The Fernshore Index
The factors retirees look at first.
Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.
Retirement
85 of 100Strong
Strong: the elective residence visa is for people with stable income that does not come from work, and consulates describe it as for those who plan to reside permanently; the Polizia di Stato says the EU long-term residence permit can be requested after five years with a valid residence permit.
Source: Elective residency visa (Los Angeles consulate); Elective residency (New York consulate); Permesso di soggiorno UE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo. Checked 15 October 2026.
Healthcare
73 of 100Strong
WHO UHC service coverage index 82 (2023).
Source: UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1). Checked 15 October 2026.
Cost of living
41 of 100Mixed
Price level 0.690 of United States prices (2025).
Source: Price level index (GDP), Italy. Checked 15 October 2026.
Safety
63 of 100Mixed
Global Peace Index 2026: 35th of 163.
Source: Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank. Checked 15 October 2026.
Community
63 of 100Mixed
Expat Insider 2026 Ease of Settling In: 14th of 31.
Source: Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In. Checked 15 October 2026.
Climate
Unknown
Turin, the main city, has no usable official 1991–2020 normals: the only Turin station in the WMO set sits on a hill at 709 m, not in the city.
Visa, United States passport
85 of 100Strong
Strong: A national remote worker and freelancer visa is open without a local job offer for a stay of a year, renewable while the conditions hold, with no minimum age and no deposit or investment. Income test about 24,800 to 27,000 euros a year (about US$27,800 to $30,300 at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026), well under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than 28,000 euros a year. Needs a qualification, six months of experience and a registered lease.
Source: Digital nomad / remote worker visa (New York consulate); Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Los Angeles consulate). Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, Canada passport
85 of 100Strong
Strong: A national remote worker and freelancer visa is open without a local job offer for a stay of a year, renewable while the conditions hold, with no minimum age and no deposit or investment. Income test about 24,800 euros a year (about US$27,800 at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026), well under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than 25,000 euros a year. Needs a qualification, six months of experience and suitable accommodation.
Source: Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Ottawa embassy); Digital nomad and remote worker national visa (Toronto consulate). Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, Australia passport
85 of 100Strong
Strong: A national remote worker and freelancer visa is open without a local job offer for a stay of a year, renewable while the conditions hold, with no minimum age and no deposit or investment. Income test about 25,500 euros a year (about US$28,600 at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026); a remote employee's contract must pay about 33,000 euros, still under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than 26,000 euros a year. Needs a qualification, six months of experience and a registered lease.
Source: Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Sydney consulate); Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Melbourne consulate); Schengen visa checklist: digital nomads and remote workers (Adelaide consulate). Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, New Zealand passport
85 of 100Strong
Strong: A national remote worker and freelancer visa is open without a local job offer for a stay of a year, renewable while the conditions hold, with no minimum age and no deposit or investment. Income test about 25,500 euros a year (about US$28,600 at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026); a remote employee's contract must pay about 33,500 euros, still under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than 26,000 euros a year. Needs a qualification, six months of experience and a registered lease.
Source: Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Wellington embassy). Checked 15 October 2026.
The country
The rest of the research on Italy.
The country page grades every factor, with its sources.
ItalyQuestions from retirees about Italy.
What does Italy's elective residence visa ask for, and can you work on it?
It is for people with stable income that does not come from work, and it allows no work. Consulates cite about €31,000 to €32,000 a year per applicant; Sydney and Melbourne give a monthly figure instead (to be safe, more than €2,700 a month). To be safe, more than €33,000 a year. Your consulate sets its own figure.
Does the elective residence visa lead to permanent residence in Italy?
Consulates describe it as for people who plan to reside permanently. The Polizia di Stato says the EU long-term residence permit can be requested after five years with a valid residence permit. Wellington's checklist says elective residence is issued for one year and is not renewable, so ask your embassy.
How does healthcare work for a retiree living in Italy?
The WHO service coverage index for Italy is 82 of 100 (2023). Some foreigners can join the national health service voluntarily: a 2024 Bologna notice gives about €2,000 yearly minimum for most categories. To be safe, have more than €2,100 yearly. No source says whether elective-residence holders may join, so ask the local health authority.
How is a pension taxed if you live in Italy?
If you live in Italy for most of the year (183 days) or are registered or domiciled there, you are an Italian tax resident, taxed on worldwide income at 23%, 33% and 43% in three bands for 2026. We found no pensioner-specific tax regime in our sources, so it is unknown here. Ask an Italian adviser.
What do we know about living costs for retirees in Italy?
Prices overall are about 0.69 of United States prices (World Bank, 2025), an economy-wide average. Four Turin adverts asked €600 to €850 a month for a furnished flat of about 45 to 55 m²; a monthly urban transport pass costs €38. Groceries, utilities and health cover are unknown, and personal tax is excluded.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.
- [R1] Elective residency visa (Los Angeles consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. Undated page; the visa is for people who wish to reside permanently in Italy and can show high self-sustaining income and financial assets; no work allowed.
- [R2] Elective residency (New York consulate), Consulate General of Italy in New York (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. Undated page; income must not come from work, 'typically around €31,000 per person'; the visa does not allow any work.
- [R3] Permesso di soggiorno UE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo, Polizia di Stato (Italian Ministry of the Interior). Checked 15 October 2026. Undated PDF; the EU long-term residence permit can be requested only by someone who has held a valid residence permit for at least five years; short-stay permits do not count.
- [H1] UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1), World Health Organization. Checked 15 October 2026. Italy: 82 out of 100 (2023), read from the WHO Global Health Observatory API on 15 October 2026.
- [C1] Price level index (GDP), Italy, World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2025: 68.96 (United States = 100), read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [S1] Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank, Institute for Economics and Peace. Checked 15 October 2026. Italy ranks 35th of 163 countries (score 1.712); read from the report PDF on 15 October 2026.
- [Q1] Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In, InterNations (Expat Insider survey, private). Checked 15 October 2026. Italy ranks 14th of 31 countries.
- [K1] Digital nomad / remote worker visa (New York consulate), Consulate General of Italy in New York (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. Undated page. A national visa for non-EU citizens who work remotely while living in Italy, for freelancers (digital nomads) and employees (remote workers); only for highly qualified people. Jurisdiction rules differ by consulate.
- [K3] Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Los Angeles consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. Undated page, partly written in 2024. For US residents: income of at least three times the health-contribution exemption level from work done in Italy, a permit issued for one year and renewable at the Questura, no minimum age, no deposit or investment.
- [K4] Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Ottawa embassy), Embassy of Italy in Ottawa (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. Undated page. For the Ottawa consular area: income from the previous fiscal year in the country of residence above 24,780 euros; qualification and six months of experience; no minimum age, no deposit or investment.
- [K5] Digital nomad and remote worker national visa (Toronto consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Toronto (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. No clear date. For the Toronto consular area: same national visa, the page prints no euro income figure; no minimum age, no deposit or investment.
- [K6] Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Sydney consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Sydney (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 15 October 2026. Undated checklist in the July 2026 upload folder. For New South Wales: income for the previous financial year of at least 8,500 euros x 3 (25,500 euros); no minimum age, no deposit or investment.
- [K7] Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Melbourne consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Melbourne (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 15 October 2026. Undated checklist in the July 2026 upload folder. For Victoria and Tasmania: same figures as Sydney.
- [K8] Schengen visa checklist: digital nomads and remote workers (Adelaide consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Adelaide (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 15 October 2026. File name dated 14 August 2026. Prints 25,500 euros as three times the health-contribution exemption level.
- [K9] Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Wellington embassy), Embassy of Italy in Wellington (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 15 October 2026. Undated checklist in the July 2026 upload folder. For New Zealand citizens or permanent residents: income for the previous financial year of at least 8,500 euros x 3 (25,500 euros); no minimum age, no deposit or investment.