KBria

Hello All,

Last year I found a job in Italy - Milan specifically, it was initially a 6 months contract paying 19,000euros per year. There was no relocation package , and I didn't have the finances to make the move without any financial assistance, therefore I did not take the interview as I knew that even if I got the job I physically couldn't afford to move. However things are a bit different this year and I see the company is still hiring, and I am thinking of putting in another application. However I would like to know a few things:

I know the tax is nearly 30% - so I will be taking home 13,300 euros per annum/ 1,108 a month.

Is this enough for a single person to live alone (living in shared accomodation does not really work for me well at all). I wouldn't have a car so transport shouldn't cost too much. I'd also like to save a little bit of money every month (say about 100euros - not much, but its a start).

Is this feasible, could you all give me a break down of associated costs e.g. energy/internet . Also how would I go about meeting people (25-30s ages rage).

Feel free to add anything I may have missed/ random gems of knowledge

Many thanks in advance,

KBria

Garbatellamike

Hi KBria - I am sure one of the helpful "Oop North" Brigade with loads of local knowledge will be along soon to help. But my starter for 10 is:

Given you have 1100/month and want to save 100 we are talking about surviving on 1000 EU/Month.

This looks tight to me for someone who, understandably, does not want to flat-share. You could well have to spend between half and three quarters of your money in rent for a decent 1-bedroom place in Milan

Inernet is quite competitive here so assume no more than UK.

Energy is very expensive here maybe plan on 1.5 to 2 times what you spend now.

If you were amenable to flat sharing then it would probably be much more affordable.

Hope that is not too negative and that some of the "Milanese" will be along shortly with the ground truth

Ciao

KBria

Thank you for your input, yet the more I look into it - it looks like sharing would have to be an option. I naturally don't like sharing, but I can tolerate it in the UK as I know the place/ familiar with the people etc. I fear going to Milan, sharing and essentially not knowing what I'm getting into/ not keen on who I'm sharing with etc. However I am very ready for a new experiene - and whilst I am young and single I am trying to make the best of now!

Garbatellamike

exactly the right attitude imho - life isn't a dress rehersal: you only live one

ambra_wandsworth

Hi,

No, Unfortunately it won't be enough...If you need to eat and perhaps going out..
I used to have a boyfriend living in Gambara (which is just outside the third bypass), renting one decent bedroom flat for 700ish euros, plus bills and I'm talking about 5 years ago..

ambra_wandsworth

I would check that more than once ... Depending on your contract it could be higher than that... Ask!!

Pecora Nera

Have a trawl through this, it will give you some idea of rents.

http://www.affitto.it/case/affitti-M...partamenti.htm

Winter heating bills are very high. The houses do not have carpets, and I think are difficult to keep warm. 14 months ago I lived in a small 2 bedroom house, like a terrace house. There are only the 2 off us and we both worked during the day. The heating was on for 2 hours in the morning and 4 in the evening. We still managed to have a gas bill of 450 euros a month from dec to feb....

We have a larger house now and in the winter we manage to keep the bills down to 500 - 550 a month by turning the heating off in the rooms we don't use.


Before I moved to Italy I was under the impression that it was a hot country. But this winter the temp dropped to minus 18C at night..

Italy is a great place to be, but it is also a very difficult country to live in, especially if you are used to the UK and how easy it is to organise anything.

You will pay a tax on the rental contract, we pay taxes on almost anything. Example, 450 euros tax when I bought my second hand mini.(shocked me) The only thing they haven't taxed yet is breathing but I am sure they will get around to it.

I wish you the best of luck.

gelato

That would be a pretty typical salary here in Rome and the way Italians make it work is that they live with their parents or their parents help with rent or provide them an apartment.

As a foreigner who wants to live independently of family it would be very hard to make that work. Family help is built into Italian salaries and costs of living.

ambra_wandsworth

Until pensions are paid...sooner or later something has to change...
as well as 52% of taxes is crazy....

turivano

Going to be very hard on that money, as said above its a tough place to live if you have grown up in the UK. Income to living costs is an unreasonable ratio and set up for having family support. If you were a couple you might make it work but single I am not so sure.

Aswell as rent there are generally bills or taxes for everything.
I am not resident although I am am employed here because I do alot of travelling and have to pay nearly 3x for my electricity as its a kind of extra tax on second homes (people who are resident elsewhere).

I think your tax estimate may be a bit low. Also, I estimate living costs as being about 15% higher than the UK. Not sure what everyone else thinks.

Not painting a pretty picture but its worth knowing.

gabric

I agree with ambra_wandsworth