Quick answers: healthcare in Italy
- How much does health insurance cost in Italy for expats?
- Indicative international health insurance for a 32-year-old living in Italy (inpatient and outpatient, mid-level plan, worldwide excluding the USA) typically costs £181 to £335 a month, with a median of £259 and the cheapest at £157, based on 14 plan quotes from the 14 insurers on our panel, taken in 2026-09. Your price depends on your age, medical history, plan and deductible, and is only confirmed by the insurer.
- How much does expat health insurance cost by age in Italy?
- Indicative median monthly premiums in Italy (inpatient and outpatient, mid-level plan, worldwide excluding the USA): age 25 US$237, age 35 US$336, age 45 US$426, age 55 US$658, age 65 US$1,115. Quotes taken 2026-09; the insurer confirms the final price. Shown in US$. Other HealthiNomad prices are in GBP.
- Do foreigners need health insurance in Italy?
- It depends on the visa. Digital nomads and remote workers: Health insurance covering medical treatment and hospital admission, valid in Italy for the whole stay, plus annual income of at least three times the threshold for exemption from health charges. Retirees on an elective residence visa: Requirements are set by each consulate. Legally resident foreigners not automatically covered by the SSN (for example elective residence and remote workers): Voluntary SSN enrolment costs a minimum of €2,000 a year (calculated at 7.5% of income up to €20,658.28 and 4% above that, up to €51,645.69), is valid for the calendar year 1 January to 31 December, and is not reduced for part-years. Students (non-EU): Either private insurance valid in Italy covering all illness risks with at least €30,000 of medical cover plus evacuation and repatriation, or voluntary SSN enrolment, which costs a minimum of €700 a year for students. Countries that require travel insurance to enter
- Can foreigners use public healthcare in Italy?
- SSN patients pay a ticket for outpatient specialist visits and tests, capped at €36.15 per prescription in regions such as Emilia-Romagna, and a small charge per pack of prescribed medicine. A non-urgent emergency department visit (white or green triage code without appropriate access criteria) costs a €25 ticket there. EU visitors with an EHIC and UK visitors with a GHIC can use medically necessary state care at the same reduced rates; uninsured non-EU patients are billed at the hospital's own tariff.
- Do hospitals in Italy ask foreigners to pay upfront?
- Private clinics, laboratories and dentists are paid directly by the patient at the time of the visit. In public hospitals, non-EU patients without insurance pay according to the hospital's fee schedule, while SSN tickets are paid through the regional payment systems.
- What is the emergency number in Italy?
- Call 118 for an ambulance in Italy.
What health insurance costs in Italy (indicative)
These are indicative prices, based on 14 plan quotes from the 14 international insurers on our panel, for one standard profile: a 32-year-old living in Italy, inpatient and outpatient cover, mid-level plan, worldwide excluding the USA. The typical monthly price is £181 to £335, with a median of £259 and the cheapest at £157. Your actual price depends on your age, medical history, the plan, your deductible and where you want cover, and is only confirmed by the insurer. Snapshot 2026-09-24. See the Health Insurance Cost Index.
Indicative prices: the 5 lowest of 14 plan quotes, monthly in GBP, cheapest mid-level plan in each insurer's range. Quotes taken 2026-09-24.
See the figures
| Age | Cheapest | Median | Higher end | Plans quoted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | US$123 | US$237 | US$309 | 15 |
| 35 | US$163 | US$336 | US$389 | 15 |
| 45 | US$209 | US$426 | US$497 | 15 |
| 55 | US$328 | US$658 | US$726 | 15 |
| 65 | US$492 | US$1,115 | US$1,226 | 14 |
Indicative. Single adult, inpatient and outpatient, cheapest mid-level plan per insurer, worldwide excluding the USA. Quotes taken 2026-09-29. The insurer confirms the final price. Shown in US$. Other HealthiNomad prices are in GBP.
How healthcare works for expats
Italy's National Health Service (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale, SSN) is run by the regions and gives residents care at low cost, with patients paying set co-payments ('ticket') for specialist visits, tests and some emergency visits. Legally resident foreigners who are not automatically covered can join the SSN voluntarily by paying an annual contribution. A large private sector of clinics, diagnostic centres and dental chains sells services directly to patients.
Public care and state schemes
SSN patients pay a ticket for outpatient specialist visits and tests, capped at €36.15 per prescription in regions such as Emilia-Romagna, and a small charge per pack of prescribed medicine. A non-urgent emergency department visit (white or green triage code without appropriate access criteria) costs a €25 ticket there. EU visitors with an EHIC and UK visitors with a GHIC can use medically necessary state care at the same reduced rates; uninsured non-EU patients are billed at the hospital's own tariff.
Private hospitals
Private outpatient care is widely available at published prices: for example, a general medical visit costs €40 and a knee MRI starts at €120 at the Santagostino network of clinics. Private dental and laboratory chains also publish fixed prices for cleaning and blood test panels.
Paying up front
Private clinics, laboratories and dentists are paid directly by the patient at the time of the visit. In public hospitals, non-EU patients without insurance pay according to the hospital's fee schedule, while SSN tickets are paid through the regional payment systems.
Typical medical costs in Italy
Published prices, mostly from private hospitals. Pound figures are approximate conversions.
| Treatment | Price | About |
|---|---|---|
| General medical (non-specialist) visit, Centro Medico Santagostino1 Milan, Rome, Bologna and other cities, per visit | €40 | £34 |
| Dermatology specialist visit, Centro Medico Santagostino2 Milan, Rome, Bologna and other cities, per visit, from | From €95 | From £82 |
| MRI knee without contrast, Centro Medico Santagostino (open scanner from €120, high-field from €153)3 Milan, Rome, Bologna and other cities, per examination, from | From €120 | From £103 |
| CT scan of the brain, Centro Medico Santagostino4 Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio and Liguria, per examination, from; prescription required | From €120 | From £103 |
| Blood test panel: basic lipid check (€19) to SYNLAB Check (€54.50), SYNLAB Italia5 Nationwide, per panel | €19 to €55 | £16 to £47 |
| Dental cleaning with check-up, DentalPro6 Nationwide (DentalPro centres), per session | €69 | £59 |
| Non-urgent emergency department visit (white or green code), SSN ticket7 Emilia-Romagna (Bologna and region), per visit | €25 | £22 |
| Specialist visits and diagnostic tests, SSN ticket7 Emilia-Romagna (Bologna and region), maximum per prescription | €36 | £31 |
| Prescription medicines (class A), SSN co-payment7 Emilia-Romagna (Bologna and region), €2.20 per pack, maximum €4 per prescription | €2 to €4 | £2 to £3 |
Health insurance rules for foreigners
Digital nomads and remote workers
Health insurance covering medical treatment and hospital admission, valid in Italy for the whole stay, plus annual income of at least three times the threshold for exemption from health charges. The Italian Consulate in New York sets the insurance minimum at €30,000 and the income minimum at €24,789 a year (2024 figure).8,9,10
Retirees on an elective residence visa
Requirements are set by each consulate. The Consulate General in Boston asks for a Schengen insurance policy covering emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains and passive income of more than €31,000 a year per applicant; the London consulate lists stable passive income but no specific insurance amount.11,12
Legally resident foreigners not automatically covered by the SSN (for example elective residence and remote workers)
Voluntary SSN enrolment costs a minimum of €2,000 a year (calculated at 7.5% of income up to €20,658.28 and 4% above that, up to €51,645.69), is valid for the calendar year 1 January to 31 December, and is not reduced for part-years.13
Students (non-EU)
Either private insurance valid in Italy covering all illness risks with at least €30,000 of medical cover plus evacuation and repatriation, or voluntary SSN enrolment, which costs a minimum of €700 a year for students.14,13
Au pairs
Voluntary SSN enrolment at a minimum of €1,200 a year.13
Short-stay Schengen visa visitors
Insurance must be in place before departure and cover medical treatment abroad, emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains.15
Tips before you buy cover
- Voluntary SSN enrolment runs by calendar year, so the full annual fee applies even if you join late in the year.
- Private outpatient prices in Italy are often published online as 'from' prices, and can vary by city and by doctor.
- An emergency department visit that is triaged as non-urgent can carry a €25 ticket, even for SSN patients.
- Non-EU patients without insurance are billed at each public hospital's own tariff; without documents, hospitals issue a temporary STP code for essential care.
- Consulates set their own document lists for long-stay visas, so insurance requirements for the same visa can differ by country of application.
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Sources
- 1.Visita medica generica (non specialistica), Centro Medico Santagostino (accessed September 2026)
- 2.Visita dermatologica, Centro Medico Santagostino (accessed September 2026)
- 3.Risonanza magnetica al ginocchio, Centro Medico Santagostino (accessed September 2026)
- 4.TAC encefalo, Centro Medico Santagostino (accessed September 2026)
- 5.Prevenzione e salute generale, SYNLAB Italia (accessed September 2026)
- 6.Listino prezzi, DentalPro (accessed September 2026)
- 7.Ticket ed esenzioni, Regione Emilia-Romagna (December 2025)
- 8.Visto per nomadi digitali e lavoratori da remoto, Ambasciata d'Italia a Chisinau (Ministero degli Affari Esteri) (March 2026)
- 9.Visto per nomadi digitali e lavoratori da remoto, Consolato Generale d'Italia a Parigi (accessed September 2026)
- 10.Digital Nomad / Remote Worker Visa, Consolato Generale d'Italia a New York (accessed September 2026)
- 11.Elective Residency, Consolato Generale d'Italia Boston (accessed September 2026)
- 12.Elective residence, Consolato Generale d'Italia Londra (accessed September 2026)
- 13.Nota: iscrizione volontaria al SSN dei cittadini stranieri, contributi dal 2024, Ministero della Salute (copy hosted by CGIL Lombardia) (January 2024)
- 14.Assistenza sanitaria: studentesse e studenti extra UE, Università di Padova (accessed September 2026)
- 15.Frequently asked questions (visas), Consolato Generale d'Italia a New York (accessed September 2026)
- 16.Italy travel advice: health, FCDO (UK Government) (July 2026)
- 17.Pronto soccorso, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan (June 2025)
- 18.Euro foreign exchange reference rates: Pound sterling (GBP), European Central Bank (25 September 2026)
Costs and rules change. Always check with the hospital, the insurer or the relevant authority before relying on a figure.