Genoa
Italy · Europe · 560K people
Historic Ligurian port city with a dramatic cliffside coastline nearby.
Ranked #152 of 303 overall · 44.41, 8.95
Overview
Genoa sits in Italy, on the European continent, home to roughly 560,000 people. Part of its draw is that it's genuinely affordable to live in. Genoa is coastal, with the sea shaping daily life and the local economy. People who choose to settle in Genoa tend to point to a genuinely affordable cost of living, a climate most people find easy to live with, and solid infrastructure for remote work as the deciding factors. Within the 103 cities we track in Europe, the regional average sits at 6.9/10, which puts Genoa's 6.6/10 a little behind the regional norm. On CityMatch, Genoa scores 6.6/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #152 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is cost of living at 7/10, while safety is its softest spot at 6/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Reasonable day-to-day costs.
Generally safe with normal precautions.
Air quality is acceptable most of the year.
Public transport covers the basics well.
A normal seasonal mix, nothing extreme.
Solid, unremarkable healthcare access.
Solid enough for day-to-day remote work.
Is Genoa right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
At 7/10, Genoa is genuinely easy on the budget — one of the more affordable options for the lifestyle it offers.
Climate scores 7/10 — genuinely pleasant weather is one of the clearer reasons people choose Genoa.
Healthcare scores 7/10, a meaningful factor for families, retirees, or anyone planning to stay long-term.
Trade-offs
Safety is the relatively lower of Genoa's scores at 6/10 — solid in absolute terms, just not its top strength.
Environment and air quality sits at 6/10, comparatively the softest of Genoa's scores though still a reasonable baseline.
Is Genoa safe?
At 6/10, safety in Genoa is unremarkable in a good way: no particular risk stands out, but it's not a standout strength either.
At night
Nighttime is fine in most central areas, but it's worth checking which neighborhoods quiet down early versus stay lively and populated.
For tourists
Tourists are generally fine sticking to well-trodden areas; the usual advice about watching belongings in crowds and transit hubs applies.
For families
Safety, healthcare (7/10) and environment (6/10) together suggest a reasonable, if not exceptional, environment for families.
For solo travelers
Solo travel here is broadly fine with standard precautions; it's worth reading recent, specific traveler reports rather than relying on the city's reputation alone.
On public transport
Transport is reasonably safe day-to-day; late-night service quality and crowd levels are worth checking if you'll rely on it after dark.
Practical tips
- →Stick to well-lit, populated streets after dark, as you would in most cities.
- →Keep valuables out of sight rather than out of caution about any specific threat.
What's the climate like in Genoa?
Genoa scores 7/10 on climate — pleasant enough for most of the year, without being a specific draw on its own.
Seasonal character
Expect a normal four-season rhythm (or a wet/dry split closer to the equator), without extremes dominating the calendar.
Comfort level
Comfort is generally good, with the odd day or short stretch that calls for planning ahead rather than year-round ease.
Best time to live here
Shoulder-season months (spring and autumn, broadly) tend to be the safest bet if you can choose when to visit or move.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Genoa
Put together, quality of life in Genoa is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: genoa doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
Genoa doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (6/10) and climate (7/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Transport (6/10) covers most needs reasonably well, with occasional gaps a bike or rideshare fills in easily.
Culture & leisure
Genoa isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Genoa tends to suit people who prioritize cost of living and climate over safety — see "Who Genoa suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Genoa?
Genoa scores 6/10 on environment — decent air quality most of the year, without being a specific standout.
Public spaces
Public space quality isn't separately measured in our data; the environment score above is the closest proxy we have, and it points to an unremarkable, workable baseline.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Genoa suits
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 6.7/10 here).
Budget-conscious mover
Budget-conscious movers — movers for whom affordability outweighs every other factor (fit score 6.6/10 here).
Retiree
Retirees — retirees prioritizing healthcare, climate and a calm environment over nightlife or internet speed (fit score 6.6/10 here).
Digital nomad
Digital nomads — remote workers who need fast internet and an affordable, pleasant base (fit score 6.7/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
Genoa scores 7/10 on affordability — not cheap, but reasonable: expect a moderate budget to cover a comfortable, unremarkable lifestyle.
Safety
Genoa scores 6/10 on safety — generally fine, with the usual big-city precautions rather than any particular red flag.
Climate
Genoa's climate scores 7/10 — a decent mix of seasons without extremes in either direction.
Quality of life
Genoa's overall quality of life (6.6/10) comes from consistency rather than any single standout: every criterion sits within a few points of the others, with cost of living edging out as the strongest and safety the softest spot. The average across all seven criteria is 6.6/10.
Transport
Transport in Genoa scores 6/10 — workable public options exist, though a bike or occasional car still helps for some routes.
Internet & remote work
Connectivity in Genoa scores 7/10 — solid enough for remote work day-to-day, without being a headline reason to move here.
Why choose Genoa?
The short version: Genoa doesn't have a genuine weak point on our scorecard. Cost of living is its clearest strength at 6.6/10 overall, and safety — while relatively its lowest score — is still comfortably decent.
Featured in these rankings
You may also like
Marseille
France · Europe
Port city with Mediterranean energy, more affordable than the Riviera.
Seville
Spain · Europe
Baroque interior city known for orange trees, flamenco and scorching summers.
Thessaloniki
Greece · Europe
Greece's second city, coastal and more laid-back than Athens.
Porto
Portugal · Europe
Riverside granite city famous for port wine and a slower, cheaper pace than Lisbon.
Athens
Greece · Europe
Ancient capital ringed by hills, hot summers and improving transit.
Continue exploring
Best cities in Italy
Cities with a similar climate
Safer alternatives
Cheaper alternatives
Comparable quality of life
If you're interested in Genoa, you may also compare:
Frequently asked questions
Is Genoa safe?
Genoa scores 6/10 on safety — generally fine, with the usual precautions you'd take in any mid-sized city.
What budget do I need to live in Genoa?
Genoa scores 7/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Genoa good for families?
Genoa is a reasonable family option — safety (6/10) and healthcare (7/10) are solid enough, without being standout strengths.
Is Genoa a good city for students?
Genoa isn't specifically known as a student hub, but its affordability (7/10) and transport (6/10) scores make it a workable option.
Is Genoa suitable for digital nomads?
Genoa isn't specifically marketed to remote workers, but the fundamentals are there: internet scores 7/10 and cost of living 7/10.
What's the climate like in Genoa?
Genoa scores 7/10 on climate — a normal seasonal mix without real extremes.
Is Genoa pleasant to live in year-round?
Largely yes — with a climate score of 7/10 and an environment (air quality) score of 6/10, Genoa holds up well across seasons.
Is Genoa a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 6.3/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Genoa?
Genoa scores 7/10 on internet — generally fine for remote work, without being a standout choice for it.
Is Genoa a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 6.7/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Genoa?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Marseille and Seville are the closest matches to Genoa in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Genoa worth living in?
Reasonably — Genoa scores 6.6/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Genoa?
Based on its score profile, Genoa suits people who value cost of living and climate more than the average mover — see the "Who Genoa suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Genoa walkable, and is public transport good?
Reasonably — Genoa scores 6/10 on transport, covering most day-to-day needs without being a standout transit city.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Genoa?
Cost of living is Genoa's standout strength, scoring 7/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Genoa?
Safety is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 6/10 — the lowest of Genoa's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.