Renting in Milan: leases, deposit and costs
Renting is the faster route into Milan, and the paperwork is lighter than for a purchase. The lease still sets the terms for years, so the type of contract matters as much as the rent. This page explains the two main lease types, the costs that come with them, and what the official rent ranges show for each neighbourhood.
Two main types of lease
The free-rent lease (contratto a canone libero) lasts four years and renews automatically for another four unless a legal reason is given at expiry. The landlord sets the rent, within the limits of the market, and the tenant can leave earlier in the cases that the law and the contract allow, so read that clause before you sign. The agreed-rent lease (contratto a canone concordato) lasts three years and renews for two more. Its rent is agreed within limits set by the local agreements between landlords' and tenants' associations. Both forms are written contracts, and the difference matters when you come to leave.
A short transitional lease (contratto transitorio) is used for a temporary need, such as a work placement, and the specific reason must be written into the contract. Without that reason the law may treat it as a standard lease, so check the wording before you sign.
The deposit and the first payment
The deposit (deposito cauzionale) is the sum the landlord keeps as a guarantee for damage or unpaid rent. The contract sets its amount. It should be returned at the end of the lease, after the landlord has checked the flat against the inventory signed at the start. Ask for the inventory before you move in: a list of the condition of each room, with dated photographs, is the document that protects you at the end. The first payment, which usually covers the first rent and the deposit, is made at signing, and the receipt should say what it covers.
The energy certificate
A rental flat must have an energy certificate (APE), which the landlord gives to the tenant. Its class, from A4 to G, must appear in the advertisement. The class describes how much energy the building needs for heating and hot water. It is a guide to the running costs, and you should ask about the heating system as well, because the class does not say which system the flat has.
Condominium fees and utilities
The condominium fees are split into ordinary costs, which cover the routine running of the building, and extraordinary costs, such as the roof or the façade. By default, the ordinary costs fall on the tenant and the extraordinary ones on the landlord, unless the lease says otherwise. Ask the landlord for the last annual statement of the condominium before you sign, and for the amount the flat pays on average. Utilities such as electricity and gas are separate contracts in the tenant's name, and they need the codice fiscale.
Rent per square metre, neighbourhood by neighbourhood
The Agency publishes rent ranges in euros per square metre per month, for the same homes and zones as the purchase values. The table gives the range across the zones of each neighbourhood. A range is not the rent of one flat. To estimate a monthly figure, multiply the range by the square metres of the flat and then check the result against comparable listings, because the position of the flat within its zone decides where it falls.
| Neighbourhood | Rent across the zones, € per m² a month | Purchase range, € per m² |
|---|---|---|
| Brera | 21.5 to 35.0 | 6,500 to 12,000 |
| Duomo | 19.0 to 35.0 | 6,700 to 10,900 |
| Isola | 13.5 to 23.5 | 4,100 to 7,100 |
| Porta Romana | 11.5 to 20.9 | 4,000 to 6,500 |
| Città Studi | 12.0 to 15.5 | 3,800 to 5,600 |
| Bicocca | 11.0 to 15.0 | 2,900 to 4,200 |
| Dergano | 9.2 to 14.5 | 2,800 to 4,600 |
The lowest rent range in the city starts at 6.5 € per square metre a month and the highest ends at 35.0, so the same contract can cost very different amounts in two places. For the average of each neighbourhood, see the overview.
Before you sign
- Check that the person who signs as landlord is the owner, or has written authority from the owner.
- Ask who registers the lease with the Agenzia delle Entrate, and who pays the registration. This is a legal step, and the contract should say who is responsible for it.
- Read the list of what is included in the rent, such as furniture, appliances and the parking space, and what is not.
- Agree the inventory with dated photographs before you move in, and keep a copy.
- Ask for the energy certificate in writing, not only the class in the advertisement.
If something in the contract is unclear, ask us to go through it before you pay the first sum. Our role is to explain the listing and the process, and a lawyer is the person to check the legal wording.
Sources
- Italian Revenue Agency, Real Estate Market Observatory (OMI): quotazioni immobiliari per zona, rent and purchase values, residential homes in normal condition, second half of 2025. Licence CC BY 4.0. agenziaentrate.gov.it.
- Rent ranges are the Agency's figures. Averages and any estimate built from them are KW Properties' own calculations, not Agency figures.