Matera: a cave city in the south, on about $1,700 a month
A small Basilicata city with low rents, slow days, and a long trip to anywhere else. Here's who it suits.
- 59,685
- Population (2023)
- $1,700/mo
- Monthly budget · single
- 59°F / 15°C
- Avg temperature
Plan for about $1,700 a month in U.S. dollars as a single person in Matera (2026 figures), with a realistic range of $1,400 to $2,000. A couple needs about $2,500 and a family of four about $3,600. A one-bedroom apartment runs about $650 a month in the center and about $450 farther out.
Matera is a city of about 60,000 people in Basilicata, the instep of Italy's boot. It's known for the Sassi, two old districts of cave homes and churches cut into a ravine wall, listed by UNESCO in 1993. Since its year as European Capital of Culture in 2019, the old town has filled with guesthouses and restaurants, while everyday life carries on in the newer upper town. It suits retirees and remote workers who want a slow, walkable Italian life on a modest budget and are willing to learn Italian to live it.
It's a harder fit if you need a local job, a large international community, or quick connections. The job market is thin, the nearest airport is Bari, about an hour away by road, and Matera isn't on Italy's national rail network yet.
Reviewed and updated October 1, 2026 · 3 min read
At a glance
$1,700
Monthly budget · single person
$650/mo 1-bed rent, center
80/100
Safety index
$30
Internet / month
59°Fannual average
Jan 43° · Jul 77°
Climate
59,685
Population (2023)
Expatsi estimates, updated Aug 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Cost of living
What it costs to live in Matera
Single person
$1,400–$2,000/mo
about 45% below Austin, TX
Couple
$2,100–$3,000/mo
about 45% below Austin, TX
Family of four
$2,800–$4,400/mo
about 55% below Austin, TX
Compared with Austin, TX (Expatsi estimate, 2026).
- $14 −30%
- Inexpensive meal
- $550–$750/mo −67%
- 1-bed rent, center
- $350–$500/mo −67%
- 1-bed rent, outside
- $30/mo −54%
- Internet
- $167/sq ft −74%
- Buy price, center
Expatsi estimates, updated Aug 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Daily life
How Matera lives
- B grade, 40th percentile among the cities we track
- Dining & caféstypical
- B+ grade, 55th percentile among the cities we track
- Arts & culturestrong
- C+ grade, 16th percentile among the cities we track
- Parks & outdoorsmodest
- B grade, 41st percentile among the cities we track
- Schools & educationtypical
- B grade, 41st percentile among the cities we track
- Healthcare accesstypical
- C+ grade, 17th percentile among the cities we track
- Bike infrastructuremodest
- B- grade, 38th percentile among the cities we track
- Public transittypical
- C grade, challenging physical accessibility
- Accessibilitychallenging
Graded on OpenStreetMap amenity density relative to the 152 cities we track. Accessibility is the exception: it's graded against a fixed standard (terrain steepness and sidewalk surfaces), not a curve.
Climate
Weather through the year
Annual average 59°F (15°C) · 22 in of rain a year · Source: Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (temps: ERA5-Land 0.1°; precip/sunshine: ERA5 best-match; 1991-2020 normals)
On the ground
Scenes from Matera
Getting around
Transport in Matera
Day to day, Matera is a walking city. Shops, offices and the main squares sit in the upper town, the Piano, and the Sassi drop away below it in a tangle of paths, stairways and small courtyards. You'll cover most errands on foot, and you'll climb a lot of steps doing it.
Getting out of town takes more planning. Matera's trains belong to Ferrovie Appulo Lucane (FAL), a private regional railway that runs to Altamura and Bari. It isn't part of the national network, so there's no train from Matera straight to Rome or Naples. You either head to Bari first or take a long-distance bus, and some companies run buses all the way to Rome.
That should change. Italy's rail network company is building a 20 km (12-mile) line from Matera to Ferrandina that ties the city into the national system, with service scheduled for 2028. Until then, plan around Bari: its airport is the nearest, and shuttle buses connect it with Matera.
You don't need a car to live here, especially if you settle in or near the upper town. If you'll fly home often or want to explore the coast and countryside of Puglia and Basilicata, one makes life much easier. In the Sassi it's no help at all.
- 15/sq mi
- Transit stops
- 0.1/sq mi
- Bike infrastructure
- 15/sq mi
- Wheelchair-accessible places
Mapped features per square mile from OpenStreetMap.
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Community
Community & practical notes
Community: Don't count on a big English-speaking scene. Matera sees plenty of visitors, but in a city this size Italian is the working language for landlords, offices, doctors and most friendships. The flip side is that you'll be living in a real southern Italian town, not an expat enclave, and neighbors tend to notice who's stayed past the tourist season.
Healthcare: Once you're a legal resident, you register with Italy's national health service (SSN) through the local health authority, ASM Matera, and choose a family doctor. The city's public hospital, the Madonna delle Grazie, is run by ASM and has an emergency department. Expect the paperwork and appointments to happen in Italian, so bring a translator or a patient friend to the first few visits.
Limited mobility: Matera is a tough city if you have trouble with stairs. The Sassi are built on many levels down the ravine, connected by paths, stairways and courtyards, and much of the old town can only be reached on foot. If mobility is a concern, look for an apartment in the upper town rather than a cave home, and walk the route to your nearest shops, pharmacy and bus stop before you sign a lease. The new rail line is being built to modern accessibility standards, which should help with travel once it opens.
Remote work: Home internet runs about $30 a month. Italy's digital nomad visa gives remote workers with foreign clients or employers a legal route to living here.
Retirement: Matera fits retirees who want a small, beautiful city and a budget that stretches, and who don't mind being a bus ride from the airport. Italy's elective residence visa is the usual route for retirees living on pensions or investments. Read our elective residency guide, compare retirement visa options across countries, and see the full Italy guide.
Housing
Renting and buying
- 1-bed rent (center)
- $550–$750/mo
- 1-bed rent (outside center)
- $350–$500/mo
- Buy price (center)
- $167/sq ft
- Buy price (outside center)
- $121/sq ft
Expatsi estimates, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Matera from the United States?
Most people fly into Bari, the nearest airport, and take a shuttle bus or drive to Matera, about an hour away by road. Matera has a regional train to Bari run by Ferrovie Appulo Lucane, but no direct train to Rome or Naples. A new line linking Matera to Italy's national rail network is scheduled to open in 2028.
Do you need to speak Italian to live in Matera?
In practice, yes. Matera is a city of about 60,000 people, and day-to-day business with landlords, doctors and government offices happens in Italian. You can get by in English in tourist areas, but plan to take lessons before and after you move.
How much does it cost to buy a home in Matera?
Expatsi's 2026 data puts apartment prices at about $1,800 per square meter (about $167 per square foot) in the center and about $1,300 per square meter (about $121 per square foot) outside it. Cave homes in the Sassi are a separate market, often bought for guesthouses, so get local advice before buying one.
Is Matera safe for Americans?
Yes. Matera scores 80 out of 100 on the safety index in Expatsi's 2026 city data, with a crime index of 20, which points to low worry about crime among people who live there. Normal city habits still apply, especially in the busy tourist streets of the Sassi.
How much does it cost to live in Matera, Italy?
A single person in Matera spends about $1,700 a month in U.S. dollars, based on 2026 figures, and most land between $1,400 and $2,000. A couple needs about $2,500 a month and a family of four about $3,600. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment is about $650 a month in the center and about $450 outside it.
Is Matera a good place to retire?
It can be, if you want a small, walkable city on a modest budget and you're willing to learn Italian. The trade-offs are distance and terrain: the nearest airport is in Bari, Matera isn't on Italy's national rail network until a new line opens (scheduled for 2028), and the old town is full of stairs. Most retirees move to Italy on the elective residence visa, which is built for people living on pensions or investments.
What is the weather like in Matera?
Matera has hot, dry summers and cool, damp winters. Average highs reach about 88F in July and August, while January averages a high near 51F and a low near 36F. The city gets about 22 inches of rain a year, with the driest weather in July and August and the wettest in November.
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