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Things you found expensive in Italy compared elsewhere...

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Post by stevegwmonkseaton Thu Jun 13, 2013 10:19 am

We wanted another duvet and sheets the other day and thought of going to our new Ikea as a duvet here seems so expensive in comparison to the UK. It is an item where you probably get what you pay for, but we have always been happy with our UK bought John Lewis (JL) all season duvet. So on this rainy day we looked first online and compared JL with Ikea, including delivery (£7.50 per order from JL) it was going to be little difference buying and going to Ikea than getting the items we wanted delivered. In addition we can tell be the description alone that the JL seems much better quality/what we wanted (we know they are good because we've had one before).
So I wondered what others found expensive here and if they just accept the balance as some things are a lot cheaper here (perhaps not many) or they found alternatives by bringing goods or having them shipped. I also think it's well worth £7.50 using JL, especially if your order has a number of items (still is £7.50, per order not item). Actually getting the delivery is another matter and one often discussed here and on other forums, they use DPD, who can be either very good or very, very bad... So anyone want to add to the list of expensive(or cheap) items here...

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Post by Gala Placidia Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:50 am

Good Italian leather bags arevery well priced here and I mean GENUINE Italian leather bags, not Made in China. I always buy for myself and also for my daughters who live in the USA. Fortunately, I know what they like and it is great for me to be able to find birthday and Christmas presents that are always appreciated. As I go to the States twice a year, I don't even have to post them!
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Post by Kay Hoss Thu Jun 13, 2013 1:14 pm

I've always found Aspirin, Paracetomal to be expensive.
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Post by ghiro Thu Jun 13, 2013 1:43 pm

I've found pretty well everything more expensive in Italy except for booze, fags, terracotta pots and some cashmere.

When we furnished our house some 5 years ago we brought virtually everything we needed in a van from the UK having looked at local Italian prices first - and saved a fortune.
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Post by stevegwmonkseaton Thu Jun 13, 2013 2:22 pm

ghiro wrote:I've found pretty well everything more expensive in Italy except for booze, fags, terracotta pots and some cashmere.

When we furnished our house some 5 years ago we brought virtually everything we needed in a van from the UK having looked at local Italian prices first - and saved a fortune.
What about food, water, gas , electric , council tax...?  Even in the short time we have been here we have found electrical goods becoming more comparable with the UK and even Amazon, which I must add has become so much more expensive as of late.

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Post by Geotherm Thu Jun 13, 2013 3:19 pm

Have found pet medicines very expensive here, so normally order from the UK from this site. Get vet to write prescription in English if needed.
http://www.vet-medic.com/

Other things like blank dvd's and printer inks, I also order from the UK.
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Post by Flip Thu Jun 13, 2013 4:14 pm

Imported food stuffs are horrendously expensive, those little luxuries like a tin of Baked Beans and the like. Also just having travelled through France recently the price of Diesel is a good €0.20 more expensive here, I know there is a surcharge to help fund 'Disaster Relief' but really......
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Post by Geotherm Thu Jun 13, 2013 4:38 pm

Flip wrote:Imported food stuffs are horrendously expensive, those little luxuries like a tin of Baked Beans and the like. Also just having travelled through France recently the price of Diesel is a good €0.20 more expensive here, I know there is a surcharge to help fund 'Disaster Relief' but really......

Must admit have gone to the LIDL baked beans, which are very good, as is their Cheddar cheese when they do a English week @ E2.99 for 400 gms.
With diesel, I have found a difference of up to 16 cents a litre. Dare not ask them to fill the tank, as it takes 90 ltrs affraid
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Post by JulianaAlice Thu Jun 13, 2013 5:22 pm

What about toilet rolls? I get through loads over the year as we have a number of visitors.  Once a year we drive out and I bring a whole load of household items. At our local discount supermarket in the UK I get 4 rolls of thick, excellent quality  paper for £1.08.  Conad just cannot compete. However, chicken, tomatoes and other produce in Italy is so divine, I don't mind paying more. I am happy to support the local economy.
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Post by Gala Placidia Thu Jun 13, 2013 6:51 pm

I cannot comment on UK prices, as it has been a while since my last visit; however, I am constantly travelling and staying in Italy (mainly Tuscany), Spain (the Basque Country, the most expensive area), France and the USA (mainly San Francisco, also considered an expensive destination). Here is my comparison:
Gas, Electricity, utilities in general, including petrol: USA the cheapest, followed by Spain, France and the most expensive would be Italy.
Council taxes: Italy  the cheapest, followed by Spain (depending on regions), then France (fairly expensive) and then the USA (San Francisco is astronomical).
Food: Here differences are not big nowadays between Italy, France and Spain. The USA has good prices for certain items, but others are very expensive... it all depends on what you are buying. 
Electrical goods and appliances: not such a big difference between countries.
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Post by stevegwmonkseaton Thu Jun 13, 2013 7:23 pm

I can only compare here (Italy) with the UK as it's a very long time since we went anywhere else... Local food products here are a fraction of the cost of those in the UK, note I say "local". The only oddity we've found (most annoying as we eat lots of them) are walnuts, which are almost the price of gold here, well ok, but they are over €20 a kg... Amazing when the trees here grow like weeds and more so when I find those in the shops are from the USA or France... But take something basic like tomatoes here, better quality than the UK by far and a fraction of the cost... (well when we buy them that is as we grow so many).
As for baked beans, why not make your own at the fraction of the cost, even with fresh beans...
The other thing we  have had to learn quickly here is to adhere to what is in season, we did so in the UK to some extent, but found here that it's essential...
Utilities I'm surprised at as a few here and elsewhere have found them expensive in Italy. I can only think they vary from area to area as we have found them much cheaper than the UK...?

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Post by Flip Thu Jun 13, 2013 8:21 pm

Must agree with Gala where else in Europe is Council Tax (IMU) so low. Our prima casa is zero and our out buildings and orto cost €37 a year.
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Post by ghiro Thu Jun 13, 2013 10:21 pm

I totally agree with the above posts.

'Local' food in Italy is usually seasonal, of excellent quality and taste, and good value.

Since I spend the majority (but not all, as we enjoy skiing in the Apennines) of the winter in the UK, and we keep warm by burning our own wood when in Italy, I can't really comment on heating costs.  Having said that we don't use our central heating (fuelled by LPG) in the winter if we can avoid it as it seems fearsomely expensive.

In the average year we spend 60% of the time in the UK and 40% in Italy.  IMU for us is about 40% of our Council Tax here - but we have to pay both. SadSad
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Post by Gala Placidia Fri Jun 14, 2013 6:02 am

I think that we could sum it up by saying that Italy is not expensive once you know the country and where to do your shopping. It takes a while,'but you compare prices and know what to do. Having said that, I always try to help the local economy, even if some items could be slightly dearer than in a large supermarket. 
Also, and as it has been said, utilities are not cheap. Then, it is up to us to make them work for us and not against us, or our bank balance. Sometimes, it is necessary to spend some money to save money. Double-glazed PVC doors and windows are great. Insulation is a must. In order to make your home energy efficient, you will have to carefully study every corner of it, find where those energy losses occur and use your imagination (and money) to find suitable solutions that will save you money. it can be done Very Happy
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Post by Admin Fri Jun 14, 2013 7:53 am

Children's clothes, shoes, equipment is ridiculously expensive in Italy. Thank heaven for Amazon!! Also, have Thule bike racks and a big box that goes on the tow bar, again more than double the cost in Italy so got it from Amazon.

I think you just have to be prepared to shop around. I've been out of the UK too long now to compare most other things. My IMU though is horrendous because as we're renting we don't get any prima casa discount. So, we've been paying on our house in Marche (now finally sold) and the farm in Liguria. Well over €1500 a year, plus TARSU on 3 properties (Marche, Liguria & rented!). The TARSU irritates me as you have to take your rubbish to the bins anyway. At least in Bordighera they have house-to-house collections for recycling and keep the place immaculate. I've never seen so many street cleaners and gardeners!
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Post by stevegwmonkseaton Fri Jun 14, 2013 1:48 pm

Just a quick update on the John Lewis delivery, 2 duvet , 4 sheets and 2 duvet covers ordered Monday night and all delivered present and correct this morning. Not bad at delivery for £7.5 an order...  Smile

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Post by Angie 2 Sat Jun 15, 2013 11:26 am

I agree with Gala that you fit your spending to what is available in Italy, have been out of the UK for too long to really compare, and we usually shop for larger items here when they are in the sales, made big savings on wooden garden furniture last week.
Quality shoes and handbags a fraction of UK prices, and as Marche produces these goods, the outlet
shops are very reasonable, especially those from small local family companies. Clothing is difficult, top end of the market beyond my budget, bottom end nasty and tacky.
Second hand furniture is finally becoming available but is a mixed bag and not cheap.
Buy local food in season, Lidls baked beans are excellent, and visitors bring over ibuprophen.
I think over time you do learn to adapt to what is available and what you can afford, on a day like today with beautiful sunshine and a temp of 25c I dont feel deprived!.

One final addition, vets bills here are a fraction of the price they were in Sussex, which is lucky as all of our friends have rescued pets, and we have 5 cats.

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Post by Vicino Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:14 am

Talk about expensive .......

Venice tourists outraged by £85 bill for four liqueur coffees

The details are in this article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10253297/Venice-tourists-outraged-by-85-bill-for-four-liqueur-coffees.html

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Post by Gala Placidia Fri Aug 23, 2013 12:03 pm

Now, EVERY YEAR there is a similar article published in some newspaper. If anyone goes to Florian on Piazza San Marco and expects to get coffee for just a bit over a euro, that person is either stupid, naive or has travelled very little unless it was backpacking. You can have a gorgeous cup of tea at the Ritz, but you will have to pay for the experience. Same thing at the Florian, but it is certainly an experience. OTherwise, I can stll have a lovely cup of coffee or a cappuccino in any of the local places in Bagni di Lucca and it would be a very reasonable price to pay... I think that it is less than 1.50€ (hubby is still a gentleman and he is the one who pays...Very Happy
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Post by Flip Fri Aug 23, 2013 12:34 pm

We are off to visit Venizia next week, and will be staying well clear of any type of refreshment within 100m of Piazza San Marco. As Gala says there are plenty of reasonably priced outlets in any City but if you are dumb enough to pick the most high profile establishments and choose not to read the menu, well Caveat Emptor as they used to say in Roma.
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Post by Gala Placidia Fri Aug 23, 2013 12:50 pm

Totally agree, Flip. You can find great and reasonable places even in the most expensive cities in the world. A typical example is "Trattoria Bordino", next to the Pone Vecchio in Florence. Great food, great atmosphere and a "pranzo di lavoro" dor only 7€!!! Enjoy your stay in Venice (lovely city) and here is my tip for your trip La Vedova in Venice
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Post by Vicino Fri Aug 23, 2013 3:22 pm

The people who paid so much at the café were tourists from ROME !!! Ha !!

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