Is Venice an expensive city or not? That's one question many people have asked over the years. While the beautiful city does have a history of having been the home of noble lords, merchants, and famous artists, it's probably far from what it is now, right? Does Italy's elite still live here? Do you have to be wealthy to reside here? Will you go bankrupt if you choose to relocate here? For a while now, Venice has always seemed to be in the middle of the spectrum. It's not cheap here, but it's also not as expensive as the likes of Rome and Milan.
Renting Costs in Venice
For one thing, renting in Venice is a lot less expensive than in
Milan. In the latter, even the simplest of places would already cost more than a thousand Euros per month. Meanwhile, here in Venice, some
luxury apartments can cost less than a thousand Euros per month. Specifically, the common median price for a one-bedroom apartment in the heart of the city is €835.71. As for a three-bedroom place, the price ranges from €1,500.00 to €2,500.00 per month. Still not as expensive as Milan but also not that cheap either! For many out there, the price is just right.
Buying Property in Venice
Of course, it's a totally different matter when it comes to buying your own property in Venice. Mind you, this is a very compact city made up of islands where streets are commonly narrow. You'd already be lucky if you get a spacious property a good many square meters. With that said, the normal range of land located in the city center is from €4,000.00 to €5,764.00 per square meter. But if you purchase property along the outskirts of the city, it'd cost you €2,000.00 to €4,000.00 per square meter. Either way, you'll be spending a lot for your own space here!
Utilities Costs
On the bright side, your utilities costs in Venice aren't that high at all. Depending on the type of home you have, you'll only have to spend around €100.00 to €350.00 for the basics. This already includes electricity, water, heating, garbage disposal, and more. Of course, if you live in a bigger place and you use a lot more appliances and electronics than the average person, your bills will cost higher. As for your wifi, you can get a good plan for only €25.00 to €39.99 per month. For less than €40.00, you can have wireless internet at your home for your convenience.
Food Costs
Food is also not that expensive in Venice. It helps that there are a lot of markets and affordable grocery stores in the city. The prices there would often be lower than standard stores. Overall, a regular trip to the grocery would only cost you the total common median price of €84.55. And everything you've bought with that alone can last you around one to two weeks tops! Here in Venice, you can buy a dozen eggs, milk, cheese, fruits, vegetables, different types of meats, and some cheap alcohol too all for less than €100.00! Not bad, right?
Dining Costs
It's no secret that Venice has its
fair share of excellent restaurants that are upscale and expensive. But if you're on a budget while you're here, you don't have to go to them to enjoy some fine Italian food. Truth be told, there are a lot of great mid-range and cheap places in Venice where you can still taste the best of what the city offers without risking going bankrupt. A mean in an expensive restaurant, for instance, would only cost you around €8.00 to €17.00! And if you want to take your partner out on a dinner date with a three-course meal, you'll only have to pay €55.00 to €90.00!
Transportation Costs
To say that
public transport in Venice is different from those in other cities is an understatement. Here, you'll likely ride a water-taxi or a gondola instead of a land bus and taxi to get to where you need to be. However, what is similar about Venice's public transport to those in other cities is that it's also cheap here. More often than not, a single-ride ticket to any public transport system here would cost up to €4.00 only. Double that price and you'd get a round-trip ride for more or less €8.00!
Clothing Costs
Venice is far from the likes of Milan and Rome when it comes to fashion, but that doesn't mean people don't dress up here! From world-famous
designer brands to humble boutiques and vintage stores, Venetians love to shop as well. The only difference is that clothing costs less here than in Italy's fashion capitals. While a pair of jeans can cost hundreds of Euros in those cities, it will only cost you around €60.00 to €80.00 here in Venice. Up for some new sneakers? A pair from any of the iconic sportswear brands would cost you €60.00 to €120.00, more or less!
Leisure Costs
Leisure in Venice doesn't just have to mean sailing across the canals. People here spend their free days doing all sorts of things like working out or going to the movies. For the former, if you want to join a mid-range gym or fitness club to keep your figure trim and healthy, you'll only have to pay a membership fee of around €35.00 to €70.00 per month. As for going to the movies? A ticket will only cost about €8.00 to €14.00. Even if you added some popcorn, candy, and drinks, you'll unlikely to go above €20.00!
Education Costs
Surprisingly, even education in Venice isn't as expensive as in other cities in Italy and the rest of Europe. While your kids are just toddling about, you can enroll them in a daycare center and it will only cost you around €350.00 to €650.00 per month. For less than a thousand Euros, your child is well-taken-care-of while you're at work or busy with other things. And when they grow up, enrolling them in some of the
best schools in Venice would only cost you a common median price of €7,000.00 per year. It's a worthy enough investment for your child's future!
Venice is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in the world and because of this, many people expect the place to be costly. But is it? Well, the truth of the matter is it's both expensive and affordable in a lot of ways, very different from other cities in Italy.
