Turin vs Bucine: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?

Turin is the quiet overachiever of northern Italy: a 1-bedroom in the center runs $864/mo while a comfortable single life lands at $1,871/mo, all against a cost of living index of 59/100 and an average net salary of $1,955/mo. The city rewards remote workers and early retirees with excellent healthcare, a 75 Mbps average connection, and a $43/mo transit pass, though the humid subtropical climate means hot summers and cold winters. English is mostly confined to tourist areas, so plan on learning Italian if you want the local salary to stretch. For the money, it beats Milan and holds its own against Bologna, but only if you can tolerate gray skies and a medium-sized expat crowd.

Bucine is a small Tuscan town of 10 thousand where rents of $845/mo for a one-bedroom city center apartment sit awkwardly against a local net salary of $1,391/mo, so remote workers and retirees on outside income get far more out of it than locals do. The retiree score of 76/100 and safety index of 73/100 make it a sensible base, and Florence airport is just 6 km away, though the digital nomad score of 58/100 and limited English proficiency mean you should arrive with Italian and a remote job already lined up. At $247/mo for utilities and $31/mo for internet, daily costs stay manageable, but the $2,895/mo income floor for the Italy Elective Residence Visa is steep for a town this size.