🏛️ Italia
Roma
Living in Rome is a trade: bureaucracy and chaos in exchange for an incomparable city and the best everyday food in Europe. The remote scene is small but real.
Score breakdown
Cost of living
6.5Expensive for Italy, though eating out is still cheap.
Weight 25%
Internet & work
8.0Very cheap fiber where it reaches; old buildings, not always.
Weight 20%
Nomad community
6.5A scattered, low-visibility remote scene.
Weight 20%
Safety
8.0Safe apart from persistent pickpocketing.
Weight 15%
Weather
7.5Great spring and autumn; unbearable August.
Weight 10%
Paperwork & visa
6.0Slow bureaucracy: permits and endless appointments.
Weight 10%
What it really costs
Prices checked on the ground by Zabelers. Each line shows when it was last verified.
1-bedroom flat (Monti)
1.350 €/mes
Furnished, seasonal contract.
2026-09 · Immobiliare.it
Room in a shared flat
620 €/mes
Pigneto or San Lorenzo.
2026-09 · Immobiliare.it
Working lunch
14 €
Primo, drink and coffee.
2026-09 · Comprobado en Testaccio
Monthly ATAC pass
35 €
Urban metro, bus and tram.
2026-09 · ATAC Roma
Coworking fixed desk
220 €/mes
Full access with meeting rooms.
2026-09 · Talent Garden
Espresso at the bar
1,20 €
Standard standing price.
2026-09 · Comprobado en centro
Where to live
Monti
1.200–1.700 €/mesGood for: Anyone wanting the historic heart with relative calm.
The catch: High prices and constant tourism.
Trastevere
1.200–1.800 €/mesGood for: Nightlife, restaurants and an international vibe.
The catch: Noise almost every night.
Pigneto
850–1.200 €/mesGood for: Tighter budgets and an alternative scene.
The catch: A bit out of the way and scruffier.
Testaccio
1.000–1.400 €/mesGood for: Those who live for food and want a real neighbourhood.
The catch: Few coworkings nearby.
Where to work
Coworkings
- Talent Garden Ostiense~220 €/mes
The most international one, with tech events.
- Millepiani~150 €/mes
Affordable, local community and a relaxed feel.
Cafés with wifi
- Faro Luminari del CaffèCafé 2,50 €
Specialty coffee with room for a laptop.
- Pergamino CaffèCafé 2,20 €
Good wifi near the Vatican.
Time zone: CET (UTC+1/+2). Same as continental Europe.
What living here is really like
Editorial synthesis of public experiences
Accounts agree Rome is far better as a resident than as a tourist, but every formality takes twice as long as expected: opening a bank account, getting a codice fiscale or booking a permesso appointment. Those who accept it end up loving the daily routine.
- Best part:
- Eating well for little money any day of the week.
- Worst part:
- The bureaucracy and the state of public transport.
Sources: Comune di Roma · Polizia di Stato · permesso di soggiorno
Day to day
- Internet
- 1 Gbps FTTH for €25–35/month where available; historic buildings sometimes only have ADSL or fixed wireless.
- Safety
- Generally safe; pickpockets on the metro, at Termini and in tourist areas are the real issue.
- Healthcare
- Universal public service of uneven quality with long waits; private cover from €50/month.
- SIM / eSIM
- Prepaid eSIM with 100 GB for €8–12/month (Iliad, Ho. Mobile). Needs a passport and tax code.
- Best season
- April–June and September–October. August is stifling and half the city closes for holidays.
- Community
- A remote community smaller than the city's size suggests, with active international groups in Ostiense and Pigneto.
Living here legally
Visa
Italy has a digital nomad visa for highly qualified workers, requiring proof of income, health insurance and accommodation.
Check your visa →Tax
Over 183 days triggers Italian tax residency. An impatriate regime reduces taxable income for those relocating who meet the conditions.
Flights & connections
Fiumicino is an intercontinental hub: direct flights to the Americas, Asia and all of Europe. Ciampino handles European low cost.
Lisbon vs. similar cities
Transparency
Last checked: 2026-09-13
Official sources
Prices are checked against the dated sources shown. Editorial experience summaries cite their public sources; verified Zabeler accounts are identified separately. Official procedures always take precedence.