Living among two millennia of history never gets old, and daily life has a warmth few capitals match. The trade: creaky services, traffic and an economy that runs on connections.
What it costs to live in Rome
Rent here sits close to the national baseline for Italy, at roughly EUR 850 a month for a one-bed. Across the 60 EU cities we profile, that lands Rome in the middle of the range.
Against a typical net salary in Italy of about EUR 1,600, that is roughly 53% of take-home pay going on rent alone. City wages usually run above the national figure, so treat this as the cautious end.
What the economy runs on
Government, tourism, media.
Rome works best on a local salary or a settled remote contract, since neither the cost base nor the country's paperwork favours arriving without income already in place.
How far English gets you
English works in international offices, with younger people and in the centre of Rome, but shops, tradespeople and anything official will expect Italian.
On our scores Rome rates 55/100 for English against 45/100 for Italy as a whole, the usual gap between a city with international employers and the country around it. There is a fuller breakdown on the English in Italy page.
What day-to-day life leans on
Mountains are close enough to change your weekends, with Italy at 80/100 for alpine access. Skiing and hiking stop being trips you plan a year ahead and become things you do on a Saturday.
Safety scores lower than the EU norm here, at 75/100 for Italy, which in practice tends to mean petty crime and neighbourhood variation rather than anything dramatic.
Worth weighing
Public services and bureaucracy test your patience daily.
Rome sits mid-range for Italy. For comparison: Milan (about EUR 1,150 a month) and Bologna (about EUR 720 a month).
City picked, country still open? See the full Italy overview including cost of living, safety, healthcare and the path to residence, or compare Italy with other EU countries.