The air is sharp, and I understand why years ago sea air was prescribed as a tonic for the body.
― Anita Shreve, The Weight of Water
Everyone dreams of living in a seaside villa on the island of Capri, Ischia or Procida and sipping limoncello spritzes as the sun sets in our golden years – but what are some practical considerations before jumping on the next ferry from Napoli to buy property?
Cost of Living The cost of purchasing property varies per island and because there are a fixed amount of properties and ever-increasing demand (think Airbnb), prices are at a premium with Capri being the most expensive per square meter at more than 10.500 euro per square meter for real estate. By comparison, real estate on Ischia seems a steal at 3.600 euro per square meter and similarly Procida prices averaged 3.800 per square meter as of July 2023. Prices will also vary on the islands depending on how far inland or distant from the nearest beach. These are all places where many napoletani have beach homes which have been in families for generations and with the influx of tourism, demand is extremely high and supply is at an all-time low.
Photo of a limoncello spritz: add a shot of limoncello to a glass of iced prosecco; garnish with fresh basil or mint
Incentive$ Island residents pay reduced ferry charges, reduced mooring fees for their boats (many have small skiffs to go to and fro the mainland) and residents can have parking permits for their cars on the islands. For an example of the savings, an island resident would pay 3 euro for the ferry over from Napoli, whereas the non resident or tourist the charge would be 25 euro or more. Thus, commuting daily to Napoli for work or other reasons is not cost prohibitive for island residents.
Healthcare All of the islands have pharmacies and a guardia medica which is a general practitioner at the service of residents and tourists 24/7 on the islands. Ask in the pharmacy as normally these doctors have their offices near pharmacies (or just Google ‘guardia medica place name’ for the location). Capri also has a tiny hospital, but for serious issues, you will need to come to Napoli for medical care (most likely to Cardarelli Hospital) and there are helicopters for emergencies. Private healthcare in Italy is roughly 10% of the cost of healthcare in the US: based on the author’s lived experience, but of course prices vary per services provider. And, residents have access to the state furnished medical care and would pay the charge of about $13 USD for any medical service and reduced charges for prescribed meds.
Food All of your dietary needs will be fulfilled+ on the islands with fresh fish as well as cheeses, cured meats and veggies readily available. You will also find fresh and local wines on Ischia for example. In general, pescatarians and vegans will have no problems sourcing all their favorite foods and Italian restaurants and the food service industry has been sensitized to the need for gluten free options, because it does have a significant number of persons suffering from celiac disease.
If you are interested to know more about available property on these or other islands (e.g. Sicilia or Sardegna) please contact 1LoveItalia for a free consultation.
If you are interested to know more about available property on these or other islands (e.g. Sicilia or Sardegna) please contact 1LoveItalia for a free consultation.
