Asti vs Bucine: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?

Asti is a quietly affordable Piedmont base where a one-bedroom in the center runs $504/mo and a single adult can live on $740/mo at the budget tier, numbers that make the 61/100 cost of living index feel almost generous. The catch is that a local net salary of $1,850/mo and limited English proficiency mean this is a place you move to with remote income or retirement savings, not to chase a local job. With a safety index of 80/100, excellent healthcare, and a 12 km hop to TRN, it suits slow-living expats and FIRE types far more than digital nomads craving a big-city scene.

Bucine is a small Tuscan town of 10 thousand where rents of $845/mo for a one-bedroom city center apartment sit awkwardly against a local net salary of $1,391/mo, so remote workers and retirees on outside income get far more out of it than locals do. The retiree score of 76/100 and safety index of 73/100 make it a sensible base, and Florence airport is just 6 km away, though the digital nomad score of 58/100 and limited English proficiency mean you should arrive with Italian and a remote job already lined up. At $247/mo for utilities and $31/mo for internet, daily costs stay manageable, but the $2,895/mo income floor for the Italy Elective Residence Visa is steep for a town this size.