Italy

Italy's WHV is small (annual cap) and bureaucratic, but its cost of living outside Rome and Milan is some of the lowest in Western Europe.

Currency

EUR

1 AUD = 0.6 EUR (mid-market, 2026-05-21)

Cost of living

80% of Sydney

Working Holiday Visa for Australians

Visto Vacanze Lavoro

Age 18-30 | up to 12 months

Smartraveller

Emergency: 112

Working Holiday Visa

Schengen visa-free entry

Up to 3 months. Work rights: none.

Australians can enter the Schengen Area visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day window.

Generous south (Naples, Bari, Sicily) is cheaper and warmer than the north.
Slow-food culture; meals out are routinely under EUR 20 outside tourist zones.
Ferries and trains connect easily to Croatia, Greece and the rest of the Med.
Strong agritourism and farm-stay (WWOOF) network for unpaid food-and-board work.

Italian language is essential outside major tourist areas.
Permesso di soggiorno (residence permit) bureaucracy is slow; allow 60-90 days.
Annual WHV cap fills fast; apply within weeks of the December opening.
Rental scams via Facebook Marketplace are common; use Immobiliare or local agents.

Banca Sella, Intesa Sanpaolo and Revolut all work; opening a domestic account needs a tax code (codice fiscale).
Tipping is 1-2 euro at most; an automatic 12% "coperto" cover charge appears on the bill.
Discount supermarkets (Lidl, Eurospin, MD) keep weekly grocery costs under EUR 50.
Treno Italo and Trenitalia regional fares are very cheap if booked in advance.

Indicative only. Tourist-zone prices are usually 50-100% higher than local prices.

Last updated 2026-05-21.