CrossBorders
Take the quiz
Head-to-head

Bologna vs Florence

Italy flagBolognaItaly flagFlorence

Bologna and Florence are compared across affordability, safety, healthcare, career, culture and food, and public life. Bologna has the broader all-round edge, while Florence leads on safety. The better fit depends on which of those relocation priorities matters most.

How they compare

AffordabilitySafetyHealthcareCareerCulturePublic life
  • Bologna
  • Florence
Affordability
69
67
Safety
68
69
Healthcare
66
61
Career
54
44
Culture & food
74
71
Public life & spaces
63
67
Overall
63
60

Objective 0–100 scores from source-backed CrossBorders data. Green marks the category leader; gold is the overall leader.

Built for you, not the average
Bologna or Florence? Depends on you.

The scores above weigh every category equally. Your life doesn't. Answer a few questions and we'll rank all 283 cities around your budget, work, and dealbreakers, and call the winner for you.

Answer a few quick questions and get your personal winner out of 283 cities.

Get my personal ranking

Category by category

Is Bologna or Florence cheaper to live in?

Bologna 69Florence 67

Bologna has the lower open-market one-bedroom rent on a new lease, at about €694 per month, compared with €779 in Florence. Against one typical employee's mean net pay, Bologna is manageable solo at roughly 32%, while Florence is tight alone at roughly 41%.

Is Bologna or Florence safer?

Bologna 68Florence 69

Nearly level, with Florence just ahead. Serious crime is rare in both; the shared nuisance is pickpocketing, worse around Florence's dense tourist sights than Bologna's student quarters.

Does Bologna or Florence have better healthcare?

Bologna 66Florence 61

Bologna leads, backed by Emilia-Romagna's well-run regional system, while Florence's care sits a notch below on hospital access and doctor availability.

Is Bologna or Florence better for your career?

Bologna 54Florence 44

This is the widest gap: Bologna versus Florence. Bologna's university, manufacturing and food sectors give it real depth, while Florence runs on tourism and craft, with the thinnest job market of the two by a distance.

Does Bologna or Florence have a better food and culture scene?

Bologna 74Florence 71

Both score well, Bologna narrowly ahead. Bologna's pasta-and-trattoria tradition is arguably Italy's richest eating city, while Florence answers with an unmatched concentration of Renaissance art and museums.

Does Bologna or Florence have better public spaces and street life?

Bologna 63Florence 67

Bologna edges ahead. Its porticoed centre offers kilometres of covered, sociable streets, while Florence's piazzas and the Arno banks are gorgeous but carry a heavier tourist toll and cost.

The verdict

Choose Bologna for the broader all-round balance, especially if affordability matters most. Choose Florence if safety matters more. Compare their rent burden and day-to-day strengths before deciding.

Not sure which fits you?
Stop comparing averages. Compare against you.

Bologna vs Florence looks different once your budget, work, and dealbreakers are in the mix. Answer a few questions and we'll weigh 109 metrics across 283 cities around your answers.

Take the free questionnaire

Explore each city

Italy flagLiving in BolognaItaly flagLiving in Florence

More comparisons

Bologna vs MilanBologna vs NaplesBologna vs RomeBologna vs Verona
Before you commit
Spend a week in Bologna first.

The fastest way to test a shortlist is to go. A week on the ground tells you things no ranking can.

See places to stay in Bologna →

Partner links — we may earn a commission. Never affects your ranking.