A digital nomad's quick guide to budgeting life in Sicily

Cummari Coliving shares its secrets to why it is so affordable to be a long term traveller in Sicily.

For digital nomads wanting to live in Europe, Italy is one of the cheapest countries to base, outside of Spain. Portugal and Croatia used to be more affordable countries as well, but with the recent tourism boom of recent years, prices in Portugal are quickly rising.

Compared to mainland Italy, the cost of living in Sicily is low. To live in Sicily, digital nomads, south workers, or long term travellers should budget 2,500 - 3,500 euros a month. This includes money for housing, food (including dining at delicious restaurants), local travel, and excursions around the island (most of which are free as Sicily is rich in nature and architecture, so most costs are only associated with tours, hotels or museums).

Groceries

A big cost-saving aspect of living in Sicily is the food. The best part about this is that as soon as you step onto the island, the quality of food increases while the price decreases. A normal grocery budget for a traveller in Sicily per week is 30-40 euros. This includes wine, cheese, and proteins etc.. Sicily is ideal for travellers who like to eat local, slow and seasonal. Sicily has been the “farm” of Europe since the Greek and Roman Empires ruled the island, historically for olives, grapes, and grain. The various ecosystems of the island make it perfect for growing delicious tomatoes to exotic fruits like mango and avocado. And of course we can not forget to mention the budget-friendly, award winning DOC Nero D’Avola and Etna Rosso wines.

Eating Out

Sicily is the perfect place for foodie travellers to experience what fresh, quality fruits and vegetables really taste like. Eating out in Sicily is easy on your bank account, especially if you keep it simple. For example; shop at the farmer’s markets where 1 euro will get you an entire bag of peppers or pears or eat out at a pizzeria where a margarita pizza and glass of wine will only cost you 10-12 euros. We recommend seafood lovers go to the fish market in the art deco building alongside the sea of Riposto to ask for the in season catch. There you can buy daily fresh local fish from the Ionian sea, budgeting around 4-8 euros per serving - think fresh tuna for making tartre. When you feel like dressing up or crave a special meal try Birreria Riposto! Don’t be fooled by the name, this local restaurant not only makes its own craft beers it also serves artisan dishes in the most gorgeous renovated bottom floor of an 1800s palace.

Rent

If you want to rent a private room in Sicily that includes a proper workspace with all amenities included (such as at Cummari Coliving) you should budget 1,500 -3,000 euros a month. If you want to move to Sicily for a full 12 months with a contract, rent can be as cheap as 500 euros per month not including utilities. The downside is that full-year leased apartments come without basic appliances or kitchens (normal in Italy). If you come to Sicily short-term (under a month), you should expect to spend anywhere from 60 euro to 120 euros a night for a room in an Airbnb depending on the locataion (before fees). It is important to note that Airbnb's in Sicily are often very basic - so it is always best to ask ahead and read reviews carefully.

Take away/Sicilian Snacks

Busy digital nomads' schedules often do not match the Sicilians' break. When you miss standard meal times, another delicious and cheap Sicilian dining alternative is “tavola calda.” Tavola calda ranges from 1 to 2 euros and includes items such as miniature pizza, mushrooms and cheese wrapped in phyllo dough or the famous arancini. Most cafes in Sicily (called bars in Italian) sell tavola calda take away (to go) from 11am to midnight.

Coffee

We are well aware that many digital nomads are coffee lovers. Yet another benefit of living in Sicily is that an espresso will run you anywhere from one to 1.20 euro. If anyone charges you more than 1.20 for an espresso in Sicily its a sin, and you should immediately call a hunky Carabinieri for help. If cappuccino is more your thing, the rumors are real that in Italy it is also a crime to order a cappuccino after 11 in the morning, however, the Sicilians are very gentle with this rule.

Touring

There is so much to explore in Sicily! Digital nomads are encouraged to not limit themselves to one city and get out and explore the island. Sicily has affordable trains and buses that make it easy for digital nomads to explore the island—like our charming Etna train, which circles the volcano and passes through vineyards, stopping just steps from Cummari’s doorstep. From Catania's city center (20 minutes away from Cummari) you can take a direct trains or buses to all major cities of the island. For exmaple, visiting Palermo (the other side of the island) on a comfortable express bus is only 15 euros. For just 13 euros one way, you can hop on a fast train from Riposto to visit gorgeous Ortigia—once the capital of the Greek Empire. Or, for under 5 euros, take a short ride to stunning Taormina, made famous once again by the hit show White Lotus.

Where travel can get very expensive is renting a car, but that is the same cost as anywhere else in Europe, especially when it comes to rental insurance. Taxis from the airport are also a bit expensive (around 40 to 50 euros) as there are high airport fees for the drivers.

You might ask yourself, why is the cost of life lower in Sicily?

As the Sicilians would say “we have less, but we have more.” Sicilians themselves live on minimal salaries and budgets, with an average salary for a professional with a master’s degree at 2,000 euros a month. Therefore, the cost of restaurants, transport, and general shops reflect such budgets. If you want to dig deeper into why Sicilians might have “less” than other Italians we would need a historian to go into detail about how the Kingdom of Italy began to move the wealth of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies (the area from Naples to Sicily) in the 1860s to northern Italy.

The most important element to focus on for anyone considering living in Sicily is the “more.” When Sicilians say “we have less, but we have more,” the "more" they are referring to is the gorgeous island, the diverse history and culture, an abundance of fresh local products, incredible weather, and access to the Mediterranean and Ionian seas.

I hope to see you soon at Cummari!

~ Michelle, founder of Cummari