What People Say About Living in Todi

Umbria is still one of Italy’s least-known regions abroad. A place filled with history, small hilltop towns, and surrounded by nature in the heart of Italy. And there are many spots emerging as year-round livable destinations.

Among these is Todi. Some have called it the most livable town in the world, others a place where time seems to have stopped. It’s one of those places where you hear few complaints, where people genuinely seem to live well.

But is it really true? In this article from our long series “What People Say About Living in…” we’ll give you an overview of what it’s actually like living in Todi year-round, using our data and the opinions of actual residents.

Life in Todi: What People Say

According to expats, living in Todi means embracing 100% the true and authentic Italian lifestyle, which naturally pushes you to engage with the language and local culture. It means slowing down in a place surrounded by nature, where you can do plenty of walks and outdoor activities, but still being in a lively place in terms of activities and events. Indeed, it’s very popular among retirees and people with creative pursuits, and the location makes it easy to explore other parts of Italy:

“We chose Todi for so many reasons – great town, wonderful people, active arts scene and fantastic restaurants. We do the evening walk, have coffee with friends, the town has a lovely theatre that hosts events, a movie theater. My wife is a painter and I’m a writer and musician, so we have plenty to keep us busy. And because of our location, we can easily travel to explore different cities. We’re much more active here than we would be back home!”

Unlike more tourist-heavy destinations, Todi strikes a balance. It’s international enough to have a growing expat community, yet authentic enough that locals and newcomers genuinely interact. The climate is another major draw – beautiful weather year-round, surrounded by nature with trees and parks everywhere. The city is well-served with everything from gyms to other amenities you might need:

“The climate is wonderful, and what makes everything even better is being surrounded by nature. I love that it’s such an authentic place, still not very well known. The city is attracting more expats, so it’s not difficult to meet people and build connections.”

Transport and Connectivity in Todi

Despite being a small town, Todi is in a great location if you want to be close to an airport. The closest one is Perugia-San Francesco d’Assisi, about 25 minutes away. It’s a modest airport with seasonal flights to Europe and some domestic destinations, but if you need more international options, Rome’s airports are your next bet. Both Ciampino and Fiumicino are a bit more than an hour away.

For trains, there are a few regional stations nearby. Stazione di San Faustino-Casigliano (15 minutes) and Stazione di Fanciullata (26 minutes) offer connections to places like Perugia (40 minutes) and Terni (1 hour 15 minutes).

However, having a car is essential. Todi is highly walkable with daily amenities conveniently close by, but public transport outside of the town leaves much to be desired, so there aren’t many options to easily access nearby towns without your own vehicle.

“Definitely one of the cons of living here is that you necessarily need a car outside of the city center. The connections and public transport are quite inadequate. Even from Perugia there aren’t many options, if you don’t have your own vehicle, to easily access nearby towns. So this is definitely a factor to consider.”

Where to Live in Todi: Housing & Cost of Living

Property prices in Todi are definitely reasonable and lower than more popular places like Assisi and Perugia. According to recent data, the average price is around €1,164/m² for buying and €6.57/m² for rent. To put this in perspective, a 100m² apartment would cost approximately €116,400 to purchase or around €657/month to rent.

However, finding the right property can be challenging, especially if you’re looking for specific features, like an outdoor area:

“Our shortlist a few years ago was Todi and Spello and we looked at a lot of places in both towns. Our mandatory requirement included a place with an outside area such as terrace or garden in a centro storico within walking distance to shops. This eliminated 98% of the properties in our budget though we got close to making an offer in Spello.”

If you’re a retiree, there’s an important consideration regarding Italy’s tax incentive: the 7% tax towns scheme. Todi doesn’t qualify for this program, but if you’re open to other valid options in Umbria, you might consider these nearby towns that do offer the tax benefit:

Data elaborated from Immobiliare.it

Challenges of Living in Todi

First, healthcare quality presents a mixed picture. While there is a hospital nearby (Ospedale Media Valle del Tever, about 15 minutes away), overall hospital care and treatment speed are below the Italian average. Management of heart attack readmissions is good, but treatment of bone fractures and breast cancer through minimally invasive surgery is notably slower, with longer patient stays than elsewhere. For serious or specialized medical needs, you might need to travel to larger cities.

Second, as mentioned, public transport is minimal and unreliable. Without a car, daily life becomes very challenging.

Third, the job market is tough. Finding stable local employment is difficult, so it’s much better suited for retirees. For remote workers, mind that internet connectivity works but it’s definitely not the fastest (average of 41 Mbps download speed).

And finally, while the expat community is growing, English isn’t as widespread as it would be in more touristy areas. So integration requires effort and a willingness to learn Italian.

Todi by the Numbers: Key Data

• Quality of Life Score: Quite good (66/100) – considering infrastructure, economy, and amenities
• Air Quality: Excellent (96/100)
• Healthcare: Ospedale Media Valle del Tever (15 minutes)
• Safety: Moderate earthquake risk
• Internet Speed: Average (41 Mbps download)
• Transport: Very walkable, but a car is a must outside of the town
• Airports: Perugia-San Francesco d’Assisi (26 min), Ciampino Rome (70 min), Fiumicino, Rome (71 min)
• Railway Stations: Stazione di San Faustino-Casigliano (15 min), Stazione di Fanciullata (26 min), Stazione di Piscille (32 min)

For more detailed information about Todi and its services and infrastructure, visit the Magic Towns city profile.

Is Todi Right for You?

✅ Choose Todi if:

• You’re a retiree looking for authentic Italian living in the middle of nature
• You have a car or plan to get one – while the historic center is walkable, exploring Umbria and accessing amenities requires your own transport
• You appreciate a slower pace and tight-knit community – nature walks, local cafes, and cultural events make it easy to form real connections
• You want excellent air quality and mild weather – Todi has beautiful climate year-round without extreme temperatures
• You’re ready to embrace Italian – the environment is 100% Italian, which is perfect if you want full immersion (but challenging if you don’t speak the language yet)

❌ Think twice if:

• You need specialized healthcare regularly – while basic services exist, complex medical issues require travel to larger cities
• You rely on public transportation – connections are inadequate and having a car is essentially mandatory
• You’re looking for local employment – the job market is very limited and most opportunities are in other regions
• You need high-speed internet for remote work – the 41 Mbps average may not suffice for bandwidth-intensive work
• You need to be near the coast – the beach is nearly 2 hours away. However, there are a few lakes nearby

Final Thoughts

So is Todi right for you? If you’re retired and want to live in a real Italian town with some culture and character, it’s worth considering. If you’re fine with needing a car and picking up Italian along the way, even better.

But if you need good hospitals nearby, can’t drive, or your work needs fast internet – probably not the best choice. Todi rewards those who embrace what it is: a genuinely authentic hilltop town with excellent air quality, mild weather, rich cultural life, and a lifestyle many dream about. The medieval charm, the arts scene, the warm community, and your perfect location in the heart of Italy make it an ideal base for exploring one of the country’s most beautiful and least-discovered regions.