Buy or rent? In many cities, the mortgage payment is less expensive than the rent. A small detail is crucial in the choice: the availability of a down payment, which makes purchasing easier. This is the finding of a study by "Idealista," one of Italy's leading real estate portals, covering the third quarter of 2026.
In Cagliari, a two-room apartment costs €47,400 to buy and €3,100 to rent, with a monthly payment of €619 versus a rent of €785.
The estimate starts from the asking prices, minus the negotiation margin, to approximate the actual selling price: €139,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. A 30-year mortgage equal to 80% of the price is assumed, with an average interest rate of 3.49%. The initial purchase price includes a 20% down payment and 7.5% incidental costs (taxes, notary, agency, and mortgage fees). Four months' rent is considered: three months' security deposit, which is refunded at the end of the contract but must still be paid upfront, and one month's agency commission.
The pattern is repeated across all sizes. For a studio apartment, it costs €28,900 to buy and €2,600 to rent, with a €377 instalment versus a €662 rent. For a two-bedroom apartment, the price rises to €48,800 versus €4,000, with a €636 instalment and a €1,012 rent. For a four-bedroom apartment, it costs €58,800 versus €4,800, with a €767 instalment and a €1,203 rent. In any case, the instalment is lower than the rent, but the gap between the two initial costs remains very wide.
Compared to five years ago, however, the interest rate advantage has diminished. In September 2021, with the average rate for new mortgages at 1.4%, the interest rate for a two-bedroom apartment was €316, about half the rent for the same period (€619). Since then, the interest rate has increased by 58% and the rent by 37%. Today, the interest rate remains lower, but is equivalent to almost 60% of the rent.
In large cities, the picture changes significantly. In Milan, for a two-room apartment, you need €81,200 to buy and €4,700 to rent, and the installment (€1,059) is close to the rent (€1,178). In Rome, you need €64,700 versus €4,500, with €844 in installments and €1,118 in rent; in Florence, €65,900 versus €4,400, with €860 and €1,105 in rent. Bologna requires €55,800 to buy and €3,300 to rent, with €728 in installments and €829 in rent; Naples costs €40,200 and €3,200, with €524 and €797 in rent. Turin is the most affordable of the large cities: 29,600 euros to buy, 2,700 to rent, with a monthly payment of 387 euros and a rent of 683.
Of the 110 provincial capitals, the rent for a two-room apartment is lower than the rent in 105 cases. The five exceptions are: Bolzano (€1,132 versus €853), Venice (€1,007 versus €998), Trento (€730 versus €700), Rimini (€678 versus €640), and Verbania (€580 versus €565).