sometimes a lot less…$126,200 for 2,690 square feet equates to $47 per square foot. The most sought-after apartments are between 645 and 1,300 square feet in size. But within each city, price variations can be enormous. Taking the overall housing market, Venice is costliest for homes, but the price of a 915-square-foot apartment in prime areas of 
Living in Italy is actually not as costly or
difficult as many potential expats assume.
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Florence can easily nudge over $535,700. But not everywhere is as expensive as that. Though over-priced Naples, Sorrento, and the Amalfi coast make nonsense of the figures, the typical local buyer in southern Italy is seeking a home priced at an equivalent $150,000. In the wealthier north and central regions, the average spend is nearer $300,000. Of course, this "average" encompasses everything from poky studios to flash villas. In the apartment market, square foot prices can be as low as $67 per square foot in the sleazier back streets of Bari, but as high as $1,327 per square foot to overlook the Trevi fountain in Rome. Groceries
When it comes to groceries, prices will vary widely in different cities and regions. Most sizeable towns will have at least three or four of the major supermarket chains. Italy uses the metric system, which means when you live in Italy you must get used to buying in kilos and liters instead of pounds and pints. Utilities
Whether you are buying or renting a property long term, you'll almost certainly find that the gas, electricity, and telephone have been disconnected. Getting things reconnected will mean signing new contracts with a local provider. This is only likely to prove a problem if you cannot produce your Permesso di Soggiorno (Stay Permit) and codice fiscale (tax number)-both are needed in order to sign contracts. Bills will arrive every two months, and you can settle them at the utility offices, in post offices, or at your local bank. Water charges (acquedotto comunale) are seldom included in the service charges for apartment dwellings. Individual homes are on a metered supply controlled by the local municipality. Prices vary from commune to commune, but are normally between $0.001 to $0.002 per cubic foot. Most families get an electricity bill of around $70 every two months. Note, though, your bill will be a great deal higher if you do not use gas and if you choose to live in one of Italy's alpine regions. The supply will probably be from the National Electric Energy Authority (ENEL). However, in larger cities like Milan and Rome, there is competition from companies such as AEM and ACEA. Learn more about living in Italy in IL Postcards.
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Read related IL Postcards: 01/30/2007 - A ready made network of friends living in Italy
As in almost every European country, Italy boasts a serious list of expat groups, clubs, and associations. 10/03/2006 - Life is Better in Tuscany
If you venture into the Tuscan countryside to explore lesser known towns and villages, you'll find pockets of life practically untouched by time.
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