Renters in Rome face a growing challenge as the city braces for an influx of visitors during the 2025 Catholic Holy Year, leading to a sharp decline in long-term rental options.
With expectations of around 32 million tourists arriving for the Jubilee, landlords are converting apartments into short-term rental units to capitalize on the pilgrimage demand, significantly squeezing the long-term market.
Industry experts estimate that the number of apartment conversions has doubled over the past year, pushing monthly rental prices up by about 33%. David De Arce, a rental agent who has been working in Rome since the mid-1990s, said, “I don’t remember a market this tight. The acuteness of the lack of availability of places, regardless of the price, is the amazing thing.”
Rental consulting firm Solo Affitti reports that the cost of a small studio apartment in central Rome now starts at around 900 euros ($946). A one-bedroom unit begins at 1,200 euros ($1,261), and a two-bedroom apartment is at least 1,400 euros ($1,471). With an average monthly salary of under 2,000 euros ($2,105) after taxes, many residents are being forced to move to outlying areas in search of more affordable housing.
Giorgio Andriani, who had rented an apartment in the artistic San Lorenzo neighborhood for 12 years, recounted how he struggled to find a new home after his landlord terminated his lease in July. “I found a rental market that is basically non-existent,” Andriani said, noting the choice he faced: relocating far from his neighborhood or leaving Rome altogether.
The Holy Year, which opens on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, and runs until January 6, 2026, is expected to draw large crowds of pilgrims seeking special indulgences. These jubilees occur only once every 25 years, prompting Rome to invest billions in upgrading its infrastructure and attractions.
While Airbnb has not released specific data comparing listings in Rome for 2024 with previous years, Solo Affitti estimates that at least 20,000 Airbnb units have been added this year. The true number may be higher, as some landlords do not comply with registration regulations. By October, Corriere della Sera reported that there were approximately 40,000 Airbnb units in Rome, a city with a population of about 2.75 million people.
Rome’s rental crisis is tied to the upcoming Holy Year but is part of a broader issue in European cities, where protests over the impact of short-term rentals on housing markets have led to increased regulatory measures.
