Basilicata

There is a moment, driving through Basilicata for the first time, when it becomes clear that this is not the Italy of travel magazines. The landscapes are wilder, the towns quieter, the history older and stranger. For expats who find the well-trodden parts of Italy increasingly crowded and expensive, that moment tends to feel like arrival rather than disappointment.

Italy’s second smallest region by population, Basilicata — also known by its ancient name, Lucania — occupies a rugged, landlocked position in the instep of the Italian boot, with two short but spectacular coastlines providing an outlet to the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west and the Ionian Sea in the east. It is a region that rewards curiosity and patience, and offers expats something genuinely rare: a way of life that feels entirely unmediated by tourism.

Matera is the region’s undisputed centrepiece — a UNESCO World Heritage city of ancient cave dwellings, or Sassi, carved into a dramatic ravine and continuously inhabited for over 9,000 years. European Capital of Culture in 2019, Matera has since attracted a small but growing international community drawn by its extraordinary setting, emerging food and arts scene, and property prices that remain, by any measure, remarkable. The regional capital Potenza, though less dramatic, provides the most complete range of everyday services and infrastructure. On the Ionian coast, the resort town of Metaponto offers wide sandy beaches and a more relaxed, seasonal pace, while the Tyrrhenian side around Maratea — often called the Pearl of the South — delivers clifftop scenery that rivals the Amalfi Coast at a fraction of the cost and crowds.

Basilicata cost of living is among the lowest in Italy without exception. A comfortable monthly budget of €1,000 to €1,600 is realistic for most expats, and property — whether purchasing or renting — offers value that is increasingly hard to find elsewhere in southern Europe.

Moving to Basilicata is not for everyone. But for those it suits, it tends to suit completely.