ECB policy has raised interest rates to 4.5%, making access to mortgages increasingly complicated. Italians' difficulty in buying a home was also highlighted by data from the Agenzia delle Entrate's Omi Observatory, which revealed a 16% drop in residential purchases and sales in the second quarter of 2023. Especially in big cities, therefore, those who want to buy tend to concentrate their search for a property outside the centre. Let's find out which areas in Milan and Rome are the cheapest to buy a house, both in the city and in the hinterland.
The latest house price report compiled by idealista's research department, referring to August 2023, showed a decrease of 0.2% compared to the previous month, to an average of 1,857 €/m2. On an annual basis, however, the trend in house prices was characterised by an increase of 2%. The most expensive city is Milan at 4,979 €/m2, while Rome ranks sixth at 3,000 €/m2).
The cheapest areas to buy a house in and around Milan
In Milan, the most expensive city in Italy to buy a house, it is worth moving to the province to save money on the purchase of a residential property. There are several municipalities in the Milanese hinterland among those monitored with a considerable number of listings to form a database, where one can find listings with demands well below the average for the Milanese capital (4,979 €/m2).
The cheapest municipalities in the Milanese hinterland to buy a house
| Municipality | Average price (euro/m2) |
| Magenta | 1,560 |
| Abbiategrasso | 1,500 |
| Garbagnate Milanese | 1,845 |
| Bollate | 2,080 |
| Paderno Dugnano | 2,098 |
| Cinisello Balsamo | 2,198 |
| Rho | 2,243 |
| Melegnano | 2,246 |
| San Giuliano Milanese | 2,342 |
| Trezzano sul Naviglio | 2,383 |
The cheapest municipality in the Milanese hinterland to buy a house, among the main ones, is Magenta, where the average demand from sellers is 1,560 €/m2. This is followed by Abbiategrasso(1,738 €/m2) and Garbagnate Milanese(1,845 €/m2).
Average prices do not exceed 2,500 €/m2 in the municipalities of Bollate, Paderno Dugnano, Cinisello Balsamo, Rho, Melegnano, San Giuliano Milanese, Trezzano sul Naviglio, Cologno Monzese, Corsico, Arese. The most expensive, but still below the Milan average, are Segrate (3,201 €/m2) and Assago (3,563 €/m2).
Moving the focus to the city, however, the cheapest area is Vialba-Gallaratese (2,607 €/m2). This is followed by Baggio (2,797 €/m2) and Forlanini (3,014 €/m2). Overall there are 12 areas that remain below the city average, the list is completed by Corvetto-Rogoredo, San Siro-Trenno-Figino, Certosa, Comasina-Bicocca, Famagosta-Barona, Cermenate-Missaglia, Vigentino-Ripamonti, Greco-Turro, Lorenteggio-Bande Nere.
The cheapest areas to buy a house in and around Rome
In Rome, the average house price (3,000 €/m2) is significantly lower than in Milan. But the capital's context also presents a similar situation to that analysed for the Milanese market, with the lowest demands being found in the province, as one can easily imagine.
The cheapest municipalities in the Roman hinterland to buy a house
| Municipality | Average price (euro/m2) |
| Velletri | 1,452 |
| Ardea | 1,500 |
| Mentana | 1,506 |
| Tivoli | 1,554 |
| Guidonia Montecelio | 1,648 |
| Nettuno | 1,653 |
| Fonte Nuova | 1,670 |
| Genzano di Roma | 1,755 |
| Anzio | 1,778 |
| Civitavecchia | 1,783 |
Among the main municipalities in the Roman province, the one with the lowest average price for houses for sale is Velletri (1,452 €/m2). This is followed by Ardea (1,500 €/m2) and Mentana (1,506 €/m2). The average price of homes for sale is also below 2,000 €/m2 in Tivoli, Guidonia Montecelio, Nettuno, Fonte Nuova, Genzano di Roma, Anzio, Civitavecchia, Pomezia, Albano Laziale, Cerveteri and Monterotondo.
In the city, on the other hand, the only area where the average demand is below 2,000 €/m2 is Roma est-Autostrade (1,897 €/m2). Under the 2,500 €/m2 ceiling, on average, there are also listings in Labaro-Prima Porta, Giustiniana-La Storta-Olgiata, Casal Palocco-Infernetto, Lido di Ostia, Casalotti-Selva Nera-Valle Santa. More generally, as many as 14 areas are below the city average.