What is the average salary in Italy in 2026?

Explore the real numbers behind Italy’s 2026 salaries—by city, industry, and career. Learn where expats thrive and uncover regional pay secrets before your big move.

Bas Teunissen

9 minute read

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Updated on 16 Sep 2026

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Working

The average salary in Italy in 2026 is roughly €2,436 per month (about €29,232 a year gross). That number is probably one of the first things you'll consider if you want to make Italy your new home. To actually make the move, plan your move to Italy with this checklist. Knowing about the average pay in Italy helps you determine whether you're getting a good salary for your industry, position, and experience, but this figure varies a lot depending on where you work, your sector, and your experience level.

Luckily for you, we've already done the digging necessary to help you figure out how much you should be earning once you expat in Italy.

Key takeaways

• Students & interns: entry-level graduates typically earn between €22,000 and €30,000 a year (about €1,800 to €2,500 a month gross), rising fast with experience.
• Young professionals: the national average sits at €2,436 a month gross; northern cities like Milan pay up to 18% more than that baseline.
• Families & expats relocating for work: earning more than €35,000 a year, including benefits, is considered a good salary in Italy, and the lower-than-EU-average cost of living helps your money stretch further.
• Everyone: salaries drop the further south you go, but so does the cost of living, so weigh both together rather than looking at salary alone.
• Job seekers: Italy has no national minimum wage, so pay is set sector by sector, meaning your negotiating power depends heavily on your industry and skills.

According to Salary Expert, the average gross salary for Italy as of 2026 is around €37,747 per year or €3,312 a month. If this sounds high, it's because this number includes various benefits, such as housing stipends, travel expenses, vacation allowance, etc.

If we look at the most recent salary data on average, the gross salary for Italy is around €29,232 or €2,436 a month. Either way, the national average for Italy is higher than that in the majority of European countries.

Most Italian employers spread annual pay over 13 monthly instalments, with an extra "tredicesima" bonus paid out in December, and some sectors add a 14th payment in summer. So don't be surprised if your monthly paycheck doesn't divide evenly from the annual figure.

Combine that with the fact that the cost of living in Italy is lower than the EU average and the likelihood that you, as an expat, are a highly skilled worker means that life in Italy could be pretty cosy on the financial end!

Don't forget that the median income doesn't represent the absolute reality since 50% of Italy's population earns less than that.

The other factors that have an influence on the wages you'll encounter are:

• The pay differences per region
• The industry
• Your experience

Additionally, it's pretty likely that, as an expat, you'll be looking for international or English-speaking jobs. These jobs are more likely to be found in larger companies, which also tend to pay more than average. In conclusion,

Earning more than €35,000, including benefits, is considered a good salary in Italy, with many opportunities offering even more than that.

If salary is an important factor on your move to Italy, it's good to take a look at the salaries across Italy as they vary a lot.

Gross vs net salary in Italy: what you'll actually take home

Italy taxes income progressively through IRPEF (national income tax), on top of INPS social security contributions and small regional and municipal surcharges. The 2026 IRPEF brackets are:

• Up to €28,000: 23%
• €28,001 to €50,000: 33%
• Above €50,000: 43%

(Agenzia delle Entrate)

On top of that, employees pay roughly 9-10% in INPS contributions, plus regional and municipal add-ons of a few percent. Put together, the average worker's net-to-gross ratio in Italy sits at around 72%, according to Eurostat wage data. That means the €2,436 monthly gross average translates to roughly €1,750 net in your pocket each month, before rent, groceries, or transport.

Freelancers and self-employed workers sometimes pay less tax on paper thanks to Italy's flat-rate "regime forfettario," but they're also responsible for their own social security contributions, so always compare net figures, not just the headline gross number, when judging a job offer.

If you're looking for better salaries in Italy, there's an easy rule to follow: go North!

The provinces with the highest average earnings include Lombardy in North Italy, Lazio in Central Italy and Piedmont in North-west Italy.

There're no real surprises as to why these areas do very well. To start off, Lombardy is home to Milan. Milan has the highest average salary in Italy, €2,871 per month to be exact.

Then there's the province of Lazio in the centre of Italy, which is where you'll find Rome! In the province of Piedmont, we find another economic powerhouse that boosts the average in the region: Turin.

The regional averages are one thing, but that doesn't mean that you can't earn a good buck if you live in a different region.

Let's take a look at some of the average salaries per city in Italy:

That said, the further south you go, you'll find that the average salary gets lower. In fact, the average yearly salary in the Basilicata region (around the ankle of the famous Italian 'boot') is almost €7,000 lower than in Lombardy.

Why are salaries lower in Southern Italy?

The southern regions and the Islands have a much higher share of low-income employees and unemployment compared to the northern regions (According to Statista & Job Pricing). This explains the pay gap in the southern regions of Italy, but remember that the cost of living in Southern Italy is lower too.

Is the cost of living in Italy affordable on an average salary?

A salary only tells half the story. What matters is how far it stretches once rent, food, and transport are covered.

On average, monthly living costs (excluding rent) run about €2,970 a month in the North or Centre of Italy, and closer to €2,200 a month in the South, according to Expatica. Add rent on top: a 3-bedroom apartment in a city centre averages around €1,277 a month, per Numbeo, though that drops significantly outside city centres and in the South.

That's why the north-south salary gap doesn't automatically mean a lower quality of life in the South. Lower wages there are usually offset by cheaper rent and everyday costs, so your take-home money can go further than the raw numbers suggest.

For students and young professionals watching every euro, the practical move is comparing salary against cost of living city by city, not just relying on the national average. If you’re budgeting for life as a student or considering studying in Italy as an international student, studying in Italy as an international student is a helpful resource. If you're coming from outside the EU, check student visa requirements for Italy early, as the paperwork can take time.

Rent is typically the biggest monthly expense for students and young expats, so make sure to find student accommodation in Italy that fits your budget before you arrive. And after rent, you’ll want to understand what groceries cost in Italy to plan your monthly expenses accurately.

It's no secret that some industries offer better salaries than others. Such industries typically require higher education or a specific set of skills to become employed there. So let's take a look at some of the highest-earning and noteworthy sectors in Italy:

Italy is well-known for its automotive and high-end fashion industries. Unfortunately, the average salaries in these industries are below the national average.

If you're eyeing hospitality or education instead, temper your expectations: hospitality roles average around €22,000 a year (about €1,800 a month), based on SalaryExpert data, while healthcare and education professionals typically earn between €30,000 and €45,000 a year, depending on qualifications and whether you work in the public or private sector. If you want tips on how to find a job in Italy as an expat, see our job-hunting tips for Italy.

If you're looking to find which particular careers have the highest average salary in 2026, you should look into picking one of the following professions:

Italy's gender pay gap

Unfortunately, even in this day and age, there's still a discrepancy between the wages of men and women in the same field. Salary explorer reports that overall, women earn around 5.3% less than men across all industries, but some industries discriminate more than others.

Eurostat indicates that the Finance and Insurance industries favour men at an almost unreal rate. Men in science, real estate, finance and insurance can make up to 24% more than their female counterparts.

If you're an international student or recent graduate, expect to start below the national average. Entry-level roles in Italy typically pay between €22,000 and €30,000 a year (roughly €1,800 to €2,500 a month gross), depending on your city, sector, and qualifications.

Graduates with a postgraduate or master's degree tend to land at the higher end of that range, and pay climbs quickly with experience: many professionals reach the national average of €29,232 a year within just a few years on the job.

If you're job-hunting as an international student, cast a wide net for international or English-speaking jobs, since these roles are more common at larger companies that pay above the local average. To help plan your education, see the best universities in Italy for international students.

Realistically, don't expect a first job in Italy to fund a lavish lifestyle. Budget carefully in your first year, especially in Milan or Rome, and negotiate using your language skills and international experience as leverage.

Italy does not have a national minimum wage. Instead, the minimum wage is determined on a sector-by-sector basis, known as national collective bargaining agreements (NCBAs), or negotiated at a local or even at a company level.

These agreements are renegotiated every 3 years. If you're planning on taking on a student job, make sure you leverage your skills and multilingualism to negotiate a decent salary where possible.

When negotiating, benchmark yourself against the industry and profession tables above, and don't just look at the base number. Ask about extras like buoni pasto (meal vouchers), health insurance, remote-work flexibility, and the tredicesima and quattordicesima bonuses (the extra 13th, and in some sectors 14th, monthly salary payment most Italian employers pay). These can add up to a meaningful chunk of your total compensation.

The best time to negotiate is when your sector's NCBA is renegotiated or when you're offered a new contract. As an expat, your multilingual skills and international experience are strong bargaining chips, especially with companies hiring for international or English-speaking roles.

Once you know what to expect salary-wise, the next step is finding a place to live that matches your budget, before you land in Italy.

Here's a quick snapshot to help you weigh salary against location:

Whichever city you choose, book your home before you arrive. Browse verified listings across Italy and apply with confidence: every booking includes Tenant Protection, so your first month's rent stays safely held until 48 hours after move-in, giving you time to confirm the place matches what you saw online. That's one less thing to negotiate, on top of your new salary.

How does the average salary in Italy compare to other European countries? Italy's average annual gross wage sits around €36,594, lower than France's €45,964 but higher than Spain's €32,678, according to a 2026 OECD analysis reported by Euronews. Combined with Italy's relatively low cost of living, that gap narrows in real purchasing power.

Which jobs pay the most for foreigners in Italy? Doctors, judges, lawyers, and senior finance roles top the list (see the professions table above). International companies in banking, pharma, and IT tend to pay the most to English-speaking hires, since they set salaries closer to broader European benchmarks rather than local averages.

What are typical salaries in the hospitality and education sectors in Italy? Hospitality roles average around €22,000 a year (about €1,800 a month), while healthcare and education professionals typically earn €30,000 to €45,000 a year, depending on qualifications and whether you work in the public or private sector.

What is the average salary in Milan versus Rome? Milan pays more: €2,871 a month gross on average, 18% above the national baseline, compared to Rome's €2,384 a month, about 2% below the national average.

What salary can international students expect in Italy? Expect entry-level pay between €22,000 and €30,000 a year (roughly €1,800 to €2,500 a month gross). Rates climb quickly with experience, and international or English-speaking roles at larger companies typically pay above the local average.