Before You Read Any Further
This isn't a sales pitch for Abruzzo. We're not estate agents, relocation consultants, or tourism marketers. We don't make money when you buy property, and we have no incentive to paint a rosier picture than reality warrants. Our only stake is in helping you make a good decision,even if that decision is to stay where you are. However, we love Abruzzo and have made it our home and we'd love to help others make the move.
Moving to another country can be really hard. Moving to Italy can be harder than many expect, with its layered and often infuriating bureaucracy, regional variations, and systems that rarely work the way foreigners expect. And moving to Abruzzo specifically, a region with limited English, sparse public transport, and small towns that empty in winter, requires a particular kind of spirit.
If you're looking for "live like a king on €1,000 a month" content, you won't find it here. Those numbers rarely account for the boiler that dies in February, the car you'll almost certainly need, the private healthcare you'll want when the public system's wait times stretch to months or years, or the flights home when you realise how much you miss family.
What you will find: practical information, honest assessments, and the questions you should be asking, even when the answers are uncomfortable.
Is Abruzzo Right For You?
Abruzzo is one of Italy's least touristy regions, which is one what attracts many people researching a move and one of the motivating reasons that my wife and I moved here. It's not like Tuscany or Umbria and property prices are therefore lower. There are no crowds of foreign visitors, no English menus, and few of the conveniences that come with established expat infrastructure. That's the appeal and can at times be a challenge.
Who tends to thrive here
- •People willing to learn Italian, or already speak it
- •Those who value authenticity over convenience
- •Self-reliant types comfortable solving problems without hand-holding
- •People with realistic budgets and emergency reserves
- •Those who've visited in winter, not just summer
- •People with hobbies, projects, or remote work.
Who tends to struggle
- •Those who won't learn the language beyond "due cappuccini, per favore"
- •People who can't or won't drive
- •Anyone expecting a large English-speaking social circle
- •Those who need everything to work like it does back home
- •People fleeing problems rather than moving toward something specific
- •Those on very tight budgets with no margin for surprises
The non-negotiables
Before you go further, understand that living in Abruzzo is wonderful but typically requires:
Public transport exists but is limited outside cities
Or a serious commitment to learning
Bureaucracy moves at its own pace
The Big Questions
Moving to Abruzzo raises five fundamental questions. Each links to detailed guides that will help you make informed decisions.
Can I legally live there?
Visa options, residency requirements, and what your nationality means for your move.
Residency & VisasCan I afford it?
Tax implications, cost realities, pension planning, and setting up your finances.
Taxes & FinancesShould I buy property?
The purchase process, true costs, pitfalls to avoid, and due diligence essentials.
Buying PropertyWhat's daily life actually like?
Cost of living, healthcare access, social life, and the practical realities.
Living in AbruzzoWhere in Abruzzo?
Province comparisons, coastal vs inland, and finding the right area for your life.
Regional GuidesThe Reality Check
Mistakes, Myths & Hard Truths
We've watched people make the same mistakes repeatedly. Buying property on a second visit because they "fell in love." Underestimating renovation costs by 50% or more. Assuming they'll pick up Italian faster than they do. Believing the honeymoon phase glow will last forever. Not visiting in winter before committing. Most of these problems are preventable if you know about them before you sign anything.
Explore all reality checksYour Move, Step by Step
A successful relocation typically unfolds over 12-24 months. The people who struggle most often tried to compress this into 6 months or less. Rushing leads to missed due diligence, expensive mistakes, and buyer's remorse. Here's what a realistic timeline looks like,though your circumstances may require more or less time at each stage.
Before the Move
- 12+ monthsResearch, first exploratory visit, decision-making
- 6-12 monthsVisa applications (if non-EU), off-season visit
- 6 monthsSerious property search begins
- 3 monthsDue diligence, purchase process, logistics planning
After Arrival
- Week 1Codice fiscale, bank account, SIM card
- Month 1Utilities, residency application, basic admin
- Month 2-3Healthcare registration, settling in
- Year 1Tax registration, driving licence (if staying), integration
Tools to Help You Decide
Practical frameworks and checklists to turn research into decisions and decisions into action.
Essential Reading
Start with these key articles to understand the most critical aspects of relocating.
Want Guidance, Not Just Information?
Reading guides gets you informed. But some things you need to see, feel, and ask about in person. You can research for months and still not know what a hill town feels like in November when half the houses are shuttered. Or whether the notaio everyone recommends actually explains things clearly. Or what the drive to the nearest hospital is like in bad weather.
Our retreat exists for people who are serious about this decision but want to test their assumptions before committing. Three days in Abruzzo with curated property viewings, sessions with notai and commercialisti, honest conversations with people who've made this move,including those who found it harder than they expected. It's not a holiday with a sales pitch attached. It's a decision-making accelerator.
No sales pressure. Just clarity about what this move actually involves.
About Us
Moving To Abruzzo was built by people who made this move and wished a resource like this had existed when we were planning. We're not an estate agency,we don't sell property or take finder's fees. We're not a relocation service,we don't charge for consultations or get kickbacks from lawyers. Our only business is the retreat, and the content on this site exists to help you make an informed decision, whether or not you ever attend one.
Read our full story