Milan is the preferred Italian metropolis for worldwide residents, however navigating its rental market may be difficult.
A booming job market, aggressive wages and a full of life cultural scene all make Milan some of the well-liked Italian cities for foreigners to maneuver to.
According to the most recent official knowledge, the northern metropolis is residence to over 487,000 international nationals, together with a sizeable group of native English audio system.
But should you’re planning a transfer to the town, discovering a spot to hire will seemingly contain a certain quantity of problem.
As Milan continues to draw 1000’s of recent residents yearly, demand for lodging is excessive all 12 months spherical and competitors may be fierce, particularly within the metropolis centre.
On high of that, Milan has lengthy had some of the costly rental markets in Italy, with rents hovering in recent times on account of rising inflation and a extreme scarcity of long-term leases.
So, should you’re searching for an condo to hire within the metropolis, the place must you begin?
Understanding Italian rental contracts
Before beginning your search, it’s a good suggestion to familiarise your self with the most typical Italian rental agreements, or contratti di affitto.
Excluding vacationer lets (contratti turistici), which vary from a minimal of at some point to a most of 30 days, the shortest rental settlement in Italy is the ‘transitory contract’, or contratto di locazione advert uso transitorio.
READ ALSO: What you should learn about navigating Italian rental contracts
This lasts a minimal of 1 month as much as a most of 18 months, and comes with an essential caveat: you’ll have to specify and show that you’ve got a selected, non-tourism-related cause to your short-term keep (as an example, an apprenticeship, a short-term work contract, or a level programme).
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If you’re a college scholar, you might also have the ability to signal a ‘scholar contract’ (contratto di locazione per studenti universitari), which may final between six months and three years.
If you’re searching for longer agreements, you’ve two major choices:
- Negotiated hire contract (contratto a canone libero) – This lasts 4 years, with the choice to resume for 4 extra on the identical month-to-month price. Rent is ready by the owner.
- Determined hire contract (contratto a canone concordato) – This lasts three years, with the choice to resume for 2 extra on the identical month-to-month price. Rent is ready by the native municipality (comune) and can’t be negotiated.
If you wish to transfer out earlier than the top of the settlement (or don’t wish to renew your tenancy), you may have to notify your landlord by registered mail or PEC.
Exactly how far prematurely can be specified by your rental contract and may be negotiated. Usually, it’s a full six months.
For additional particulars on the above contracts, see our information HERE.
Using an company
Once you’re conversant in the kinds of contracts obtainable, you can begin your search.
Milan has loads of actual property companies (agenzie immobiliari) that may provide help to discover your future residence.
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These embody family names corresponding to Gabetti, Tempocasa and Tecnocasa, in addition to companies specialised in aiding worldwide clients like Renting Milan.
These companies will handle the search course of for you and, when you discover a appropriate place, negotiate the phrases of the rental settlement in your behalf.
They may additionally learn about some properties earlier than they hit the open market, providing you with a leg up on the competitors.
That mentioned, there are some non-negligible downsides to utilizing an agenzia.
Properties let by means of rental companies are often dearer than these let straight by landlords, as house owners are inclined to recoup the company charges by means of above-market rents.
READ ALSO: Eight issues landlords in Italy can by no means ask of tenants
Rental companies may also take a fee equal to 1 or two months’ hire from the tenant, which may make preliminary bills very excessive, particularly contemplating {that a} safety deposit is often two or three months’ hire.
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Searching on-line
If company charges look a little bit too steep, otherwise you simply wish to discover each choice, there’s an rising variety of on-line rental portals you could try.
These websites typically provide a mixture of properties proposed by rental companies and residences rented straight by house owners. Some of the preferred ones for renting are Idealista, Immobiliare, Casa and Bakeca.
All platforms work roughly the identical approach: choose your most well-liked space, apply the related filters (value, variety of rooms, furnished/unfurnished, and many others.) and see what’s obtainable.
Conveniently, most of those web sites characteristic maps displaying the common hire in every Milan neighbourhood or district.

This may be helpful to zone in on essentially the most reasonably priced elements of the town, or to find out whether or not the hire requested by a landlord is honest.
You’ll additionally discover rental listings on classifieds websites like Subito, and even on Facebook teams like Milano Easy Renting and Affitti Milano, although most posts can be in Italian (discover some key Italian vocabulary for renting right here).
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If you do use social media to your search and end up dealing straight with landlords, bear in mind to preserve an eye fixed out for scams always.
READ ALSO: How to keep away from being scammed when searching for a property to hire in Italy
If you’re ever not sure concerning the legitimacy of an inventory or have some other doubts a few particular condo or neighbourhood, looking for recommendation from long-time worldwide residents is mostly properly definitely worth the effort.
How a lot can I count on to pay?
Milan has one among Italy’s costliest rental markets.
According to knowledge from property market portal Wikicasa, month-to-month hire within the metropolis comes at a mean of round €22 per sq. metre, however the asking value may be as excessive as €60 per sq. metre in central areas, together with Montenapoleone and Quadrilatero della Moda.
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For context, Lombardy’s common stands at round €18.5 per sq. metre, whereas the Italian common is slightly below €15 per sq. metre.
According to estimates from cost-of-living web site Numbeo, renting a one-bedroom condo within the metropolis centre will set you again round €1,400 a month on common.
Though rents typically lower the additional away from the centre you go, renting the identical kind of condo within the outskirts will nonetheless come at a mean of simply over €1,000 a month.
Find extra info and information in The Local’s renting in Italy part.
