Milan is where most foreign companies open their first Italian seat. Finance, fashion, consulting and tech all compete for the same people, so expect a fast market and firm salary expectations.
Banking and asset management, fashion and luxury, industrial design, consulting, media, pharma and the regional head offices of most multinationals. A growing startup scene around fintech and SaaS.
Politecnico di Milano for engineering and design, Bocconi for economics and management, the Università Statale for law, sciences and medicine, Bicocca for sciences and statistics.
On top of national IRPEF, employees pay a city surcharge and a regional surcharge. We withhold both through payroll.
| Item | 2026 value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| City surcharge rate | 0.8% | Source: pmi.it, 730/2026 table, read 27 Oct 2026. secondary source City council resolution for 2026 not yet checked. |
| City exemption threshold | €23,000 | Same source. |
| Regional surcharge (Lombardy), first bracket | 1.23% up to €15,000 | Source: quifinanza.it, read 27 Oct 2026. unverified Higher brackets to confirm on finanze.gov.it. A 1.58% rate is quoted for income around €35,000. |
Milan has the highest municipal exemption of the five cities. People on lower salaries pay no city surcharge here, which they would pay in Rome or Naples. On mid and senior salaries the 0.8% rate is among the lowest of the large cities, and the Lombardy regional rate starts low too. For the same gross, a Milan employee usually takes home a little more than one in Rome or Naples.
Example: on a gross salary of [€ gross], the city surcharge in Milan is about [€ amount] a year. Check the calculator for the full breakdown.
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