Rents in Italy continue to rise: Rome sets a new record, and major cities show signs of slowing

According to Idealista, in May the average rental price in Italy increased by 0.4% compared to April and reached 15 euros per square meter, which is a new historical maximum. In annual terms, the increase was 2.2%.

Situation in cities

Of the 87 cities studied, rents increased in 41, decreased in 43 and remained unchanged in 3.

The most noticeable increase in rents was recorded in Grosseto, Syracuse, Sassari and Ravenna. Significant price increases were also observed in Cuneo, Matera, Reggio di Calabria, Piacenza and Terni.

Among the largest cities:

• Rome set a new record with an average rate of €19.8 per m², an increase of 0.1%;
• Genoa and Bari showed moderate growth;
• Turin and Palermo maintained their previous price levels;
• Bologna, Milan and Naples showed a slight decrease;
• The most noticeable falls occurred in Florence and Venice.

The most significant monthly declines were noted in Pesaro, Mantua, Salerno, Andria, Caltanissetta and Novara.

Despite the slight decline, Milan remains the most expensive city in the country for renters with an average cost €23.2 per m². Florence and Venice follow. The most affordable prices remain in Caltanissetta, Vibo Valentia, Ragusa and Reggio di Calabria.

A total of 22 cities reached their highest values in Idealista's history, including Rome, Turin, Palermo, Bergamo, Perugia and Lecce.

Provinces

At the provincial level, positive dynamics prevail: growth was recorded in 60 of 106 territories.

The province of Rimini was the leader in rental rate increase, where prices increased by more than 56%. Significant growth was also noted in Grosseto, Latina, Sassari, Rieti and Vercelli.

Among the provinces of the largest cities, an increase was observed in Genoa, Naples, Rome and Bari. At the same time, a decrease was recorded in Florence, Venice, Bologna, Milan, and Turin.

Lucca remains the most expensive province in the country with an average rate of 29.3 euros per m², followed by Valle d'Aosta, Belluno, Grosseto, and Milan. The lowest prices were recorded in Caltanissetta, Enna, Isernia, Potenza, and Avellino.

Regional picture

Rental growth was recorded in 14 of Italy's 20 regions. Price increases were most noticeable in Valle d'Aosta, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, and Emilia-Romagna. Positive dynamics were also observed in Liguria, Umbria, Lazio, Marche, Campania, and Calabria.

A decrease occurred in Trentino-Alto Adige, Piedmont, Veneto, Molise, Tuscany, and Lombardy.

The most expensive region for renting housing remains Valle d'Aosta with an average rate of 26.6 euros per m². Next come Lombardy, Tuscany, Lazio, and Trentino-Alto Adige.

Historical price highs in May were reached in seven regions: Valle d'Aosta, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Lazio, Campania, Apulia, and Sicily.

Conclusion

The Italian rental market maintains an upward trend, but in the country's largest and most expensive cities, the growth rate is noticeably slowing. At the same time, many mid-sized cities, provinces, and southern regions continue to show strong rental growth, indicating a shift in demand away from traditionally the most expensive markets.