Where is the best place to buy property in Italy? These are the cheapest destinations

When you decide to buy a house abroad, there are many factors to take into consideration like the location, the level of comfort in terms of work and family and the average price per square metre or square foot of real estate in the place we are looking at.

In Italy, then, what are the cheapest destinations for housing? In this article about buying property in Italy, we try to understand which are the most expensive places for those who want to buy property in Italy and which are the cheapest places to buy a house.

While Italy is certainly not the cheapest country in which to shop for property, you can still find a much better value for money than in other destinations. Finding your home here will give you access to all the delights of Italian history, culture and gastronomy... and much more!

Cheap regions in Italy

If you have a fairly small budget, there are plenty of ways to find cheap properties in Italy. You can start by thinking of Italian regions that are famous for their low cost of housing, such as Abruzzo, Molise, Basilicata and Calabria, or you could target the less expensive parts of famous and expensive areas like Tuscany, Lake Como or Puglia.

Keep in mind that throughout Italy rural areas are generally cheaper than urban areas. This is useful to remember because many ex-pat buyers prefer to be in the countryside than in a city. Small towns can be particularly affordable, as well as being quiet and peaceful.

Maybe you want to be near the sea, but not exactly next to a beach resort. That’s perfect because real estate prices start falling the further away you get from the water. Buy a home 15 kilometres (ten miles) or more from the sea and you'll save a lot of money. Because of the country's physical layout, moving inland usually means higher elevation of the terrain, so the further you go, the more panoramic the views become.

If you love the mountains, Italy is a great place to buy at low prices. With the exception of the wonderful ski areas of Alpe di Siusi and the Dolomites, the prices of Italian properties generally decrease in inverse proportion to the altitude.

North or south?

Generally speaking, northern Italy tends to be the most expensive part of the country, and the further south you go, the lower the house prices are. But there are many exceptions to this rule. If you’re in love with the elegant north, try looking at properties in Veneto or in the south of Piedmont.

Central Italy is traditionally quite expensive, but even Tuscany and Umbria have their cheap areas. Try the northern and southern ends of Tuscany, and the north, south and east of Umbria. Meanwhile, Abruzzo and especially Molise are full of bargains, and they definitely deserve your attention.

In the south of Italy, Puglia is a particularly popular resort right now. Basilicata is wild and very cheap, while Calabria is full of low-cost seafront apartments and has some excellent deals in the residential neighbourhoods inland. Even the beautiful Sardinia and Sicily have many affordable houses far from their most famous resorts. Happy searching!