Living in Cagliari

In Cagliari, unemployment is 11.6% (2023).

The foreign population count was 9,438 at the start of 2026. Cagliari covered 84.82 km² and had a population density of 1,721 people per km² at the start of 2026.

Last checked 2026-10-0417 sources

Population145,981people1 Jan 2026Official source · Resident population by age and sex at 1 January 2026 (estimate), all municipalities

Median gross salary (region)1,745EUR/month31 Dec 2024Official source · servizi2.inps.it

Average net rent5.69EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2025Regional figureOfficial source · Rapporto Immobiliare 2026 – Il settore residenziale

Unemployment rate11.64%country median 6.0% — 93% aboveOfficial source · Eurostat

Recorded crime2,794incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2024District figureOfficial source · Tasso di delittuosità - prov

PM2.5, annual mean13µg/m³country median 14.0 — 7% belowOfficial source · European Environment Agency

Higher unemployment than 85% of Italian cities that publish it, less recorded crime than any other Italian city that publishes it and cleaner air than 61% of Italian cities that publish it.

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

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 Cagliari.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€30

Mobile plan, 10 GB€12

Net rent across major citiesCagliari highlighted among comparable cities

net rent, € / m² / month

Milan€30.00

Rome€17.15

Naples€9.10

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	29.9 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	iliadbox fixed fibre⁷Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB	11.99 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	iliad GIGA mobile tariff⁶Official · national market
Average net rent (nettokalt)	5.69 EUR/m²/month	31 Dec 2025	Rapporto Immobiliare 2026 – Il settore residenziale¹³Official · regional context

Is Cagliari 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 worker46%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 36–56%

Skilled employee58%strong on work, weak on safety · range 49–67%

Student63%strong on education, weak on work · range 53–73%

Family63%strong on family, weak on legal route · range 52–74%

Retirement52%strong on safety, weak on admin · range 40–64%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Cagliari?

The unemployment rate is about 11.6 % (2023).

Unemployment rate: 11.64 % · Eurostat²

Unemployment across cities in ItalyUnemployment in Cagliari is 11.6%. Of 2,393 cities with data, 1,023 have unemployment of 4 to under 6%.

156

1,023

316

235

338

189

0–22–44–66–88–1010–1212–1414–1616–1818–2020–2222–2424–26

Cagliari 11.6%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Median gross salary (regional)	1,745 EUR/month	31 Dec 2024	servizi2.inps.it¹⁵Official
Unemployment rate	11.64 %country median 6.0%	31 Dec 2023	Eurostat²Official

Unemployment rate over time9 published observations, 1991–2023

10.6%

15.7%

20.9%

26.1%

11.6%19912011201920212023

Unemployment rate fell 53.5% between 1991 and 2023, from 25.0% to 11.6%.

What does a salary buy in Cagliari?

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

Left over each month€1,087of €1,470 take-home

Rent
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.	€1,470
Rent, 60 m²€5.69/m² · official · Rapporto Immobiliare 2026 – Il settore residenziale · 2025-12-31	− €341
Internet€30 · official · iliadbox fixed fibre · 2026-09-30	− €30
Mobile plan€12 · official · iliad GIGA mobile tariff · 2026-09-30	− €12
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities	—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish	€1,087

Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Cagliari Salary needed to live in Cagliari

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Cagliari. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Centri per l'impiego — Public employment service

Italian public employment services / regional employment centres

Job SearchTraining

Search jobs

Open the Italy service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Cagliari. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Family and education

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Primary schools	39 count	3 Aug 2026	Ministero dell'Istruzione e del Merito (dati.istruzione.it)⁸Official
Schools	162 count	3 Aug 2026	Ministero dell'Istruzione e del Merito (dati.istruzione.it)⁸Official

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; Cagliari's school authority applies it locally.

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

Safety

How safe is Cagliari?

Police recorded about 2,794 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Tasso di delittuosità - prov¹⁶

Recorded crime across major citiesCagliari highlighted among comparable cities

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

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents	2,794 incidents per 100,000	31 Dec 2024	Tasso di delittuosità - prov¹⁶Official · county

Mobility and administration

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Destinations from nearest airport	38 count	3 Aug 2026	OpenFlights¹¹Official
Nearest airport	CAG	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports¹²Official
Distance to nearest airport	6 km	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports¹²Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Cagliari. 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 Cagliari.

Find courses near Cagliari

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Cagliari?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 13 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency¹

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

15°5°

18°7°

20°10°

24°13°

29°17°

32°20°

28°17°

24°14°

19°10°

16°7°

JFMAMJJASOND

Night-time low to daytime high

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

JFMAMJJASOND

Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours

156

166

218

223

271

312

340

314

240

199

150

141

JFMAMJJASOND

hours

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³

PM2.513WHO 5 · EU 25

NO₂13.8WHO 10 · EU 40

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 Cagliari is 13.0 µg/m³. Of 1,693 cities with data, 204 have annual PM2.5 of 12 to under 13 µg/m³.

121

118

114

204

172

121

131

113

3–44–55–66–77–88–99–1010–1111–1212–1313–1414–1515–1616–1717–1818–1919–2020–2121–2222–2323–2424–2525–2628–29

Cagliari 13.0

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
NO₂ — annual mean	13.8 µg/m³country median 15.0	31 Dec 2012	Eurostat³Official
PM2.5 — annual mean	13 µg/m³country median 14.0	31 Dec 2024	European Environment Agency¹Official
Average daytime high by month	Jan 14.68 · Feb 15.02 · Mar 17.5 · Apr 19.91 · May 24.1 · Jun 28.69 · Jul 31.69 · Aug 32.1 · Sep 28.06 · Oct 23.87 · Nov 19.04 · Dec 15.68 °C	31 Dec 1991	World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI¹⁷Official
Average night-time low by month	Jan 5.44 · Feb 5.08 · Mar 7.31 · Apr 9.65 · May 13.33 · Jun 17.29 · Jul 19.92 · Aug 20.47 · Sep 17.46 · Oct 13.93 · Nov 9.99 · Dec 6.84 °C	31 Dec 1991	World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI¹⁷Official
Average temperature by month	Jan 10.01 · Feb 10.01 · Mar 12.4 · Apr 14.75 · May 18.67 · Jun 22.96 · Jul 25.73 · Aug 26.2 · Sep 22.69 · Oct 18.83 · Nov 14.48 · Dec 11.21 °C	31 Dec 1991	World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI¹⁷Official
Average precipitation by month	Jan 37.08 · Feb 33.94 · Mar 32.1 · Apr 45.62 · May 26.24 · Jun 12.52 · Jul 3.11 · Aug 11.42 · Sep 38.51 · Oct 43.93 · Nov 74.02 · Dec 54.87 mm	31 Dec 1991	World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI¹⁷Official
Average sunshine by month	Jan 155.9 · Feb 166 · Mar 217.6 · Apr 222.6 · May 271.3 · Jun 312.3 · Jul 339.8 · Aug 314 · Sep 240.3 · Oct 199.3 · Nov 150.3 · Dec 140.7 hours	31 Dec 1991	World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI¹⁷Official

Annual PM2.5 over time10 published observations, 2015–2024

11.4

14.1

16.9

19.6

13.020152017201920212024

Annual PM2.5 fell 18.8% between 2015 and 2024, from 16.0 to 13.0.

Similar climate. In Italy: Bari ±1.1 °C. Elsewhere: Castellón de la Plana (Spain) ±1.0 °C, Downey (United States) ±2.4 °C, Little Rock (United States) ±2.5 °C, Tarragona (Spain) ±0.8 °C, Elche (Spain) ±1.4 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

How many people live in Cagliari?

The published population was 145,981 people in January 2026. Source: Resident population by age and sex at 1 January 2026 (estimate), all municipalities¹⁴

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport93.5%

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

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Cars per 1,000 residents	691.8 cars per 1000 people	31 Dec 2024	Eurostat⁴Official
City area	84.82 km²	2026	Official SITUAS report 74 (Comuni - Dimensione): exact municipality surface in km2, with annual area vintage.¹⁰Official
Foreign-resident share	5.4 %	31 Dec 2025	Eurostat⁵Official
Foreign residents	9,438 people	1 Jan 2026	Official ISTAT STRASA estimate of resident foreign population by municipality at 1 January 2026; Età=999 is the total.⁹Official
Population density	1,721 people/km²	1 Jan 2026	Resident population by age and sex at 1 January 2026 (estimate), all municipalities¹⁴Official
Population	145,981 people	1 Jan 2026	Resident population by age and sex at 1 January 2026 (estimate), all municipalities¹⁴Official

Population over time11 published observations, 2016–2026

140,386

167,429

194,472

221,515

145,981201620182020202220242026

Population fell 5.5% between 2016 and 2026, from 154,460 to 145,981.

Foreign residents over time11 published observations, 2016–2026

7,452

8,912

10,373

11,833

9,438201620182020202220242026

Foreign residents rose 21.7% between 2016 and 2026, from 7,754 to 9,438.

Alternatives for people set on Cagliari

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.

Bergamo as a Cagliari alternative in the same country

Better on 4 of 5 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Rent cannot be compared like for like.

Foreign residents: 13.0% Bergamo vs 5.4% Cagliari+141%
Unemployment: 5.4% Bergamo vs 11.6% Cagliari−53%
Median gross pay, region: €2,250 Bergamo vs €1,745 Cagliari+29%
Rent: €8.75/m² Bergamo vs €5.69/m² Cagliarino percentage
Recorded crime, per 100k: 3,415 Bergamo vs 2,794 Cagliari+22%
Nearest airport: 4.0 km Bergamo vs 6.0 km Cagliari−33%

Full comparison More about Bergamo

Alternative cities in Italy

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

All Italy cities

Foggia145,198 residents Rimini150,333 residents Livorno153,154 residents Ravenna156,340 residents Perugia162,050 residents Ferrara129,081 residents

How does Cagliari compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Cagliari's.

Open the full comparison

Cagliari in rankings

#27 of 30 in Largest cities in Italy

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Cagliari 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

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Put Cagliari'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 Cagliari?

The published population was 145,981 people in January 2026. Source: Resident population by age and sex at 1 January 2026 (estimate), all municipalities.

Is the air quality good in Cagliari?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 13 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency.

How safe is Cagliari?

Police recorded about 2,794 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Tasso di delittuosità - prov.

What is the unemployment rate in Cagliari?

The unemployment rate is about 11.6 % (2023). Source: Eurostat.

What is the typical salary around Cagliari?

The median gross salary is 1,745 EUR/month. Source: servizi2.inps.it.

Is Cagliari a good place to live?

Cagliari 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.

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). Cagliari, Italy: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 9ff297bfb4e7bca1a64babe16e9fe3d5]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/it/cagliari/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_cagliari-italy-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_486820921078,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Cagliari, Italy: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {9ff297bfb4e7bca1a64babe16e9fe3d5},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/it/cagliari/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Cagliari, Italy: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/it/cagliari/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 9ff297bfb4e7bca1a64babe16e9fe3d5; 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

European Environment Agency air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
iliad GIGA mobile tariff iliad.it · checked 2026-09-15
iliadbox fixed fibre iliad.it · checked 2026-09-15
Ministero dell'Istruzione e del Merito (dati.istruzione.it) dati.istruzione.it · checked 2026-08-03
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
Official SITUAS report 74 (Comuni - Dimensione): exact municipality surface in km2, with annual area vintage. situas-servizi.istat.it · checked 2026-07-15

Show 7 more sources

OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
Rapporto Immobiliare 2026 – Il settore residenziale abi.it · checked 2026-10-03
Resident population by age and sex at 1 January 2026 (estimate), all municipalities demo.istat.it · checked 2026-09-27
servizi2.inps.it servizi2.inps.it · checked 2026-08-27
Tasso di delittuosità - prov esploradati.istat.it · checked 2026-09-23
World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-02

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