I'm thinking of transferring schools to Italy, I have school tuition, health insurance, tours and rent paid. My apartment would be in downtown Florence. I would have to pay for everything else like for food, clothes, phone bill... etc..
Other - Italy - 7 Answers
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1 :
Yes, it is very expensive. I traveled to Italy 3 months ago and it took a toll on my wallet. Florence was very nice, but the food was very expensive unless you know where to go. Clothes are about the same as America. Water is very very dirty there. Every place you go will charge you to use the bathroom (about $1.50). Note: There are a lot of thieves and scammers in Italy. Just to give you a heads up if you do decide to go: 1. Never take pictures with someone who's dressed up in a costume, they play it off like it is free but then ask for 20 Euros (roughly $30). 2. People try to give you "free" bracelets, they are designed so that once you put them on you can't take it off unless you break it. They will charge you a hefty price for these crappy bracelets. 3. People telling you to feed pigeons. They give you "free" bird food and tell you to feed them. They will charge you 20 Euros for this as well. There are lots more scams out there but Basically, nothing is free so always decline when someone says it is free. Thought I was never scammed or pick pocketed myself, our many people on our tour was victimized even after the tour guide told us to watch out for them. So be attentive in crowded places!!!
2 :
Rather it's expensive or not relative to where you are now depends on where you're coming from. It is somewhat more expensive here than in Colorado where I moved from about 12 years ago and still have a home. The expenses for my 4 bedroom home in Colorado are about the same as my one bedroom apartment rental in northern Italy. The phone bill depends on how you use it. I only have to recharge my prepaid SIM once a year, but I don't use the phone much. Clothes depend on what and where you buy. If you head to Milan for designer fashions in the high end shops, you can go broke very rapidly, but you can find decent clothes at reasonable prices and there are outlets outside Florence. Food is pretty reasonable depending on what you buy. Things like Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and good aceto balsamico aren't cheap here, but they are much less than in the US. I spend about the same here as in the US for food. Travel to go out exploring is very reasonable if you go by train. See: http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ad1ce14114bc9110VgnVCM10000080a3e90aRCRD for current schedules and prices. A car can be expensive - fuel prices here are the equivalent of $8 per gallon. However, there are small fuel efficient cars so it's not quite as bad as it might be.
3 :
Yup; very expensive. You can spend some less if you live in little towns. e in little towns you don't find burglers and so. Of course Florence is special, too many tourists. But if you dress not and behave not like a tourist, you are ok. Worst is Naples.
4 :
I live in Florence for 3 months last year. I rented a studio 20 minutes far from downtown florence and the rent was 600 euros!! As for food, you can go to the "COOP" which is an excellent supermarket. Much cheaper than shops in downtown Florence of course. Phone lines are cheap (lots of competition btw mobile companies) The three months i spent in Florence were the best in my life. And it is a safe place!!
5 :
VERY as Italy got almost all higher prices in Europe...the same goods or services in other Europeans countries are generally lots cheaper... @Jason: "water is very dirty there"...what the HELL are you talking about? Even tap water is much more nice in Italy than in the UK (just to name one country)!!About pickpockets and scam that happens EVERYWHERE in the world specially where there's a crowd of tourists in those very big cities and not just in Italy, I know many Italians being ripped off abroad! Moreover I NEVER been pickpocketed or scammed in all my life....stop talking crà p and stay in your country next time (I bet it's perfect...)
6 :
I visited Florence just over three(3) years ago; so this maybe old news. The exchange rate Euros to Dollars is what really kills you. We give a hundred dollars and get back 60 Euros, then the prices are for us were somewhat competitive; like our room was 30 or 32 Euros a night; does not sound to bad until you do the conversion from dollars then one feels had. Trains are relatively inexpensive so one can travel around Italy and see a lot of things by rail. I loved Florence and other places I visited in Italy, Pisa, Naples, Rome, Sicily; lots to see and learn about.
7 :
Expensive or not is all relative. I live in Huntington Beach, California and pay $ 1,500. rent for a regualr 1-bedroom apartment. Since most of your major expenses are paid for, you are fine. Florence, because of its tourism, is more expensive of course, but after a while you find out where to shop for food and dine, and it will not cost you more than a major city in the U.S. Just shop/dine where the locals go and avoid the tourist traps. Enjoy your time in Italy.
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