Living in Sicily – 19 Things Nobody Tells You About Moving to Sicily

Living in Sicily was a dream of mine for a long time.

Ever since I was a kid, Sicily has always held this magical, almost mythical status in my mind. My great grandparents were Sicilian, and I always had a yearning to visit this island and connect with my roots.

I thought of Sicily as the ‘real’ Italy, where the people are louder, the sun shines brighter, and the food is yummier (spoiler alert – it is).

When I finally made it to Sicily in 2019, I discovered that it was everything I’d imagined it to be, and so much more.

Fast-forward to 2021 and I’ve ‘lived’ in Sicily twice, for 3 months each time, as well as visiting for a month at a time on several other occasions.

Let me tell you, if visiting Sicily as a tourist is chaotic, living in Sicily is a whole different beast.

The apartment that I rented in Palermo, the bustling capital, was next to the train station, smack bang in the red light district, and the pipes stank of sewage.

Across from my apartment was an overflowing dumpster that seemingly never got emptied, there were always cockroaches in the stairwell, and I had to frequently give the middle finger to kerb crawlers who assumed I was available for ‘business.’

However, there was a lot more to my time living in Sicily than my sketchy neighbourhood.

Living in Sicily is every bit as incredible as you can imagine, but I would be lying if I told you that it’s always easy.

Is Sicily a good place to live?

Yes, but there are some things you should know before you make the decision to move to Sicily.

Here are some things that nobody tells you about living in Sicily.

Living in Sicily – Everything You Need to Know

Pros and Cons of Living in Sicily

As with anything in life, there are both pros and cons of living in Sicily.

While I adore Sicily, it certainly has its flaws, and I believe that it’s important to be transparent about them.

I’ll get into each of the points below in more detail later, but here are some of the pros and cons of living in Sicily, at a glance.

Pros of living in Sicily

• The weather – duh!
• Cost of living is relatively low
• Property is affordable
• The pace of life is slow and relaxed
• Sicily is small, so you can explore the whole island easily
• You’re never too far from the beach
• Sicilian food!
• Violent crime is very low

Cons of living in Sicily

• Bureaucracy is a nightmare!
• Organised crime/corruption
• Lack of infrastructure
• Lots of buildings are very old and need work doing (which can be difficult in Sicily!)
• Having a car is necessary
• It is necessary to speak a little Italian
• High unemployment rates
• The traffic
• Sicilian airports are not the best for international connections

19 Things Nobody Tells You About Living in Sicily

1. The locals are very direct

Having grown up in the UK, being direct is just not in my nature.

Sicilians, however, are as direct as they come.

If a Sicilian wants you to move out of their way, they’ll tell you.

If you ask them how they are, trust me, they’ll tell you (and it might not always be good!).

When you’re not used to this, it can seem like they’re being rude, but they aren’t. They’re just honest.

Being super direct is a huge part of Sicilian culture, and if you want to move to Sicily, you’d better get used to it!

2. Contacts are everything

They say ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,’ and this really applies to life in Sicily.

When I took a street food tour in Palermo, my tour guide told me that one of the most important things that you can do if you’re living in Sicily is befriend your local fish monger.

Seriously.

Get a local to introduce you to him, answer his probing questions about what you’re planning on cooking with his produce, and he will always treat you well.

Go behind his back and buy from another seller and you’ll never be served again.

You have been warned.

3. Opening times are a guide

Did Google Maps tell you that your local grocery store opens at 2 pm?

Maybe it said that the restaurant you’re visiting is open on a Monday?

Don’t believe everything you read, especially when it comes to opening and closing times in Sicily.

Sure, the grocery store might open at 2…if the owner doesn’t have anything better to do, that is!

Opening times (and days!) are only ever a guide in Sicily, and if you’re used to getting reliable information from Google Maps, think again.

The faster you decide to ditch Google Maps when you move to Sicily, the better.

4. Is Sicily safe to live in? Yep!

People moving to Sicily often have this idea of Sicily being like the Wild West, and while Sicily does have a problem with organised crime, this generally affects businesses rather than civilians and expats.

In fact, according to Statistica, the most dangerous province in Italy is actually Milan, with Sicily not even making the top 15!

Violent crime in Sicily is incredibly low, and the homicide rate in Italy is among the lowest in the world, according to NationMaster.

The only problem that may affect expats in Sicily is car theft, with Catania having the fifth-highest rate of stolen cars in the country, and Palermo coming in ninth.

For a much more comprehensive breakdown of safety in Sicily, check out my article about it.

5. Don’t count on public transport

Remember how I said that business opening times should be used as a guide only?

Well, the same goes for public transport timetables.

Buses do exist in Sicily, but the times (and routes!) are seemingly at random, and although they will get you from A to B, they probably won’t get you there in time.

Oh, and you have to buy your bus ticket from a tobacco shop.

Why?

Because Italy.

6. Sicily cost of living

You might think that living in Italy is expensive, and it is.

Living in Italy that is.

Sicily is a super affordable place to live, especially if you’re living in Sicily as an American!

The overall cost of living in Sicily is very low, especially when it comes to eating and drinking out.

A pizza will almost always be less than 5 EUR, you can find bars selling bottled beer for 1-2 EUR, and public transport is also very affordable.

7. Property is cheap

It isn’t just eating out that’s affordable in Sicily.

Property is incredible cheap, and you can buy rustic townhouses in idyllic hilltop villages for less than 10,000 EUR!

According to Idealista, Sicily is the third cheapest region in Italy to buy property (accurate as of February 2024).

And yes, you can also buy a house in Sicily for just 1 EUR if you’re prepared to spend money renovating it!

If you’re not looking to buy property in Sicily, you’ll be pleased to know that rent is also very cheap.

I rented a one-bedroom apartment with a roof terrace in the centre of town for 400 EUR, and a room in a shared house for 200 EUR (bills included).

8. You will need to learn Italian…or Sicilian

People in Sicily, especially the older generations or those in rural communities, speak Sicilian, which is not a dialect but a language of its very own!

Sicilian is totally different to Italian, and although most younger people speak Italian as their first language, you only have to visit a local food market to hear Sicilian being spoken by the vendors.

However, if you learn a bit of Italian, it will certainly help. English is not very widely spoken in Sicily, even in larger cities like Catania or Trapani.

9. Driving in Sicily isn’t for the fainthearted

If you’re going to be living in Sicily, you will need a car.

With that being said, I advise you to proceed with caution.

The roads in Sicily are often badly-lit and covered in potholes, and Sicilian drivers are insane.

I have seen experienced drivers on the verge of tears just trying to get out of Palermo, and if you think that your GPS has got your back then you are very much mistaken.

Another thing to be aware of is that many Sicilian drivers ignore red lights and stop signs. In fact, they tend to speed up when they see people crossing the street (ask me how I know).

10. Bureaucracy is terrible

Planning on applying for residency in Italy? Good luck!

Sicilian bureaucracy may be the most inefficient I’ve ever seen, and I’ve lived in Cambodia!

Everything takes an age to get done, the rules are never clear (and are often made up on the spot!) and you will have to stand in the burning sun outside an office for hours waiting for somebody to see you, before they decide to close up early and leave you standing there.

Seriously, even picking up a parcel at the post office can take hours so moving to Sicily is not going to be smooth sailing!

I never applied for residency in Italy, but I have countless expat friends in Sicily who have been through the process, and I don’t know a single person that didn’t find the process frustrating and painfully inefficient!

Sicilians also love to complain about the bureaucracy – I think they’d be quite disappointed if it suddenly improved, and they had nothing to moan about!

11. Unemployment is high

Traditionally, Sicily has always had higher unemployment levels than the North of Italy (which is why many young Sicilians move to places like Milan and Turin when they grow up).

Finding work in Sicily is hard, and if you’re moving to Sicily in the hope of finding work, you will definitely struggle.

One exception is if you’re a qualified ESL teacher. The vast majority of expats that I’ve met in Sicily are English teachers.

Of course, you can also work online. The digital nomad scene in Sicily is in its infancy, but I predict that Sicily will be a popular digital nomad destination in the coming years.

12. Slow pace of life

Patience truly is a virtue in Sicily, and everything moves on island time.

If you’re laid back and like to go with the flow like I do, you’ll love it.

If you like everything working exactly as it should and running on time, I don’t recommend moving to Sicily!

13. Learn to stand your ground

My boyfriend’s least favourite thing about Sicily was Lidl.

Yes, you read that right.

The discount supermarket.

While he loved the prices, what he didn’t enjoy were the queue-jumpers, the old ladies ramming their trolleys into his ankles, and women yelling at him simply for being there!

Personally, I saw going to the supermarket as a fun adventure, a kind of game where it truly is every man for himself, but Ethan’s fragile sensibilities couldn’t cope with it.

If you want to live in Sicily, you need to learn how to stand your ground, especially against fierce Sicilian nonnas in Lidl.

14. It can be dirty

Infrastructure in Sicily is like the bureaucracy – non-existent.

I jest, but you will likely see huge bags of trash on the streets, particularly when driving in or out of a city.

Black bin bags spilling over with rubbish are unfortunately a common sight in Sicily, and the locals hate it just as much as you.

You can read more about why this is here, but garbage on the streets is an unfortunate reality of life in Sicily (although I noticed this far more in large cities than more rural villages and small towns).

15. Locals aren’t as scary as they look!

If you see two Sicilians yelling at each other on the street, don’t panic! They’re not fighting. They’re just talking.

Raised voices, frowning faces, and wild gesticulations are common practice in Sicily, and it is very rare that there is anything more to it than simple enthusiasm.

On one of my early trips to Sicily, my tour guide said that the time to really worry is when a Sicilian is talking in a low voice and smiling at you!

16. Sicilian food is not like Italian food!

Sure, Sicilians eat pasta, but that’s about the only commonality between Sicilian food and Italian food!

With Spanish, Greek, Arab and even French influences, Sicilian gastronomy is rich, varied and differs massively from place to place.

From seafood couscous in San Vito Lo Capo and Favignana, to sickly sweet confectionary in Erice, and Militello, and even offal in Palermo, there is something for everyone in Sicily.

Not only is there a lot of variety, but everything is locally-grown, fresh, and delicious!

There isn’t even a word for ‘organic’ in Sicily, because everything is organic!

17. You will always be a foreigner

It doesn’t matter how long you live in Sicily, or how good your Italian is; you will never be a Sicilian, and the locals will take great pleasure in reminding you of that.

That isn’t to say that Sicilians aren’t extremely welcoming and hospitable people – they are – but there will always be an invisible barrier preventing you from fully being seen as ‘one of them.’

18. Sicily is not Italy

Well…it is, technically, but Sicilians don’t see it that way.

Sicily wasn’t part of Italy until 1861, and Sicilians remain fiercely proud and independent people.

Sicilians do not consider themselves to be Italian.

They identify as Sicilian, through and through, and woe betide you if you try to convince them otherwise!

19. Sicily is the best place on earth

Despite the trash, the bureaucracy, and the random smells of sewage that seem to come out of nowhere, Sicily is one of the most special places I’ve ever been and if you’re thinking of relocating to Sicily, go for it!

With passionate people, 300 days of sunshine a year, breathtaking architecture, and white sandy beaches, Sicily is truly the soul of Italy, and if you can get past the little annoyances, your patience will be infinitely rewarded!

Living in Sicily | Final thoughts

I hope that I’ve managed to paint a realistic picture of what the reality of living in Sicily is like for anyone thinking of relocating to Sicily.

Property websites are keen to talk about the beaches and the climate, but gloss over the not so glamourous side of Sicily.

Everywhere on the planet has its pros and cons, and Sicily is no different.

Is Sicily a good place to live overall?

For me, yes.

The positive aspects of living in Sicily vastly outweigh the negatives, and if you have a thick skin and a laid back attitude, you’ll do just fine.

As always, if you have any questions then please don’t hesitate to ask me in the comments section below.

I’m not some kind of immigration expert, nor do I work in real estate, but I have spent a lot of time in Sicily, and I like to think that I know a thing or two about la dolce vita in Sicilia.

Further Reading

I have written extensively about Sicily, including detailed guides to various cities and towns on the island.

Below, you’ll find my Sicily articles, which you may find useful!

General Sicily travel articles

• Is Sicily Safe? An Honest Look at Safety in Sicily
• Guide to Solo Travel in Sicily
• 22 Sicilian Dishes You Have to Try

Palermo articles

• What is Palermo Like?
• Best Things to Do in Palermo
• The Best Places for Aperitivo in Palermo
• The Ultimate Guide to Nightlife in Palermo
• Where to Eat in Palermo (Best Restaurants)
• Street Food in Palermo
• Laptop-Friendly Cafes in Palermo
• A Guide to Palermo’s Historic Street Markets
• An Insider’s Guide to La Vucciria, Palermo
• Palermo Food Tour Review (Streaty)

Catania articles

• Guide to Street Food in Catania
• Catania Wine Tour Review
• Best Things to Do in Catania
• Guide to Catania on a Budget

Other Sicily guides

• Western Sicily Itinerary
• Best Things to Do in Trapani
• Guide to the Medieval Town of Erice
• Guide to Favignana Island, Italy’s Best-Kept Secret
• Guide to Cefalu
• Guide to San Vito Lo Capo
• Guide to Militello in Val di Catania
• Guide to Castelmola and Taormina

That’s it for today! As always, if you have any questions then don’t hesitate to reach out in the comments section below, and I will get back to you.

Until next time,

XOXO

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