How Much Is Rent in Italy in US Dollars?

At today’s exchange rate (roughly €1 = $1.14), the national average rent in Italy works out to about $17 per square meter per month — so an average 85 m² (about 915 sq ft) apartment runs somewhere around $1,300–$1,400 a month nationally, though the number changes a lot depending on the city. Rents hit a new all-time high across Italy in 2026, so these figures are toward the higher end of recent years, not the lower end.

Rent in Italy’s major cities, in US dollars

For an 85 m² apartment (roughly a 2-bedroom):

• Milan: ~$26.50/m² → about $2,250/month
• Florence: ~$25/m² → about $2,120/month
• Venice: ~$25/m² → about $2,110/month
• Rome: ~$22.60/m² → about $1,920/month

Milan remains the most expensive city in the country by a clear margin — its rents have been climbing faster than anywhere else in Italy over the past few years.

What about smaller towns and lake areas?

Big-city numbers don’t reflect what most of the country actually costs. Brescia, the closest sizeable city to Lake Garda, is currently averaging around $13.50/m² — an 85 m² apartment there runs roughly $1,150/month, well under half of Milan’s rate for the same size. Smaller towns directly on the lake tend to sit somewhere between Brescia and the big-city numbers, depending on proximity to the water and tourist demand — but nowhere close to Milan or Florence pricing.

Renting vs. buying: the question behind the question

Most people searching for Italian rent prices in dollars are sizing up a longer stay, or wondering whether renting even makes sense compared to buying. At current rent levels, a $2,000+/month lease in a city like Milan or Florence adds up to $24,000+ a year with nothing to show for it once the lease ends — which is exactly why many buyers in this position start looking at purchasing instead, especially outside the most expensive cities, where property is still comparatively accessible.

How Dimora Realty helps you figure out what makes sense

If you’re weighing a long-term rental against buying, our Real Estate Consulting & Investment team can walk through the real numbers for your situation — comparable rental yields, purchase costs, and what ownership actually costs to hold versus what you’d otherwise spend renting for the same years. And if you already own a property in Italy, Property Management handles everything on the rental side — pricing, guests, and reporting — so you have real numbers instead of guesswork.

Exchange rates change daily — the figures above use the rate at the time this was written. For the current EUR/USD rate, check XE’s currency converter.