Italy car rentals

On average a rental car in Italy costs $54 per day.

Compact (Ford Puma or similar) is the most frequently booked rental car type in Italy.

In the past 72 hours, the cheapest rental cars were found at SURPRICE CAR RENTAL ($17/day), Rent Smart 24 ($22/day) and Rental Plus ($25/day).

Take a look at our extensive car rental location map to find the best rental cars near you.

Based on car searches on KAYAK, the most popular cities to rent a car in Italy are Bologna (32% of total searches of users looking to rent a car in Italy), Bergamo (32%) and Lamezia Terme (20%).

On average a rental car in Italy costs $347 per week ($50 per day).

On average a rental car in Italy costs $1,485 per month ($50 per day).

Italy has a reputation for being a difficult country to drive in, but this is largely unfounded: generally, roads are in good condition, and renting a car in Italy is usually a good value. The driving style can be more aggressive than what non-Italians are used to. All highways in Italy operate on a toll system, and payment is accepted by cash or credit card at the point of exit from the highway.

To rent a car in Italy, most rental agencies require drivers to be at least 21 years old and to have held a driving license for at least 12 months. Drivers under 25 will usually be charged an additional young driver’s fee, starting from €24.50 ($27.70) per day through Hertz. While the vast majority of agencies will accept an English-language domestic driver’s license, officially, any foreign driver needs to have an International Driver’s Permit (IDP); in case of spot checks by the police, it is advised to have one on hand.

Gas prices in Italy are generally quite high, a liter of fuel costing around twice what it does in the USA. Expect to pay around €1.50 ($1.70) for a liter of diesel and €1.65 ($1.87) for a liter of gasoline. To get the best mileage possible, consider renting a compact or midsize car or opting for a diesel model if available. Gas stations are usually pretty commonplace and are well signposted, although they often have different prices for self-service and serviced fueling; the latter is usually around €0.10 ($0.11) more per liter.

The official speed limits are 50 km/h (31 mph) in urban and residential areas, 90 km/h (56 mph) or 100 km/h (62 mph) on single-lane highways, 100 km/h (62 mph) on national highways, and 130 km/h (80 mph) on autostrade, the large national highways that link major cities.