Living in Bergamo: costs, best areas and integrating

Living in Bergamo costs less than Milan but keeps you close to the action.

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16 December 2025, 12:21

Living in Bergamo feels a bit like stepping into a quieter, more low‑key cousin of Milan that happens to have a medieval hilltop town attached. You have the UNESCO‑listed old town sitting on its hill, the modern city spread out below, and the Alps rising in the distance. It is about 50 km north‑east of Milan, with a big international airport and solid train links that pull in commuters, students and a slow but steady stream of expats.

Is Bergamo a good place to live?
Where to live in Bergamo
Pros and cons of living in Bergamo
Cost of living in Bergamo
1. Everyday expenses
Living in Bergamo as a foreigner

Is Bergamo a good place to live?

Bergamo is a good place to live if you want a balance between some of the best quality of life in Italy and access to work in a larger city. The centre is compact, with shops, cafés and services, while Città Alta adds history and views.

Healthcare is solid, and crime levels are generally low, which suits families and anyone who appreciates a calmer base. On top of that, you are close to the mountains and lakes like Lake Iseo and Lake Como.

For commuters, the direct trains to Milan and easy access to Milan Bergamo Airport are a big plus. Also, the University of Bergamo keeps things lively with students and academic staff spread between the upper and lower towns.

Where to live in Bergamo

Working out where to live in Bergamo starts with understanding the split between Città Alta and Città Bassa. The upper town is the medieval, walled part on the hill, while the lower town is where you find most shops, offices, schools and day‑to‑day life.

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Città Alta

This is the historic upper town and the star of most photos of Bergamo. It boasts Venetian walls, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore and narrow lanes climbing up and down the hill. It is beautiful but not the most convenient part of the city, as car access is limited and there are a lot of steps.

Flats tend to be in very old buildings, sometimes with slightly awkward layouts, and housing prices of €4,190 per m² are high compared with more ordinary parts of town. This area works well if you are a couple or a single person who values atmosphere, views and history more than modern comforts.

Città Bassa

In central Bergamo, around Porta Nuova, Viale Roma and Via XX Settembre, you have the main shopping streets, offices, banks, gyms and a good mix of cafés and restaurants. The train and bus stations are within walking distance, which makes life much easier if you commute to Milan or travel a lot for work.

Housing in Città Bassa is a mix of early 20th‑century buildings with high ceilings, post‑war apartment blocks and some newer developments. Most expats in Bergamo start here, because it is close to services, nightlife, public transport and language schools.

Northern residential areas

Heading north towards the valleys, you get into more residential neighbourhoods such as Valtesse and other districts tucked in below the hills. These areas feel quieter and more suburban, with local shops, bakeries, primary schools and small parks.

Flats here often offer a bit more space and greenery for the same money you would spend in the heart of Città Bassa. You are likely to find more families and long‑term residents, and fewer tourists.

Southern and suburban Bergamo

To the south and east, towards Orio al Serio Airport and nearby municipalities like Seriate and Stezzano, the feel is more modern and practical. You see more retail parks, industrial estates and office buildings mixed with residential blocks, and you notice the airport traffic more as you get closer.

Housing in these southern and suburban areas tends to be in newer or larger apartment buildings, sometimes with parking included. Prices are often a bit lower than in the most central streets.

Pros and cons of living in Bergamo

Life here has plenty going for it if you like a calm, well‑connected base, though it is not perfect, especially if you want a huge international scene or big‑city nightlife.

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Some of the pros of living in Bergamo include:

Manageable size and good quality of life
You can cross the central parts of the city on foot, use buses or cycle, and things like queues, crowds and traffic jams are moderate compared with Milan.
Strong connections and job access
The airport is one of Italy’s main low‑cost hubs, with flights all over Europe, and frequent trains link Bergamo to Milan.
Culture, food and history
With the Venetian walls and plenty of churches and museums, there is always somewhere interesting to wander at the weekend. The food scene is very satisfying too, with classic Northern pasta dishes like casoncelli alla bergamasca.

On the other hand, a few cons of living in Bergamo are:

Rising housing costs
As more people choose Bergamo as an alternative to Milan, demand has pushed prices up.
Smaller international scene
English is not as widely spoken as in Milan, and the expat community is there but less visible and concentrated.

Cost of living in Bergamo

The cost of living in Bergamo is still easier to handle than in central Milan, but it is not ultra‑cheap. Property prices in Bergamo averaged around €2,723 per m² in November 2025. Rent prices in Bergamo averaged €13 per m² in the same month, so an 80 m² apartment would typically cost about €1,040 per month in rent.

Thanks to the influx of students, you can find studio flats in Bergamo from around €600 per month. And buying a small flat can cost anything upwards of €90,000 in the city.

Piazza Vecchia. © Steffen Schmitz (Carschten) Wikimedia commons

Everyday expenses

According to Numbeo, a cheap main course at an inexpensive restaurant is around €15, and a meal for two at a mid‑range place comes in near €75. A beer out is about €5, and a cappuccino or coffee at a café is roughly €1.74. A loaf of fresh white bread is about €2, and basic utilities for an 85 m² flat average around €212.28 per month. Public transport is not dirt‑cheap but is well structured: a monthly pass for the whole network is about €78, the annual pass lets you travel 12 months for the cost of 9, and a 10‑trip ticket for one zone is about €14.50.

Putting that together, a single person keeping an eye on spending might get by on roughly €700–900 per month for food, transport, utilities and small extras. Once you add a typical one‑bed at around €800–1,000 per month, depending on the area, you are looking at a total of roughly €1,500–1,900 per month to live comfortably in this part of Italy.

Living in Bergamo as a foreigner

Living in Bergamo as a foreigner can be a lovely experience if you like a more local, Italian daily life rather than a big international bubble. The foreign community is there but not everywhere, and you will hear far more Italian than English on the street.

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Expats in Bergamo

Expats in Bergamo are a mixed bunch. You bump into Erasmus and international students, language teachers, people working remotely for companies abroad, and professionals who actually work in Milan but prefer living here. The expat scene is not huge, so people tend to find each other through online platforms, local Facebook groups and language exchanges in bars.

Because it is a more Italian environment, learning at least basic Italian makes a big difference for everything from chatting with neighbours to sorting out paperwork. If you are willing to get involved in local sports clubs, cultural associations or volunteering, people are generally welcoming.

Schools and family life

For families, Bergamo offers a fairly easy day‑to‑day routine. There are plenty of Italian state schools, nurseries and kindergartens spread across the city. If you are looking for full international schooling in English, options in Bergamo include Bilingual British School and Cosmopolitan School.

Social life and culture

Social life in Bergamo tends to revolve around food, aperitivo and local events rather than huge clubs. Culturally, you have the Accademia Carrara art museum, Teatro Donizetti for opera and concerts, and various festivals and events throughout the year linked to music, food and local traditions.