Depopulation is plaguing many of Italy’s small villages, creating a surplus of ghost towns. Some local governments across the country are attempting to incentivize foreigners to move to these towns with relocation grants and other financial payouts.
The phenomenon is not a new one. In 2021, the town of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, located in the Abruzzo region, was offering people up to $52,500 to move there and work. The village of Santa Fiora in Tuscany was offering to pay 50 percent of your rent if you moved there to work remotely. The town stated it would pay more if you moved there to open a business or have a child.
Take a look at three of the more recent towns and regions that are offering financial incentives for foreigners to move there.
Calabria
This region, located in Italy’s southwest and the “toe” that makes up the county’s boot, will pay you €28,000, or roughly $31,000 to relocate to a village with 2,000 residents or fewer. Those who are interested must apply and meet the following criteria: be 40 years old or younger, move to the area within 90 days of their application’s acceptance, and either launch a new business or find employment.
Presicce-Acquarica
The joint towns of Presicce-Acquarica, located in the southern, coast-lined region of Puglia, will pay new residents up to €30,000, about $33,000 to relocate there. To be eligible, you will need to buy a house in town and register it as your official address. The program will cover 50 percent of the costs of purchasing a home, including any renovations that will add up to €30,000. The town will also pay parents €1,000, about $1,100, for every newborn baby registered in the town
Sardinia
This island is offering to pay anyone €15,000, roughly $16,500, to relocate there. Although the island is home to sparkling waters and is a popular summer vacation destination for Italians, its local youth are gradually moving abroad for better work opportunities. To be eligible for the grant, you will need to move to a municipality with less than 3,000 people, and the money you receive will need to go toward buying or renovating a home there. Recipients must live in the municipality full-time and register for permanent residency in Sardinia within 18 months of relocating there.
Asia London Palomba
Asia London Palomba is a trilingual freelance journalist from Rome, Italy. In the past, her work on culture, travel, and history has been published in The Boston Globe, Atlas Obscura, The Christian Science Monitor, and Grub Street, New York Magazine's food section. In her free time, Asia enjoys traveling home to Italy to spend time with family and friends, drinking Hugo Spritzes, and making her nonna's homemade cavatelli.