Italy is a realistic move from Kazakhstan if you match a residence route to your situation early. The short version: a one-bedroom rents for about €850 a month in the bigger cities, typical net salaries run around €1,600, personal taxes sit at 23-43%, and permanent residence usually takes about 5 years of legal stay. Here is how the move actually works for Kazakhstani citizens.
Getting in: your route options
As Kazakhstani citizens you need a visa even for short visits, so plan the paperwork early. For an actual move you need a residence permit tied to a reason; the visit visa and the residence process are separate tracks.
- Remote work: Italy runs the Digital Nomad / Remote Worker Visa, income bar around €2,700/mo, 1 year, renewable. Launched 2024; requires higher-education or proven professional experience.
- Work: a job offer plus a work permit; for higher-paid qualified roles ask employers about the EU Blue Card, which speeds up residence across most of the bloc.
- Study: university admission converts into a student permit, usually with part-time work rights and a post-graduation job-seeker option.
- Family and ancestry: joining an EU spouse or partner, or claiming citizenship by descent if you have an EU-citizen parent or grandparent.
What life in Italy costs
Budget roughly €850 for a one-bed plus about €910 for essentials and transport, per person. English friendliness scores 45/100 here.
Healthcare here rates 78/100 in this model and everyday safety 75/100, while public transport comes in at 70/100.
Paperwork is the hard part: Italy scores 85/100 for bureaucratic friction, so budget real time for registrations and appointments.
The rental market has real competition (60/100) but is manageable with planning.
The local language (IT) is among the more approachable in the bloc for newcomers, rated 65/100.
Coming from Kazakhstan, one thing worth knowing early: Italy has a moderate Russian and Ukrainian speaking community, mostly concentrated in the capital.
What you would pay in tax
If you keep earning from abroad and register as self-employed, Italy charges regime forfettario: 15% flat, and just 5% for the first 5 years, on coefficient-reduced turnover up to €85k, plus inps ~26% (gestione separata) on the same reduced base.
The forfettario is one of Europe's best small-freelancer deals while you stay under the ceiling.
Italy is workable but not built around remote earners, rated 65/100. The full picture, including the company route and the special regimes, is on the taxes in Italy page, and the take-home index ranks all 27 countries on what actually reaches your account.
The long game
Permanent residence in Italy takes about 5 years of legal residence, and citizenship about 10 years from arrival, subject to language and integration requirements. If an EU passport is part of your plan, weigh this timeline against neighbouring countries before you commit.