Milan, Lombardy, Italy – Rental prices in Milan are once again on the rise, with a notable increase observed in March 2026. According to data from idealista.it, the average monthly rent has reached 23.30 per square meter. This translates to an average of 1,864 per month for an 80-square-meter, three-room apartment.
Milan’s Rental Market: A Resurgence in Prices
The latest figures indicate a 2.4% increase in rental costs compared to December 2025. This surge follows a period of stagnation and signals a renewed upward trajectory in Milan’s highly competitive housing market. Despite the quarterly increase, the annual figure shows a slight decrease of 1.2%.
Mortgage vs. Rent: A Shifting Landscape
Interestingly, for those with a down payment, a mortgage may now offer a more financially viable option than renting. Idealista.it’s sales data for Milan in March reveals an average property price of 5,192 per square meter. For an 80-square-meter home, a 25-year mortgage with a 30% down payment would result in a monthly installment of approximately 1,487, significantly less than the average rent for a similar property.
Rental Price Trends Across Milanese Districts
Idealista.it monitors 18 districts within Milan, with 12 of them experiencing rental increases in the first quarter of 2026. Four districts saw a decrease, while two remained unchanged. The most significant quarterly increases were observed in:
- Corvetto-Rogoredo (+5.3%)
- Garibaldi-Porta Venezia (+4.5%)
- Greco-Turro (+3.7%)
- Vialba-Gallaratese (+3.6%)
- Centro Storico (+3.4%)
Conversely, the most notable declines were in Baggio (-2.8%) and San Siro-Trenno-Figino (-1.1%).
Most Expensive and Affordable Areas
The Centro Storico (Historic Centre) remains the most expensive district, with an average of 35 per square meter. It is followed by Garibaldi-Porta Venezia ( 27), Navigli-Bocconi ( 25), and Fiera-De Angeli ( 24.4). Baggio stands out as the most affordable area, with an average of 16.5 per square meter.
Rental Prices in the Urban Belt of Milan
The portal also tracks 11 municipalities in Milan’s urban belt. Significant increases were recorded in Cernusco sul Naviglio (+5.7%), Rozzano (+4.9%), and Sesto San Giovanni (+3.8%). Decreases were observed in Cinisello Balsamo (-8.7%), Cologno Monzese (-5.1%), Corsico (-3%), Rho and San Donato Milanese (both -2.3%), Legnano (-1.2%), Segrate (-0.4%), and Basiglio (-0.3%).
Comparison with Milanese Districts
Segrate remains the most expensive municipality in the urban belt, with an average of 16.5 per square meter, followed by Rozzano ( 16.30) and Sesto San Giovanni ( 15.70/sqm). These prices are still considerably lower than Milan’s city average. The most affordable rents in the urban belt are found in Legnano ( 11.50), Cinisello Balsamo ( 12.80), Rho ( 13), and Corsico ( 13.50). Notably, Segrate’s average rental price matches that of Baggio, making it the only instance where an urban belt municipality equals a Milanese district in rental cost.
Source: https://www.corriere.it/economia/affitti/26_maggio_01/affitti-a-milano-il-canone-torna-a-correre-oltre-1-800-euro-al-mese-per-un-trilocale-i-pr
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