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Living in Bologna

In Bologna, rent averages €11.55 per m² a month (2025) and unemployment is 6.1% (2023).

For Bologna, the foreign population count was 59,425 at the start of 2026. The city covers 140.9 km², with a population density of 2,779.2 people per km² at the start of 2026. The city had 230,066 dwellings in 2023.

Last checked 2026-09-1640 sources

Population390,151people1 Jan 2025Official source · ISTAT municipality population and citizenship tables 2025
Median gross salary (region)2,389EUR/month31 Dec 2024Official source · servizi2.inps.it
Average net rent11.55EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2025Official source · Collected source
Unemployment rate6.1%country median 6.0% — about the sameOfficial source · Eurostat
Recorded crime9,973incidents per 100,000country median 7,480 — 33% aboveOfficial source · esploradati.istat.it
PM2.5, annual mean14µg/m³country median 14.0 — about the sameOfficial source · Official annual background concentration municipality summary; Mediana of the source municipality grid distribution

Which Italy-wide rules apply when you move to Bologna?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in ItalyNational rates and thresholds that apply in Bologna.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

How much does it cost to rent in Bologna?

Average net cold rent is 11.55 EUR/m² per month (2025-S2), excluding heating and operating charges.

Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.

  • Average net rent (nettokalt): 11.55 EUR/m²/month · Collected source1
What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Bologna recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€780
Utilities, 85 m² flat€214
Fitness club€54
Transport pass€39
Internet, 60 Mbps€28
Mobile plan, 10 GB€10

Supplemental estimate lane, not official statistics: Utilities, 85 m² flat, Private kindergarten, Fitness club, Internet, 60 Mbps, Mobile plan, 10 GB. The others are published prices.

Net rent across major citiesBologna highlighted among comparable cities
Net rent across major cities with Bologna highlighted

net rent, € / m² / month

Milan€30.00
Rome€17.15
Naples€9.10
MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly54.17 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Numbeo — Cost of Living in Bologna (Wayback capture 20241231223324)40Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited28.22 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Numbeo — Cost of Living in Bologna (Wayback capture 20241231223324)40Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly780 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Numbeo — Cost of Living in Bologna (Wayback capture 20241231223324)40Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB9.61 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Numbeo — Cost of Living in Bologna (Wayback capture 20241231223324)40Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass39 EUR/month26 Jul 2026www.tper.it30Official
Basic utilities, 85 m² home214 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Numbeo — Cost of Living in Bologna (Wayback capture 20241231223324)40Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings230,066 dwellings31 Dec 2023ISTAT permanent population and housing census by census section and municipality14Official
Main residence dwellings202,807 dwellings31 Dec 2021Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)9Official
Average net rent (nettokalt)11.55 EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2025Collected source1Official · municipality zone median

Is Bologna a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker52%strong on work, weak on safety · range 43–61%
Skilled employee65%strong on work, weak on safety · range 57–73%
Student62%strong on education, weak on work · range 54–70%
Family56%strong on family, weak on legal route · range 48–64%
Retirement46%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 36–56%

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 693 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 11.55 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.

Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.

Source period: 2025-S2

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Bologna?

The unemployment rate is 6.1 % (2023). Source: Eurostat3

Unemployment across cities in ItalyUnemployment in Bologna is 6.1%. Of 2,393 cities with data, 1,023 have unemployment of 4 to under 6%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Public employment offices1 count15 Sept 2026Ministero del Lavoro — CPI finder19Official
People in employment180,953 people31 Dec 2021Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)10Official
Median gross salary (regional)2,389 EUR/month31 Dec 2024servizi2.inps.it28Official
Unemployment rate6.1 %country median 6.0% — about the same31 Dec 2023Eurostat3Official
Unemployment rate over time9 published observations, 1991–2023

Unemployment rate fell 6.2% between 1991 and 2023, from 6.5% to 6.1%.

What does a salary buy in Bologna?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

regional median gross pay: €2,389 (servizi2.inps.it, 2024-12-31).
Left over each month€874of €1,858 take-home
  • Rent
  • Utilities
  • Transport
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions.€1,858
Rent, 60 m²€11.55/m² · official · Collected source · 2025-12-31− €693
Public transport pass€39 · official · tper.it · 2026-07-26− €39
Utilities, 85 m²€214 · market price · Numbeo · 2024-12-31− €214
Internet€28 · market price · Numbeo · 2024-12-31− €28
Mobile plan€10 · market price · Numbeo · 2024-12-31− €10
Left over€874
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Bologna Salary needed to live in Bologna

Public employment offices in Bologna

Ministero del Lavoro lists 1 public employment office in Bologna (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.

Office count verified

Centri per l'impiego — Public employment service

Italian public employment services / regional employment centres

Job SearchTraining
Search jobs
Open the Italy service overview

The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.

Family and education

The city had 320 schools in August 2025.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Schools320 schools31 Aug 2025MIM Open Data - Anagrafe scuole statali e paritarie18Official
Primary schools73 count3 Aug 2026Ministero dell'Istruzione e del Merito (dati.istruzione.it)20Official
Schools324 count3 Aug 2026Ministero dell'Istruzione e del Merito (dati.istruzione.it)20Official

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 6 to 16, and public school is free. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: Italian L2 laboratories and support for foreign pupils (DPR 394/1999 art 45 route). How to enrol a child (istruzione.it).

A country-wide rule for Italy; Bologna's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2026.

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Hospital beds per 100,000 residents818.7 beds per 100,0001 Jan 2023Posti letto per stabilimento ospedaliero e disciplina 202327Official
Hospitals14 count1 Jan 2023Posti letto per stabilimento ospedaliero e disciplina 202327Official
Pharmacies127 count15 Sept 2026Farmacie6Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Bologna when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Hospital beds per 100,000 residents818.7 beds per 100,000Verified 2026-09-16
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

How safe is Bologna?

Police recorded about 9,973 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: esploradati.istat.it2

Recorded crime across major citiesBologna highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Bologna highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Florence11,422
Milan10,343
Bologna9,973
Turin9,170
Venice9,092
Catania7,485
Rome7,475
Verona6,667
Naples6,521
Genoa5,692
Palermo5,384
Bari4,616
MetricValuePeriodSource
Burglaries per 100,000 residents441.1 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2024IT-Istat-DCCV_DELITTIPS_8-202417Official
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents9,973 incidents per 100,000country median 7,48031 Dec 2024esploradati.istat.it2Official

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport64 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights25Official
Nearest airportBLQ3 Aug 2026OurAirports26Official
Distance to nearest airport6 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports26Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Bologna. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

CPIA public Italian-language and orientation courses for foreign adults — State Language Course

Italian public adult-education system — Centri Provinciali per l'Istruzione degli Adulti

For foreign adults, people seeking Italian language and culture courses.

ItalianCEFR A2In PersonCost varies
Open official information

L.O.R.R. — Language, Orientation, Recognition and Networks with CPIA — Job-related language course

Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies / FAMI 2021-2027 programme

For third-country nationals, vulnerable migrants, unaccompanied minors.

ItalianIn Person, Online
Open official information
Open the full Italy section
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Bologna.

Find courses near Bologna

Climate and air quality

Annual PM2.5 was 14 µg/m³ in 2025. Annual NO₂ was 18 µg/m³ in 2025. Annual PM10 was 20 µg/m³ in 2025.

Is the air quality good in Bologna?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 14 µg/m³ (2025) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Official annual background concentration municipality summary; Mediana of the source municipality grid distribution21

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in ItalyAnnual PM2.5 in Bologna is 14.0 µg/m³. Of 1,693 cities with data, 204 have annual PM2.5 of 12 to under 13 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean18 µg/m³country median 15.02025Official annual background concentration municipality summary; Mediana of the source municipality grid distribution21Official
PM10 — annual mean20 µg/m³country median 22.02025Official annual background concentration municipality summary; Mediana of the source municipality grid distribution21Official
PM2.5 — annual mean14 µg/m³country median 14.0 — about the same2025Official annual background concentration municipality summary; Mediana of the source municipality grid distribution21Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 7.11 · Feb 9.87 · Mar 14.98 · Apr 19.35 · May 0 · Jun 0 · Jul 0 · Aug 31.09 · Sep 25.86 · Oct 19.25 · Nov 12.68 · Dec 7.56 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station BolognaBorgoPanigale_16140.csv29Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 0.05 · Feb 0.91 · Mar 4.1 · Apr 8.29 · May 0 · Jun 0 · Jul 0 · Aug 18.92 · Sep 14.74 · Oct 10.58 · Nov 5.74 · Dec 0.73 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station BolognaBorgoPanigale_16140.csv29Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 3.54 · Feb 5.37 · Mar 9.57 · Apr 13.87 · May 18.36 · Jun 0 · Jul 25.51 · Aug 24.97 · Sep 20.28 · Oct 14.83 · Nov 9.18 · Dec 4.11 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station BolognaBorgoPanigale_16140.csv29Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 31.39 · Feb 55.68 · Mar 51.89 · Apr 59.47 · May 58.13 · Jun 0 · Jul 26.6 · Aug 29.22 · Sep 50.43 · Oct 65.85 · Nov 73.45 · Dec 40.09 mm1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station BolognaBorgoPanigale_16140.csv29Official · nearest-station reading
Annual PM2.5 over time12 published observations, 2013–2025

Annual PM2.5 fell 30.0% between 2013 and 2025, from 20.0 to 14.0.

Population and city profile

How many people live in Bologna?

The published population was 390,151 people in 2025. Source: ISTAT municipality population and citizenship tables 202513

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents539.3 cars per 1000 people31 Dec 2024Eurostat4Official
City area140.9 km²2026Official SITUAS report 74 (Comuni - Dimensione): exact municipality surface in km2, with annual area vintage.23Official
Foreign-resident share15.1 %31 Dec 2025Eurostat5Official
Foreign residents59,425 people1 Jan 2026Official ISTAT STRASA estimate of resident foreign population by municipality at 1 January 2026; Età=999 is the total.22Official
Population density2,779 people/km²1 Jan 2026Official SITUAS report 74 (Comuni - Dimensione): exact municipality surface in km2, with annual area vintage.24Official
Female residents203,277 people31 Dec 2024Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)8Official
Male residents186,874 people31 Dec 2024Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)8Official
Population390,151 people1 Jan 2025ISTAT municipality population and citizenship tables 202513Official
Population over time12 published observations, 2014–2025

Population rose 1.5% between 2014 and 2025, from 384,202 to 390,151.

Foreign residents over time14 published observations, 2013–2026

Foreign residents rose 14.8% between 2013 and 2026, from 51,771 to 59,425.

International community in Bologna

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Resident population in Italy at 1 January 2025; source-native country dimension; total sex · 2025-01-01

Published groupPeopleShare
Derived source total (sum of all published country rows)390,151100.0%
Italia319,15081.8%
Moldova5,6281.4%
Bangladesh5,6221.4%
Romania5,5001.4%
Pakistan4,5441.2%
Filippine4,4411.1%
Marocco4,2181.1%
Ucraina4,1331.1%
Albania3,6240.9%
Show 157 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Cina3,4100.9%
Perù1,8940.5%
Tunisia1,5880.4%
Federazione russa1,2200.3%
Germania1,1560.3%
Sri Lanka1,1080.3%
Brasile1,0880.3%
Iran1,0650.3%
Egitto1,0120.3%
India9190.2%
Polonia9140.2%
Nigeria8690.2%
Francia8180.2%
Svizzera7870.2%
Argentina7430.2%
Stati Uniti d'America6990.2%
Georgia5830.1%
Regno Unito5600.1%
Eritrea5550.1%
Senegal5420.1%
Camerun5150.1%
Spagna4930.1%
Serbia4830.1%
Etiopia4420.1%
Grecia4010.1%
Cuba4000.1%
Libia3950.1%
Venezuela3610.1%
Colombia3460.1%
Turchia3200.1%
Ecuador3150.1%
Gambia3060.1%
Costa d'Avorio2920.1%
Bulgaria2890.1%
Repubblica Dominicana2640.1%
Somalia2280.1%
Kosovo2120.1%
Belgio2060.1%
Mali1990.1%
Cile1970.1%
Afghanistan1960.1%
Capo Verde1840.0%
Guinea1720.0%
Giappone1690.0%
Libano1630.0%
Messico1590.0%
Siria1580.0%
Bielorussia1480.0%
Ghana1400.0%
Algeria1360.0%
Ungheria1210.0%
Croazia1190.0%
Paesi Bassi1150.0%
Canada1140.0%
Israele1130.0%
Australia1030.0%
Thailandia1000.0%
Austria880.0%
Repubblica Democratica del Congo840.0%
Repubblica ceca810.0%
Giordania770.0%
Burkina Faso770.0%
Paraguay720.0%
Iraq680.0%
Bosnia-Erzegovina670.0%
Kazakhstan670.0%
San Marino660.0%
Svezia650.0%
Slovacchia650.0%
Vietnam650.0%
Portogallo620.0%
Bolivia600.0%
Macedonia del Nord580.0%
Maurizio530.0%
Sudafrica530.0%
Sudan530.0%
Kirghizistan510.0%
Irlanda490.0%
Montenegro490.0%
Congo490.0%
Lituania450.0%
Togo430.0%
Kenya420.0%
Palestina410.0%
Azerbaigian400.0%
Corea del Sud390.0%
Indonesia370.0%
Danimarca360.0%
Sierra Leone350.0%
Costa Rica350.0%
Benin320.0%
El Salvador310.0%
Lettonia300.0%
Uzbekistan300.0%
Guatemala300.0%
Uruguay300.0%
Nepal290.0%
Angola280.0%
Tanzania280.0%
Lussemburgo250.0%
Arabia Saudita250.0%
Slovenia240.0%
Guinea-Bissau240.0%
Liberia210.0%
Mozambico210.0%
Gabon200.0%
Finlandia190.0%
Taiwan180.0%
Malta170.0%
Emirati Arabi Uniti170.0%
Burundi170.0%
Madagascar170.0%
Nicaragua170.0%
Nuova Zelanda150.0%
Estonia140.0%
Yemen140.0%
Uganda140.0%
Kuwait130.0%
Armenia130.0%
Norvegia120.0%
Seychelles120.0%
Honduras120.0%
Ruanda110.0%
Zambia110.0%
Niger100.0%
Cambogia80.0%
Singapore80.0%
Haiti80.0%
Panama80.0%
Cipro70.0%
Zimbabwe70.0%
Malaysia60.0%
Mongolia60.0%
Sud Sudan60.0%
Monaco40.0%
Bhutan40.0%
Myanmar/Birmania40.0%
Giamaica40.0%
Laos30.0%
Qatar30.0%
Turkmenistan30.0%
Repubblica Centrafricana30.0%
Guyana30.0%
Islanda20.0%
Oman20.0%
Ciad20.0%
Bahamas20.0%
Trinidad e Tobago20.0%
Stato della Città del Vaticano10.0%
Tagikistan10.0%
Guinea Equatoriale10.0%
Mauritania10.0%
Namibia10.0%
Eswatini10.0%
Saint Vincent e Grenadine10.0%
Suriname10.0%
Papua Nuova Guinea10.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source16

Citizenship

Resident population in Italy at 1 January 2025; source-native country dimension; total sex · 2025-01-01

Published groupPeopleShare
Derived source total (sum of all published country rows)390,151100.0%
Italia331,34584.9%
Romania9,0152.3%
Bangladesh4,8771.3%
Filippine4,4901.2%
Pakistan4,4531.1%
Cina4,1221.1%
Ucraina3,9361.0%
Marocco2,8300.7%
Albania2,5180.6%
Show 145 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Moldova2,3060.6%
Perù1,5960.4%
Tunisia1,3280.3%
Sri Lanka1,1560.3%
Nigeria1,1470.3%
Egitto9560.2%
Iran9070.2%
India7750.2%
Polonia7620.2%
Georgia5700.1%
Federazione russa5140.1%
Camerun4900.1%
Senegal4600.1%
Spagna4200.1%
Serbia3640.1%
Francia3580.1%
Brasile3560.1%
Gambia3110.1%
Stati Uniti d'America3000.1%
Germania2960.1%
Eritrea2930.1%
Regno Unito2880.1%
Costa d'Avorio2820.1%
Grecia2750.1%
Turchia2750.1%
Bulgaria2680.1%
Cuba2310.1%
Ecuador2250.1%
Kosovo2210.1%
Mali1990.1%
Somalia1980.1%
Afghanistan1880.0%
Guinea1700.0%
Etiopia1640.0%
Colombia1560.0%
Capo Verde1480.0%
Giappone1460.0%
Siria1390.0%
Ghana1330.0%
Portogallo1250.0%
Argentina1170.0%
Repubblica Dominicana1080.0%
Bielorussia1040.0%
Algeria1000.0%
Bosnia-Erzegovina980.0%
Libano970.0%
Venezuela890.0%
Paesi Bassi850.0%
Croazia820.0%
Burkina Faso810.0%
Messico760.0%
Cile710.0%
Montenegro700.0%
Ungheria660.0%
Irlanda620.0%
Palestina610.0%
Congo600.0%
Libia570.0%
Belgio540.0%
Iraq530.0%
Israele530.0%
Svizzera510.0%
Slovacchia480.0%
Giordania470.0%
Sudan470.0%
Macedonia del Nord460.0%
Thailandia450.0%
Kirghizistan450.0%
Paraguay440.0%
Austria420.0%
Lituania420.0%
Canada400.0%
Repubblica Democratica del Congo370.0%
Azerbaigian360.0%
Sierra Leone360.0%
San Marino350.0%
Repubblica ceca350.0%
Togo350.0%
Benin340.0%
Svezia290.0%
Nepal290.0%
Bolivia280.0%
Danimarca260.0%
Indonesia250.0%
Maurizio250.0%
Guinea-Bissau240.0%
El Salvador240.0%
Australia240.0%
Tanzania230.0%
Slovenia220.0%
Corea del Sud220.0%
Lettonia210.0%
Vietnam210.0%
Kenya200.0%
Liberia200.0%
Kazakhstan180.0%
Gabon160.0%
Uzbekistan150.0%
Angola120.0%
Niger120.0%
Sudafrica120.0%
Burundi110.0%
Guatemala110.0%
Nuova Zelanda110.0%
Finlandia100.0%
Malta100.0%
Sud Sudan100.0%
Estonia90.0%
Cipro90.0%
Armenia90.0%
Yemen80.0%
Uganda80.0%
Honduras70.0%
Norvegia60.0%
Mongolia60.0%
Ruanda60.0%
Costa Rica60.0%
Uruguay60.0%
Taiwan50.0%
Madagascar50.0%
Mozambico50.0%
Haiti40.0%
Panama40.0%
Apolide40.0%
Arabia Saudita30.0%
Myanmar/Birmania30.0%
Seychelles30.0%
Zimbabwe30.0%
Giamaica30.0%
Nicaragua30.0%
Islanda20.0%
Bhutan20.0%
Cambogia20.0%
Emirati Arabi Uniti20.0%
Malaysia20.0%
Singapore20.0%
Repubblica Centrafricana20.0%
Zambia20.0%
Dominica20.0%
Kuwait10.0%
Turkmenistan10.0%
Namibia10.0%
Eswatini10.0%
Guyana10.0%
Trinidad e Tobago10.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source15

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Residents born abroad17.76 %31 Dec 2023ISTAT permanent population and housing census by census section and municipality14Official
Non-citizens, share of residents15.07 %31 Dec 2024Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)11Official
Households211,066 households31 Dec 2024Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)12Official

Alternatives for people set on Bologna

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Modena as a Bologna alternative in the same region

37 km away, better on 2 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

  • Nearest airport: 31.0 km Modena vs 6.0 km Bologna+417%
  • Rent: €7.50/m² Modena vs €11.55/m² Bologna−35%
  • Annual PM2.5: 18.0 µg/m³ Modena vs 14.0 µg/m³ Bologna+29%
  • Residents: 184,074 Modena vs 390,151 Bologna−53%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 4,294 Modena vs 9,973 Bolognano percentage
  • Unemployment: 5.7% Modena vs 6.1% Bologna−7%
  • Foreign residents: 15.5% Modena vs 15.1% Bolognasame level
Full comparisonMore about Modena

Parma as a Bologna alternative in the same country

87 km away, better on 4 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

  • Rent: €7.00/m² Parma vs €11.55/m² Bologna−39%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 4,214 Parma vs 9,973 Bolognano percentage
  • Residents: 198,693 Parma vs 390,151 Bologna−49%
  • Unemployment: 5.2% Parma vs 6.1% Bologna−14%
  • Nearest airport: 4.0 km Parma vs 6.0 km Bologna−33%
  • Annual PM2.5: 16.0 µg/m³ Parma vs 14.0 µg/m³ Bologna+14%
  • Foreign residents: 17.1% Parma vs 15.1% Bologna+13%
Full comparisonMore about Parma

Cities near Bologna

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Alternative cities in Italy

Other cities in Italy to compare with Bologna, nearest in population first.

All Italy cities
Florence361,705 residentsBari315,831 residentsCatania298,054 residentsGenoa564,080 residentsVerona255,039 residentsVenice249,490 residents

How does Bologna compare?

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Bologna in rankings

#7 of 30 in Largest cities in Italy #10 of 12 in Safest cities in Italy by recorded crime #20 of 30 in Most international cities in Italy

Put Bologna's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Bologna?

The published population was 390,151 people in 2025. Source: ISTAT municipality population and citizenship tables 2025.

How much does it cost to rent in Bologna?

Average net cold rent is 11.55 EUR/m² per month (2025-S2), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 809 EUR a month before utilities. Source: Collected source.

Is the air quality good in Bologna?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 14 µg/m³ (2025) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Official annual background concentration municipality summary; Mediana of the source municipality grid distribution.

How safe is Bologna?

Police recorded about 9,973 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: esploradati.istat.it.

What is the unemployment rate in Bologna?

The unemployment rate is 6.1 % (2023). Source: Eurostat.

What is the typical salary around Bologna?

The median gross salary is 2,389 EUR/month. Source: servizi2.inps.it.

Is Bologna a good place to live?

Bologna may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Which cities are near Bologna?

Casalecchio di Reno, San Lazzaro di Savena, Castel Maggiore, Calderara di Reno, Zola Predosa are near Bologna. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

How many people born in Derived source total (sum of all published country rows) live in Bologna?

The official country of birth distribution records 390,151 people (100.0%) in the source-defined population for 2025-01-01. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Bologna, Italy: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 6509e374907c2e3d205eb025ec0b1a80]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/it/bologna/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_bologna-italy-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_8fe9c21fbad3,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Bologna, Italy: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {6509e374907c2e3d205eb025ec0b1a80},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/it/bologna/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Bologna, Italy: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/it/bologna/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 6509e374907c2e3d205eb025ec0b1a80; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Collected source www1.agenziaentrate.gov.it · checked 2026-08-05
  2. esploradati.istat.it esploradati.istat.it · checked 2026-08-27
  3. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  4. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
  5. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  6. Farmacie dati.salute.gov.it · checked 2026-09-15
  7. GISCO Urban Audit 2021 — Functional Urban Areas (URAU_RG_100K_2021_4326_FUA) GISCO Urban Audit 2021 · gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-09-19
  8. Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) istat.it · checked 2026-08-07
  9. Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) esploradati.istat.it · checked 2026-08-07
  10. Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) esploradati.istat.it · checked 2026-08-07
Show 30 more sources
  1. Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) istat.it · checked 2026-08-07
  2. Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) esploradati.istat.it · checked 2026-08-07
  3. ISTAT municipality population and citizenship tables 2025 demo.istat.it · checked 2026-07-26
  4. ISTAT permanent population and housing census by census section and municipality istat.it · checked 2026-07-16
  5. Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (Istat), Italy citizenship distribution demo.istat.it · checked 2026-08-28
  6. Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (Istat), Italy country of birth distribution demo.istat.it · checked 2026-08-28
  7. IT-Istat-DCCV_DELITTIPS_8-2024 esploradati.istat.it · checked 2026-09-15
  8. MIM Open Data - Anagrafe scuole statali e paritarie dati.istruzione.it · checked 2026-07-16
  9. Ministero del Lavoro — CPI finder Ministero del Lavoro · servizi.lavoro.gov.it · checked 2026-09-15
  10. Ministero dell'Istruzione e del Merito (dati.istruzione.it) dati.istruzione.it · checked 2026-08-03
  11. Official annual background concentration municipality summary; Mediana of the source municipality grid distribution dati.arpae.it · checked 2026-07-15
  12. Official ISTAT STRASA estimate of resident foreign population by municipality at 1 January 2026; Età=999 is the total. demo.istat.it · checked 2026-07-15
  13. Official SITUAS report 74 (Comuni - Dimensione): exact municipality surface in km2, with annual area vintage. situas-servizi.istat.it · checked 2026-07-15
  14. Official SITUAS report 74 (Comuni - Dimensione): exact municipality surface in km2, with annual area vintage. demo.istat.it · checked 2026-07-15
  15. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  16. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  17. Posti letto per stabilimento ospedaliero e disciplina 2023 dati.salute.gov.it · checked 2026-09-15
  18. servizi2.inps.it servizi2.inps.it · checked 2026-08-27
  19. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station BolognaBorgoPanigale_16140.csv WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  20. www.tper.it tper.it · checked 2026-07-26
  21. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  22. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  23. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  24. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  25. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  26. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  27. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  28. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  29. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  30. Numbeo — Cost of Living in Bologna (Wayback capture 20241231223324) Numbeo · web.archive.org · checked 2026-08-01

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