Why Italy Is Paying People to Move There
Italy has a problem it can't ignore: its villages are disappearing.
Over the past century, Italy's small towns and rural communities have been hollowed out by emigration — first to industrial cities like Milan and Turin, then to other countries. Today, over 5,000 Italian municipalities have fewer than 5,000 residents, and a third of those are classified as "declining" or "at risk of abandonment."
The human consequences are real: shuttered schools, closed post offices, crumbling historic buildings, aging populations with no one to care for them. For regional governments, this is an existential crisis.
Their solution? Pay people to come back.
Starting quietly in the late 2010s and accelerating through the pandemic years, Italian regions began rolling out some of the most generous newcomer incentive programs in Europe. Some pay monthly income. Others fund renovation. The most ambitious offer six-figure grants. And unlike similar programs elsewhere, most actively welcome foreigners.
Here's a breakdown of the programs that are active in 2026.
Trentino-Alto Adige: Up to €100,000
The most spectacular program comes from Italy's northernmost region, bordering Austria. Trentino-Alto Adige — a bilingual region that speaks both Italian and German — offers grants of up to €100,000 for buyers who purchase and restore property in 33 designated Alpine municipalities.
The structure:
- €20,000 toward the purchase price
- €80,000 toward renovation costs
- Requirement: Establish primary residence and maintain it for 10 years
The targeted municipalities are small Alpine communities — think ski villages and mountain farming towns — that have struggled to keep young people and families. The grant is substantial enough to essentially subsidize an entire renovation project.
Who qualifies: Anyone, including foreigners, who commits to making the area their primary residence. EU citizens have a straightforward path; non-EU citizens need a valid Italian residency permit.
Calabria: €700-800/Month for Remote Workers
Calabria — Italy's "toe," a region of dramatic mountain gorges, turquoise coastlines, and some of Italy's most affordable property — runs one of Europe's most accessible income programs.
The Calabria Residency Income offers:
- €700-800 per month for up to 3 years (≈€28,000 total)
- Additional €1,000/month bonus for remote workers and self-employed
- Requirement: Under 40 years old, move to a village with under 2,000 residents, commit to staying at least 4 years
This program was specifically designed to attract younger, economically active people to remote villages. Remote workers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs are particularly targeted — Calabria has been aggressively marketing itself to the digital nomad community.
Combined with some of the cheapest property prices in Italy (€20,000-60,000 for renovated village houses), the income support can effectively cover your cost of living while you get established.
Molise: €700-900/Month With No Age Limit
Italy's smallest and least-visited region, Molise, has an income program that rivals Calabria's — but with a key advantage: no age limit.
Molise offers:
- €700-900 per month for 3 years (≈€27,000 total)
- No age restriction (unlike Calabria's under-40 requirement)
- Requirement: Start a small business or commit to working in agriculture
The "start a business" requirement is interpreted broadly. A photography studio, consulting practice, or artisan workshop all qualify. Molise specifically wants people who will contribute economically to local communities.
Molise is strikingly beautiful — rolling Apennine hills, medieval hilltop towns, barely touched by mass tourism. Property prices average €30,000-80,000 for habitable homes.
Tuscany: Up to €30,000 in Mountain Grants
Tuscany doesn't need much of an advertisement — but even here, rural depopulation has hit hard. The Tuscan mountains, which lack the global fame of Chianti and Siena, have been emptying for decades.
The Tuscany Mountain Grant covers 119 municipalities in the Apennine and Prealps areas:
- €10,000-30,000 non-repayable grant for purchasing or renovating property
- Available for properties used as primary residence
- Bonus program in select villages: the municipality pays half your rent for up to 2 years
This latter scheme is targeted specifically at remote workers who want to try mountain living before fully committing to a purchase.
Puglia: €30,000 Plus Baby Bonuses
The Puglia municipality of Presicce-Acquarica (created by a 2019 merger in the Salento region) offers one of the most straightforward programs:
- Up to €30,000 to purchase and renovate an abandoned property
- €1,000 per child born while resident in the municipality
- Requirement: Establish permanent residence
Presicce-Acquarica is in the deep south of Puglia, near the heel of Italy's boot. It's beautiful, warm, and connected to the coast. Property prices are extremely low — you can buy a townhouse for €20,000-50,000.
Sardinia: Renovation Grants for Small Towns
Sardinia — the Mediterranean island famous for its crystal waters and Bronze Age nuraghi towers — has a renovation grant program targeting its many small interior towns:
- Non-repayable grants for renovating uninhabited properties
- Amounts vary by municipality, typically €20,000-40,000
- Requirement: Register primary residency within 18 months of purchase
- Target: Municipalities under 3,000 population
The program has been particularly active in the Barbagia region, Sardinia's remote interior highlands. Property prices here are among the lowest in Western Europe.
How to Apply
Each program has its own application process, administered by the relevant municipality or regional government. General steps:
1. Identify your target location — research which programs are active where you want to live
2. Contact the comune (municipal office) directly — most have dedicated contacts for newcomer programs
3. Get your codice fiscale — you'll need this before anything else
4. Prepare documentation: passport, proof of income or funds, business plan (if required)
5. Sign the agreement and begin the residency/renovation process
Most programs have windows — they're not always open year-round. Applications for the most popular programs (Calabria, Trentino) can be competitive. Apply early.
Italy is serious about reversing rural depopulation. The grants are real, the programs are funded, and foreign applicants are genuinely welcome. 2026 may be the best year yet to make your move.