Think of art and you think of Italy. Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Verdi, and Puccini, Italians all, are among the best known giants of painting, sculpture, and opera.  Living in cities like Rome, Venice and Milan takes you back centuries to more heroic ages. Even today, modern Italy and its people seem larger than life, like the tragic-comic characters in a Fellini film. 

Climate in Italy | Government in Italy | Tax System in Italy | Medical Care in Italy | Real Estate in Italy | Shopping in Italy | Cost of Living in Italy  

A New Life in Italy

Climate in Italy

Italy has three unique and distinct geographical regions: the mountainous border of Italy-France-Switzerland-Austria, the northern plains and the Po valley, and the elongated peninsula in central and southern Italy.

The weather in the Italian Alps is like the weather in its Swiss and Austrian  counterparts. Rains and thunderstorms are frequent during spring, summer and autumn.  The plains of Italy are  thickly populated and centers of agricultural production. The weather is hot and sunny but rains fall the whole year round and it is quite cold during the winter months.  The peninsula is characterized by rain and snow in high elevation areas and mild winters with hot and dry summers in the coastal areas. Weather in Italy can be very volatile during spring, autumn and winter with strong winds, rain, and heavy snow in vivid contrast to the consistently sunny and hot summer season.

Government in Italy

In World War II, Italy was a member of the Axis alliance together with Germany and Japan. After World War II, the execution of the Italian dictator Mussolini, and the victory of the Allied powers, Italy became renowned for corruption and political instability, characterized by sudden, dramatic and frequent changes in government. There were, for some time, numerous high profile cases of kidnapping for ransom. Corruption was exposed at the highest levels of government and business in the 1990s. There have been some changes and improvements since then.

Italy’s current president, former Communist Party member Giogrio Napolitano, was elected in May 2006. He is the head of the country’s armed forces and has the power to veto laws, disband parliament, and call for elections. The present Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, won in the 2006 general elections.  His left-wing Union bloc won by a very slim majority in both the upper and lower houses of parliament.  The deployment of Italian troops to Iraq was controversial and was ended in 2006. Italy’s economic problems include a large budget deficit, slow growth rate, inflation, and the lowest birth rate in Europe. If there is no change, Italy’s population will decrease by one third within  50 years.

Tax System in Italy

In Italy, the richer you are, the higher the tax you are supposed to pay. An individual pays taxes on his or her global income if s/he is a  permanent Italian resident. The tax resident lives more than 183 days out of every year in Italy. Those who pay taxes in other countries are give a “tax credit” which is deducted from the tax s/he is supposed to pay. An individual’s income tax varies from 23% to 43%.

Since 2004, the Italian government has been taking steps to make its tax system more efficient so that it can compete with other EU countries through tax exemptions on dividends and capital gains. However there are still many problems with the proposed reforms.

Medical Care in Italy

The World Health Organization or WHO classifies Italy as one of the ten countries in the world that offer and deliver the best quality health services. (The US ranks 37th  (although it spends the most on health services). Unfortunately some public hospitals, although they have well trained doctors and adequate services, may lack the amenities that private hospitals offer. Public hospitals often require long periods of waiting due to overcrowding. If you are considered an Italian resident, you will receive health care via the national health plan. You will receive free hospital services and so will your dependents. Emergency services are available round the clock. Foreigners who may want more amenities such as TV and telephones can resort to private hospitals and take out private health insurance. Medicine can usually be purchased from small, family-run pharmacies.

Real Estate in Italy

Many Italians own a home and a vacation house.  Foreigners also invest in Italian real estate and congregate in colonies in such areas as Tuscany, Umbria, and near the lakes in Northern Italy.  The value of Italian real estate has risen consistently over the years because of strong domestic and foreign demand. There are properties that can be bought for relatively reasonable prices since they have been abandoned by former owners who moved to the cities and need a lot of renovation.

Shopping in Italy

You can buy Italian high fashion in outlet stores and malls usually found around Milan, Florence and Turin.  The atmosphere is friendly and the staff friendly, multilingual and well trained. The best bargains can be had in January and July when the stores offer up to 70% discounts.  You have to be patient in choosing the best from among the available garments by Prada, Fendi, Valentino, Armani, Gucci and other sought after labels. You will have to allot enough time for your fashion shopping. The truly dedicated shopper may decide to hire a personal shopper to get the best buys possible.

Cost of Living in Italy

Expatriates who want to make Italy their retirement home should consider the increases in the cost of living due to inflation. Of course it is still relatively cheap to live in Italy if you compare it with the cost of living in the US. As in other countries, it really depends on the lifestyle you are prepared to maintain. A single individual can get by on about US$2,000 a month; a couple on about US$3,000 a month; and four people on almost US$4,000 a month. This budget includes housing, food, utilities, leisure, transport including a car, insurance and clothing. Housing refers to rent or mortgage payments for a new or renovated apartment or house in a typical suburb.