On this page

Living in Cologne

In Cologne, rent averages €3.75 per m² a month (2025) and unemployment is 4.4% (2023).

Cologne covered 13.83 km² and had a population density of 550.1 people per km² at the start of 2026. The foreign population count was 759 at the start of 2026.

Last checked 2026-09-2336 sources

Population7,611people1 Jan 2025Official source · ISTAT municipality population and citizenship tables 2025
Median gross salary (region)2,118EUR/month31 Dec 2024Official source · servizi2.inps.it
Average net rent3.75EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2025Official source · Collected source
Unemployment rate4.44%country median 6.0% — 26% belowOfficial source · Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT)
Recorded crime3,527incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2024District figureOfficial source · Tasso di delittuosità - prov
PM2.5, annual mean22µg/m³country median 14.0 — 57% aboveOfficial source · European Environment Agency

Lower unemployment than 84% of Italian cities that publish it, less recorded crime than any other Italian city that publishes it and dirtier air than 93% of Italian cities that publish it.

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

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

Housing and cost

How much does it cost to rent in Cologne?

Average net cold rent is 3.75 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): 3.75 EUR/m²/month · Collected source1
What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Cologne recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€30
Mobile plan, 10 GB€12
Net rent across major citiesCologne highlighted among comparable cities
Net rent across major cities with Cologne highlighted

net rent, € / m² / month

Milan€30.00
Rome€17.15
Naples€9.10
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited29.9 EUR/month30 Sept 2026iliadbox fixed fibre4Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB11.99 EUR/month30 Sept 2026iliad GIGA mobile tariff3Official · national market
Dwellings3,411 dwellings31 Dec 2021Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)6Official
Main residence dwellings2,977 dwellings31 Dec 2021Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)7Official
Average net rent (nettokalt)3.75 EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2025Collected source1Official · municipality zone median

Is Cologne 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 worker48%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 38–58%
Skilled employee55%strong on work, weak on safety · range 46–64%
Student42%strong on cost, weak on work · range 32–52%
Family44%strong on family, weak on legal route · range 33–55%
Retirement46%strong on safety, weak on admin · range 34–58%

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 225 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 3.75 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 Cologne?

The unemployment rate is about 4.4 % (2023).

  • Unemployment rate: 4.44 % · Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT)13
Unemployment across cities in ItalyUnemployment in Cologne is 4.4%. Of 2,393 cities with data, 1,023 have unemployment of 4 to under 6%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
People in employment3,399 people31 Dec 2021Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)8Official
Median gross salary (regional)2,118 EUR/month31 Dec 2024servizi2.inps.it22Official
Unemployment rate4.44 %country median 6.0%31 Dec 2023Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT)13Official

What does a salary buy in Cologne?

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

regional median gross pay: €2,118 (servizi2.inps.it, 2024-12-31).
Left over each month€1,430of €1,697 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.€1,697
Rent, 60 m²€3.75/m² · official · Collected source · 2025-12-31− €225
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€1,430
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Cologne Salary needed to live in Cologne

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Cologne. 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

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

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Primary schools1 count3 Aug 2026Ministero dell'Istruzione e del Merito (dati.istruzione.it)16Official
Schools5 count3 Aug 2026Ministero dell'Istruzione e del Merito (dati.istruzione.it)16Official

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; Cologne's school authority applies it locally.

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

Safety

How safe is Cologne?

Police recorded about 3,527 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 - prov23

Recorded crime across major citiesCologne highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Cologne 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
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents3,527 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2024Tasso di delittuosità - prov23Official · county

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport80 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights20Official
Nearest airportBGY3 Aug 2026OurAirports21Official
Distance to nearest airport21 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports21Official

Language courses and integration

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

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
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Cologne.

Find courses near Cologne

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Cologne?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 22 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency2

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 Cologne is 22.0 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
PM2.5 — annual mean22 µg/m³country median 14.031 Dec 2024European Environment Agency2Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 7.82 · Feb 9.3 · Mar 14.2 · Apr 18.24 · May 22.87 · Jun 27 · Jul 29.65 · Aug 28.87 · Sep 24.23 · Oct 18.3 · Nov 12.25 · Dec 8.04 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI24Official
Average night-time low by monthJan -0.21 · Feb 0.67 · Mar 4.27 · Apr 8.09 · May 12.31 · Jun 16.28 · Jul 18.51 · Aug 18.27 · Sep 14.53 · Oct 10.19 · Nov 4.99 · Dec 0.55 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI25Official
Average temperature by monthJan 3.6 · Feb 4.92 · Mar 9.25 · Apr 13.13 · May 17.71 · Jun 21.75 · Jul 24.12 · Aug 23.62 · Sep 19.15 · Oct 14.09 · Nov 8.51 · Dec 4.05 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI26Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 44.45 · Feb 49.77 · Mar 52.99 · Apr 79.45 · May 103.9 · Jun 103.4 · Jul 63.2 · Aug 92.07 · Sep 105.5 · Oct 103.1 · Nov 149.1 · Dec 61.53 mm31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI27Official
Annual PM2.5 over time11 published observations, 2013–2024

Annual PM2.5 fell 29.0% between 2013 and 2024, from 31.0 to 22.0.

Similar climate. In Italy: Latina ±2.5 °C. Elsewhere: Murfreesboro (United States) ±2.2 °C, Oklahoma City (United States) ±2.6 °C, Lyon (France) ±0.9 °C, Villeurbanne (France) ±0.9 °C, Little Rock (United States) ±2.8 °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 Cologne?

The published population was 7,611 people in 2025. Source: ISTAT municipality population and citizenship tables 202511

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

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

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents638 cars/1000 residents31 Dec 2023IstatData / ACI Pubblico registro automobilistico12Official
City area13.83 km²2026Official SITUAS report 74 (Comuni - Dimensione): exact municipality surface in km2, with annual area vintage.18Official
Foreign residents759 people1 Jan 2026Official ISTAT STRASA estimate of resident foreign population by municipality at 1 January 2026; Età=999 is the total.17Official
Population density550.1 people/km²1 Jan 2026Official SITUAS report 74 (Comuni - Dimensione): exact municipality surface in km2, with annual area vintage.19Official
Female residents3,797 people31 Dec 2024Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)5Official
Male residents3,814 people31 Dec 2024Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)5Official
Population7,611 people1 Jan 2025ISTAT municipality population and citizenship tables 202511Official
Population over time8 published observations, 2018–2025

Population rose 1.3% between 2018 and 2025, from 7,511 to 7,611.

International community in Cologne

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)7,611100.0%
Italia6,56486.2%
Albania2102.8%
Senegal1391.8%
Marocco1341.8%
Romania1031.4%
Kosovo490.6%
India480.6%
Ghana470.6%
Ucraina410.5%
Show 51 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Egitto370.5%
Nigeria280.4%
Tunisia200.3%
Moldova190.2%
Burkina Faso110.1%
Svizzera100.1%
Costa d'Avorio100.1%
Pakistan80.1%
Guinea80.1%
Macedonia del Nord70.1%
Brasile70.1%
Serbia60.1%
Francia50.1%
Bosnia-Erzegovina50.1%
Cina50.1%
Uruguay50.1%
Sri Lanka40.1%
Etiopia40.1%
Liberia40.1%
Argentina40.1%
Bolivia40.1%
Cile40.1%
Colombia40.1%
Belgio30.0%
Germania30.0%
Regno Unito30.0%
Polonia30.0%
Federazione russa30.0%
Croazia30.0%
Bangladesh30.0%
Filippine30.0%
Benin30.0%
Madagascar30.0%
Messico30.0%
Venezuela30.0%
Spagna20.0%
Ungheria20.0%
Bielorussia20.0%
Thailandia20.0%
Sierra Leone20.0%
Svezia10.0%
Lituania10.0%
Afghanistan10.0%
Iraq10.0%
Kenya10.0%
Uganda10.0%
Cuba10.0%
Repubblica Dominicana10.0%
Ecuador10.0%
Paraguay10.0%
Perù10.0%

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

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)7,611100.0%
Italia6,85990.1%
Albania1481.9%
Romania1101.4%
Marocco961.3%
Senegal951.2%
Kosovo450.6%
India400.5%
Ucraina370.5%
Ghana290.4%
Show 36 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Nigeria220.3%
Egitto190.2%
Tunisia150.2%
Pakistan100.1%
Moldova80.1%
Costa d'Avorio80.1%
Guinea80.1%
Burkina Faso70.1%
Cina60.1%
Federazione russa40.1%
Macedonia del Nord40.1%
Brasile40.1%
Polonia30.0%
Bangladesh30.0%
Filippine30.0%
Bolivia30.0%
Ungheria20.0%
Croazia20.0%
Sri Lanka20.0%
Liberia20.0%
Ecuador20.0%
Bulgaria10.0%
Francia10.0%
Regno Unito10.0%
Svizzera10.0%
Lituania10.0%
Serbia10.0%
Afghanistan10.0%
Sierra Leone10.0%
Uganda10.0%
Messico10.0%
Argentina10.0%
Colombia10.0%
Perù10.0%
Uruguay10.0%
Venezuela10.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source14

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Non-citizens, share of residents9.88 %31 Dec 2024Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)9Official
Households3,087 households31 Dec 2024Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics)10Official

Alternatives for people set on Cologne

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.

Capriolo as a Cologne alternative in the same region

6 km away, better on 2 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0.

  • Annual PM2.5: 18.0 µg/m³ Capriolo vs 22.0 µg/m³ Cologne−18%
  • Residents: 9,390 Capriolo vs 7,611 Cologne+23%
  • Nearest airport: 18.0 km Capriolo vs 21.0 km Cologne−14%
  • Rent: €3.80/m² Capriolo vs €3.75/m² Colognesame level
  • Unemployment: 4.4% Capriolo vs 4.4% Colognesame level
  • Median gross pay, region: €2,118 Capriolo vs €2,118 Colognesame level
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 3,527 Capriolo vs 3,527 Colognesame level

Avellino as a Cologne alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 651 km, better on 2 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2.

  • Residents: 51,975 Avellino vs 7,611 Cologne+583%
  • Annual PM2.5: 10.0 µg/m³ Avellino vs 22.0 µg/m³ Cologne−55%
  • Median gross pay, region: €1,549 Avellino vs €2,118 Cologne−27%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 2,706 Avellino vs 3,527 Cologne−23%
  • Nearest airport: 34.0 km Avellino vs 21.0 km Cologne+62%
  • Rent: €3.70/m² Avellino vs €3.75/m² Colognesame level

Budapest as a Cologne alternative in another country

Better on 2 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Rent and median gross pay, region cannot be compared like for like.

  • Rent: €16.94/m² (2026) Budapest vs €3.75/m² (2025) Cologneno percentage
  • Annual PM2.5: 13.0 µg/m³ Budapest vs 22.0 µg/m³ Cologne−41%
  • Median gross pay, region: €2,534 (2026) Budapest vs €2,118 (2024) Cologneno percentage
  • Nearest airport: 18.0 km Budapest vs 21.0 km Cologne−14%

Cities near Cologne

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

Alternative cities in Italy

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

All Italy cities

How does Cologne compare?

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

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Cologne 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.

Common questions

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

How many people live in Cologne?

The published population was 7,611 people in 2025. Source: ISTAT municipality population and citizenship tables 2025.

How much does it cost to rent in Cologne?

Average net cold rent is 3.75 EUR/m² per month (2025-S2), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 263 EUR a month before utilities. Source: Collected source.

Is the air quality good in Cologne?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 22 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 Cologne?

Police recorded about 3,527 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 Cologne?

The unemployment rate is about 4.4 % (2023). Source: Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT).

What is the typical salary around Cologne?

The median gross salary is 2,118 EUR/month. Source: servizi2.inps.it.

Is Cologne a good place to live?

Cologne 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 Cologne?

Erbusco, Coccaglio, Adro, Rovato, Palazzolo sull'Oglio are near Cologne. 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 Cologne?

The official country of birth distribution records 7,611 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). Cologne, Italy: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 4d98d3e9603e2528c2ff98e2e18393bd]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/it/cologne/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_cologne-italy-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_8b81c19d578c,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Cologne, Italy: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {4d98d3e9603e2528c2ff98e2e18393bd},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/it/cologne/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Cologne, Italy: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/it/cologne/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 4d98d3e9603e2528c2ff98e2e18393bd; 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. European Environment Agency air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
  3. iliad GIGA mobile tariff iliad.it · checked 2026-09-15
  4. iliadbox fixed fibre iliad.it · checked 2026-09-15
  5. Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) istat.it · checked 2026-08-07
  6. Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) esploradati.istat.it · checked 2026-08-07
  7. Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) esploradati.istat.it · checked 2026-08-07
  8. Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) esploradati.istat.it · checked 2026-08-07
  9. Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) istat.it · checked 2026-08-07
  10. Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) esploradati.istat.it · checked 2026-08-07
Show 26 more sources
  1. ISTAT municipality population and citizenship tables 2025 demo.istat.it · checked 2026-07-26
  2. IstatData / ACI Pubblico registro automobilistico istat.it · checked 2026-08-08
  3. Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT) istat.it · checked 2026-08-04
  4. Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (Istat), Italy citizenship distribution demo.istat.it · checked 2026-08-28
  5. Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (Istat), Italy country of birth distribution demo.istat.it · checked 2026-08-28
  6. Ministero dell'Istruzione e del Merito (dati.istruzione.it) dati.istruzione.it · checked 2026-08-03
  7. 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
  8. Official SITUAS report 74 (Comuni - Dimensione): exact municipality surface in km2, with annual area vintage. situas-servizi.istat.it · checked 2026-07-15
  9. Official SITUAS report 74 (Comuni - Dimensione): exact municipality surface in km2, with annual area vintage. demo.istat.it · checked 2026-07-15
  10. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  11. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  12. servizi2.inps.it servizi2.inps.it · checked 2026-08-27
  13. Tasso di delittuosità - prov esploradati.istat.it · checked 2026-09-23
  14. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  15. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  16. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  17. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  18. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  19. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  20. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  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. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q111353 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.