Find a room to rent in Italy is becoming more difficult across Italy thanks to a drop in supply. We have the details.
Italy flats
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The supply of rooms for rent in shared flats in Italy has fallen by 43% over the past year, in line with the sharp decline in the stock of rental accommodation, according to the regular room-to-rent report by idealista, Italy's leading real estate portal. If you're looking for a room to rent in Italy, we have the details on rooms for rent in each Italian city. 

Rooms for rent in Italy 2022

The number of available rooms for rent has plummeted in almost all Italian provincial capitals surveyed. In most of them the drop in available product was very pronounced, with decreases of over 60% in Lecce (-64%), Cagliari (-64%), Bari and Milan (both -61%). Among the main university cities in Italy, the falls in Bologna (-53%), Florence (-52%), Rome and Naples (both -48%) stand out. Padua and Catania show a drop of 46% and 44% respectively, with Turin experiencing a 40% drop.

Only in 5 of the 42 Italian cities monitored is there a greater availability of rooms than a year ago. The greatest increase occurred in Catanzaro, where people looking to rent a room have 27% more to choose from. Increases also occurred in Caserta (25%), Vicenza (22%), Venice (19%), and Trento (5%).

How much does it cost to rent a room in Italy?

In relation to the trend in available supply, the cost of rooms for students and out-of-town workers has risen by 4.3% in the last year at national level, for an average request for a single room of 365 euros/month compared to 350 euros in August 2021.

The upward trend in prices affects most of the cities monitored and is concentrated above all in the main Italian university cities: Padua (30%), Turin (25%), Ferrara (24%) and Bologna (22.9%) mark the largest increases. This is followed by Palermo (19.7%), Modena (13.3%), Lecce (13.2%), Trento (12.1%) and Caserta (10%) complete the series of double-digit increases.

Among the large Italian cities, Naples marks the largest increase, up 6.7% compared to last year. In Rome and Milan, the increase was 6.3% and 5.3% respectively. In 6 cities the price of rooms in shared flats fell: Siena (-6.3%), Catanzaro (-6.1%), Salerno (-3.4%), Campobasso (-2.6%), Chieti (-2.4%) and Latina (-1.7%). In 10 cities prices did not move.

According to idealista's study, Milan is the most expensive city. Milan, with an average monthly rental price of 500 euros, is the Italian city with the most expensive rooms. The Milanese capital is ahead of Bologna (430 euros), Rome (425 euros) and Turin (400 euros). Prices above the national average of 365 euros in Padua (390 euros), Florence (387 euros), Bergamo and Trento (both 370 euros).

The profile of those sharing a flat in Italy

People who share a flat in Italy have an average age of 32; this figure stood at 34 in 2021. They also live in semi-central and well-connected neighbourhoods, do not smoke or allow smokers in their homes and do not own or allow pets with roommates.

The average age of flat sharers varies from city to city. In Lecce we find the oldest housemates, with an average age of 44. This is followed by Verona and Cagliari with an average age of 39, then Siena with 38. In Rome the average age drops to 32, in Milan to 28. Trento has the youngest tenants (22), ahead of Ferrara (24 years old).

Room rental hotspots in Italy

Rome (25.9%) and Milan (11.7%) alone account for more than a third of the national supply. The other most important markets in terms of the stock of shared flats  and apartments are Turin (4.2%), Trento (3.7%), Florence (3.1%), Naples (2.9%), Bologna (2.7%) and Catania (2%).

Study methodology

In order to carry out this study, only those cities in which idealista had a consistent database from which to draw conclusions during the period of analysis were taken into consideration.

Rooms for rent in Italy 2022