Milan neighborhoods: Where to live in Milan

Learn about Milan’s top 7 neighborhoods and find a perfect place to live in Milan based on safety, internationality and public transport connections.

Bryony Harris

7 minute read

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Updated on 23 Sep 2024

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Living

When you’re moving to a trendy city like Milan, location is everything. That’s this Milan neighborhood guide contains all you need to know to help you in your search for homes for rent in Milan. Milan is one of the best places to live in Italy for both expats and students, but finding the right neighborhood for your life there is essential. Let’s get into it and take a closer look at the best Milan neighborhoods.

Following its partial destruction in WWII, Milan was rebuilt to its current unique design with a mixture of centuries-old architecture and modern skyscrapers. Each neighborhood in Milan has its own appeal.

Centro Storico is ideal for those who like to be at the heart of the action. Porta Venezia is where to go for inclusion. Brera is for the chic of mind. Navigli and Porta Genova are where the party is. Porta Romana is ideal for those who like peace. Città Studi and Lambrate are for students on a budget. Porta Nuova and Porta Garibaldi are modern utopias.

But there’s more you need to know about each of these neighborhoods, so let’s take a closer look into the 7 best Milan neighborhoods so you can get to know them better.

Centro Storico or Milan’s City Center is the heart of Milan where you’ll find attractions, museums, and bustling squares filled with locals and tourists alike. You’ll be living at the epicenter of Milanese history and culture here, but you’ll also have plenty of amenities close to hand.

Centro Storico is well-connected to public transportation in Milan, as you’d expect, given its prime location. It’s also a pretty safe area to live as there’s a high police presence in Centro Storico. However, where there’re tourists, there’ll be pickpockets, so stay vigilant with your belongings.

Centro Storico is one of the most international places to live in Milan. Internationals who move to Milan for work are happy to live in the center, whether or not they work close by. The nearby University of Milan also attracts plenty of international students if they can afford the higher rents that this central neighborhood demands.

Centro Storico is one of the most expensive places to live in Milan. The average rent you’ll pay while renting in Milan’s Centro Storico is:

• Room: €900/month
• Studio: €1,400/month
• Apartment: €2,200/month

Porta Venezia is a cultural melting pot, with plenty of bars and restaurants that highlight the long history of immigration into Milan. It’s also considered as Milan’s gay quarter, with plenty of gay bars. Pride week is when this neighborhood really comes to life. There’re also plenty of shopping options here, as well as parks, museums, and galleries. Life in Porta Venezia is a combination of self-expression, culture, and fun!

Porta Venezia has great connections to the rest of Milan with plenty of public transportation options in the neighborhood. It’s also a super safe and inclusive place to live. Plenty of queer folks settle into life in Porta Venezia, as well as many families who love the amount of green spaces dotted across the neighborhood.

It’s a little more affordable than Centro Storico too, with average rent in Porta Venezia costing:

• Room: €750/month
• Studio: €1,300/month
• Apartment: € 1,800/month

Brera is where you’ll best see Milan’s reputation for fashion at play. This neighborhood has plenty of boutiques, high-end luxury stores, galleries, and bars where people enjoy aperitivo. Brera has a beautiful botanical garden and the iconic Pinacoteca di Brera art museum. It’s also home to the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, which attracts fashion students to settle here. Life here is best described as a laidback luxury with a beautiful aesthetic.

Brera lies just outside of the city center, so you’ll have the best of Milan’s public transport options close to hand that help you get around the city. In fact, the transport connections in Brera are so good you’ll notice plenty of students and professionals will choose to live in this beautiful neighborhood and commute to university or work. Brera has the potential to be the safest neighborhood in Milan, with little crime of any sort occurring here.

Brera is a very international neighborhood, but it really blossoms into a multicultural haven during Milan Fashion Week and the Milan Furniture Fair. Living here as an expat is dreamy, especially if you’re interested in fashion or art; you’ll fit right in with the locals.

Living in a luxurious neighborhood like Brera comes with a price tag, though! The average rent you’ll pay in Brera is:

• Room: €950/month
• Studio: €1,900/month
• Apartment: € 2,750/month

Navigli and Porta Genova are popular districts filled with plenty of residents and great nightlife options. You’ll see the best Milan’s nightlife has to offer while living here with plenty of restaurants, bars, and clubs to head to. But these districts aren’t always so lively. Life in Navigli and Porta Genova is pretty calm during the daytime, with most of the action happening at the local Fiera di Senigallia flea market. Here, you’ll find plenty of great secondhand furniture options to furnish your new home and get some new clothes on a budget.

Navigli and Porta Genova also have plenty of public transportation options, including the Porta Genova railway station and trams and buses to help you get around Milan. It’s good to know, however, that these aren’t the safest places to live in Milan. With the vibrant nightlife you’ll experience while living in Navigli and Porta Genova, there’ll also be some more crime that comes with partygoers. Don’t fret too much, though, as these districts have a noticeable police presence to counteract the higher level of crime. Navigli and Porta Genova still aren’t considered neighborhoods to avoid in Milan, and plenty of internationals love living here.

Navigli and Porta Genova are close to the Catholic University and IULM, so they’re great places to find cheap accommodation for students in Milan. It’s also a popular spot for young professionals who want to live in a vibrant neighborhood and appreciate the picturesque canal-side views.

Navigli and Porta Genova are some of the cheaper places to live in Milan; the average rent is:

• Room: €700/month
• Studio: €1,300/month
• Apartment: € 1,900/month

Porta Romana is a residential neighborhood with quite a few great spots up its sleeve. It has plenty of affordable restaurants, a weekly market, a gallery, and a gay nightclub— what more could you ask for? It’s a very chilled, quiet neighborhood not far from the center of Milan. It’s ideal for those who want to live close to the center of Milan without dealing with the hustle and bustle that city center life brings.

Porta Romana is a few stops from the center of Milan, and you can take various transport options to get there. It’s also a super safe place to live in Milan. There aren’t a lot of disturbances here in general, so you’ll live peacefully and safely in Porta Romana.

Porta Romana is mainly home to students and professionals as it’s close to a number of Milan’s universities and has plenty of co-working spaces. As such, there’re plenty of internationals living in Porta Romana, making the most of the quiet vibes, great public transport connections, and excellent amenities.

The cost of rent in Porta Romana is pretty average for Milan. The average rent you’ll pay living in Porta Romana is:

• Room: €750/month
• Studio: €1,200/month
• Apartment: € 2,100/month

Città Studi and Lambrate are located northwest of the center of Milan and though they're a little further from the center, there's a lot of advantages to living here. These neighborhoods have become havens of innovation with plenty of modern galleries, restaurants, bars and shopping at your disposal. These are 2 of the most lively districts to live in Milan, which makes it ideal for young people. You’ll always find something to do while living here.

Città Studi and Lambrate are very well-connected via public transport, but you also won’t be too far outside the center of Milan. Generally speaking, you’ll have practically everything you need on your doorstep living here, so you probably won’t stray outside these neighborhoods often. They’re also very safe to live in, with a residential vibe and a great sense of community throughout these neighborhoods.

Città Studi and Lambrate are home to a mixture of internationals, mainly students, and the local Italian working class. International students flock to these neighborhoods to take advantage of the cheap student housing located close to the Polytechnic University and the science campuses of the University of Milan. But living in Città Studi or Lambrate, you’ll notice a strong sense of local tradition because of the local population. You’ll have a very authentically Italian experience living here!

Città Studi and Lambrate are at the cheaper end of rental prices in Milan. The average rent here is

• Room: €700/month
• Studio: €1,200/month
• Apartment: € 1,550/month

Porta Nuova and Porta Garibaldi are two more areas in Milan that were redeveloped from industrial zones to become modern, well-equipped residential areas. These hip business districts are very popular with young professionals as they've plenty of business headquarters, coworking spaces, and unique residential buildings. They’re nestled closely to the center of Milan so you’ll still be close to the action of the city center.

The bustling Milano Porta Garibaldi Passante and Milano Repubblica stations are located in this district, and there’s an abundance of public transportation options to take from Porta Nuova and Porta Garibaldi. These are two of the wealthiest districts in Milan and tend to be pretty safe as a result. Plenty of families will choose to live in Porta Nuova or Porta Garibaldi because of the safety and amenities they provide.

Porta Nuova and Porta Garibaldi are super popular amongst professionals, families, and travelers who come to Milan for business. These neighborhoods are a great mixture of international influence and local tradition. If you can afford to live here, it’s a perfect spot for internationals coming to Milan to work or with their family.

The luxurious lifestyle that Porta Nuova and Porta Garibaldi offer comes with a price tag, as these are 2 of the most expensive places to live in Milan. The average cost of rent in Porta Nuova and Porta Garibaldi is:

• Room: €850/month
• Studio: €1,500/month
• Apartment: € 2,800/month

Now that you’ve reviewed our Milan neighborhood guide, you're all set to search homes for rent in Milan and find your ideal home. A fantastic adventure now awaits you, whether you will be continuing your education in one of Milan’s acclaimed universities or beginning to climb the corporate ladder.

Enjoy your time in Milan and, as the locals like to say it, in bocca al lupo! (Good luck!)