Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Italy Property Pack
Yes, the analysis of Lake Como's property market is included in our pack
Lake Como is one of Italy's most sought-after destinations for property investors, combining stunning alpine scenery with strong rental demand from tourists and expats alike.
This guide covers everything a foreign investor needs to know about renting out residential property in Lake Como in 2026, from legal requirements to realistic yield expectations.
We constantly update this blog post to reflect the latest regulations, market data, and rental trends in the Lake Como area.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Lake Como.
Insights
- Bellagio commands nearly double the nightly rate of Como city, with AirDNA showing around $409 versus $213 ADR, making location the single biggest revenue driver in Lake Como short-term rentals.
- Como province's implied gross yield of roughly 6.7% beats Como city's 5.6% because property prices drop faster than rents when you move away from the iconic lakefront.
- The new CIN national identification code became mandatory on January 1, 2025, and all Lake Como short-term rentals must now display it on listings and at the property entrance.
- Furnished rentals in Lake Como typically rent 2 to 4 weeks faster than unfurnished ones, particularly among expats and mid-term tenants testing the area before relocating.
- Short-term rental occupancy in Lake Como hovers around 56% to 61% annually, but summer months can push well above 80% while winter drops significantly.
- IMU property tax varies by municipality around Lake Como, so a property in Cernobbio may carry different annual costs than one in Bellagio or Como city.
- The cedolare secca flat tax remains at 21% for your first rental property in 2026, but rises to 26% for any additional properties you rent out in Italy.
- Lake Como's Como city rents average around 14.70 euros per square meter monthly, while the premium Centro area commands closer to 16.80 euros per square meter.
- Over 80% of luxury property buyers in Lake Como come from abroad, particularly from the USA, UK, Germany, and Switzerland, which also fuels strong rental demand in premium segments.
Can I legally rent out a property in Lake Como as a foreigner right now?
Can a foreigner own-and-rent a residential property in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, most foreigners can legally buy and rent out residential property in Lake Como, though non-EU citizens may face a reciprocity check based on Article 16 of Italy's civil code preliminary provisions.
The most common ownership structure for foreigners in Lake Como is direct personal ownership, though some investors use Italian companies for larger portfolios or estate planning purposes.
The main restriction non-EU buyers may encounter is the reciprocity principle, which requires Italy to verify that Italians would have similar property rights in the buyer's home country before approving the purchase.
If you're not a local, you might want to read our guide to foreign property ownership in Lake Como.
Do I need residency to rent out in Lake Como right now?
No, you do not need Italian residency to rent out a property in Lake Como, and many foreign owners successfully operate their rentals remotely from abroad.
However, you will almost always need an Italian tax identification number called a codice fiscale to register lease contracts and interact with the Agenzia delle Entrate (Italy's tax authority).
A local Italian bank account is not legally required, but it is strongly practical because tenants and platforms pay most easily via SEPA transfers and you will need to pay IMU taxes and local fees reliably.
Remote management is entirely feasible in Lake Como, with many non-resident owners using local property managers, digital lease registration, and outsourced cleaning services to handle day-to-day operations.
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What rental strategy makes the most money in Lake Como in 2026?
Is long-term renting more profitable than short-term in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, short-term renting generally produces higher gross revenue in Lake Como's tourist hotspots like Bellagio and Varenna, while long-term renting offers more stable and predictable income in Como city and the Lecco commuter belt.
A well-managed short-term rental in a premium location like Bellagio might generate 15,000 to 25,000 euros more annually than a comparable long-term rental, though operating costs and vacancy risk also run higher.
Properties with direct lake views, easy ferry access, and photogenic appeal in towns like Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio tend to strongly favor short-term renting over long-term because tourists will pay premium nightly rates for the experience.
What's the average gross rental yield in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average gross rental yield for residential properties in Lake Como ranges from approximately 3.5% to 6.5%, with the spread driven mainly by purchase price and micro-location.
Realistic gross yields range from around 3.5% for expensive lakefront villas in Bellagio to roughly 6.7% for more affordable apartments in the broader Como province away from the postcard-famous shores.
Smaller apartments and studios in well-connected but less glamorous locations typically achieve the highest gross rental yields in Lake Como because purchase prices stay reasonable while rents remain supported by steady local demand.
By the way, we have much more granular data about rental yields in our property pack about Lake Como.
What's the realistic net rental yield after costs in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average net rental yield after all costs for residential properties in Lake Como falls between approximately 2.8% and 4.5% for long-term rentals, and 3.5% to 7% for well-managed short-term rentals.
Most landlords in Lake Como realistically experience net yields in the 3% to 5% range, with the exact figure depending heavily on whether they self-manage or hire professional property management.
The three main cost categories that reduce gross yield to net yield in Lake Como are IMU property tax (which varies by municipality and hits non-primary residences), property management and maintenance for older lake-facing buildings, and vacancy or turnover costs that spike during the off-season winter months.
You might want to check our latest analysis about gross and net rental yields in Lake Como.
What monthly rent can I get in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, typical monthly rents in Lake Como run approximately 450 to 950 euros (roughly $470 to $990 or 430 to 900 euros) for a studio, 650 to 1,500 euros ($680 to $1,560) for a one-bedroom, and 900 to 2,200 euros ($940 to $2,290) for a two-bedroom apartment.
A realistic entry-level monthly rent for a decent studio in Lake Como starts around 450 to 600 euros ($470 to $625), typically found in inland areas or older buildings slightly away from the lakefront.
A typical mid-range one-bedroom apartment in Lake Como rents for approximately 800 to 1,200 euros ($835 to $1,250) per month, with furnished units and those closer to ferry stops or train stations commanding the higher end.
A typical two-bedroom apartment in a good Lake Como location rents for approximately 1,100 to 1,800 euros ($1,150 to $1,875) per month, with premium lakefront views or central Como locations pushing toward 2,000 euros or above.
If you want to know more about this topic, you can read our guide about rents and rental incomes in Lake Como.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Italy versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
What are the real numbers I should budget for renting out in Lake Como in 2026?
What's the total "all-in" monthly cost to hold a rental in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, the total all-in monthly cost to hold and maintain a typical rental property in Lake Como ranges from approximately 200 to 600 euros ($210 to $625) for a long-term rental, and 400 to 1,000 euros ($415 to $1,040) for a short-term rental including management fees.
A realistic low-to-high monthly cost range for most standard Lake Como rental properties is 250 to 500 euros ($260 to $520) when you factor in IMU, condo fees, insurance, maintenance reserves, and occasional repairs.
The single largest contributor to monthly holding costs in Lake Como is typically IMU property tax for non-primary residences, which varies significantly by municipality and can represent 40% to 50% of your total annual fixed costs.
You want to go into more details? Check our list of property taxes and fees you have to pay when buying a property in Lake Como.
What's the typical vacancy rate in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, the typical vacancy rate for long-term rentals in Lake Como is approximately 8% to 15% annually, while short-term rentals see occupancy rates of around 56% to 61% depending on location.
A landlord in Lake Como should realistically budget for 1 to 2 months of vacancy per year on long-term rentals, accounting for tenant turnover, seasonal demand fluctuations, and the time needed to find quality tenants in less central locations.
The main factor that causes vacancy rates to differ across Lake Como neighborhoods is proximity to transportation and employment centers, with Como city and areas near train stations enjoying faster tenant placement than remote hillside villages.
The highest tenant turnover and vacancy in Lake Como typically occurs in late summer and early autumn when academic-year leases end and before winter demand drops, making September through November the most challenging months for filling long-term rentals.
We have a whole part covering the best rental strategies in our pack about buying a property in Lake Como.
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Where do rentals perform best in Lake Como in 2026?
Which neighborhoods have the highest long-term demand in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, the top three neighborhoods with the highest overall long-term rental demand in Lake Como are Como Centro Storico and Lungolago, Como Borghi near the train station, and Lecco city center, all of which offer strong transport links and year-round services.
Families looking for long-term rentals in Lake Como gravitate toward Como's Albate and Lora neighborhoods, as well as quieter residential areas in Tremezzina and Lenno where schools and green spaces are more accessible.
Students seeking rentals in Lake Como focus on areas around Como Borghi with good bus and train access, and especially the Germanedo and Pescarenico neighborhoods in Lecco near the Politecnico campus.
Expats and international professionals tend to cluster in the premium lakefront belt including Cernobbio, Moltrasio, and Laglio, where the combination of lake lifestyle, proximity to Como, and easy routes toward Switzerland creates strong demand.
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing what are the current best areas to invest in property in Lake Como.
Which neighborhoods have the best yield in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, the top three neighborhoods with the best rental yields in Lake Como are Como city outside the most expensive lakefront strips, well-connected inland towns in Como province, and the Lecco side of the lake where purchase prices stay lower relative to rents.
These top-yielding neighborhoods in Lake Como typically offer gross rental yields in the 5% to 7% range, compared to 3% to 4% in the most prestigious but expensive lakefront locations.
The main characteristic that allows these neighborhoods to achieve higher yields is that property prices drop significantly faster than rents when you move away from the iconic lake views, meaning you pay less upfront while collecting comparable rental income from local workers and commuters.
We cover a lot of neighborhoods and provide a lot of updated data in our pack about real estate in Lake Como.
Where do tenants pay the highest rents in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, the top three neighborhoods where tenants pay the highest rents in Lake Como are Como Centro and the Lungolago lakefront, Bellagio, and Cernobbio, where monthly rents can reach 17 to 20 euros per square meter ($18 to $21).
A standard two-bedroom apartment in these premium Lake Como neighborhoods typically rents for 1,500 to 2,500 euros ($1,565 to $2,605) per month, with exceptional lake-view properties pushing even higher.
The main characteristic that makes these neighborhoods command the highest rents is their combination of direct lake access, historic village charm, and walkability to ferry terminals and upscale restaurants, which creates a lifestyle premium that tenants willingly pay for.
The typical tenant profile in these highest-rent Lake Como neighborhoods includes wealthy expats seeking a second home base, remote-working professionals from Northern Europe and the US, and Italian executives who commute to Milan but want lakeside living.
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Italy. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
What do tenants actually want in Lake Como in 2026?
What features increase rent the most in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, the top three property features that increase monthly rent the most in Lake Como are lake views with a terrace or balcony, walkability to ferry stops and train stations, and reliable modern heating with good insulation in the older stone buildings common around the lake.
A genuine lake view with outdoor space can add a rent premium of 15% to 30% in Lake Como, making it by far the most valuable single feature for landlords in this market.
One commonly overrated feature that landlords invest in but tenants do not pay much extra for in Lake Como is high-end designer kitchens, since most renters prioritize location and views over luxury interior finishes that add significant renovation cost.
One affordable upgrade that provides strong return on investment for Lake Como landlords is installing reliable high-speed internet and a modern heating system, since remote workers and expats consider these non-negotiable and will pay more for comfort in the cooler months.
Do furnished rentals rent faster in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, furnished apartments in Lake Como typically rent 2 to 4 weeks faster than unfurnished ones, particularly among expats, mid-term renters, and professionals testing the area before a longer commitment.
Furnished rentals in Lake Como command a rent premium of approximately 10% to 20% over comparable unfurnished units, which usually covers the furniture investment within the first two years of renting.
Get to know the market before you buy a property in Lake Como
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How regulated is long-term renting in Lake Como right now?
Can I freely set rent prices in Lake Como right now?
In Lake Como, landlords can generally set initial rent prices freely when using the standard "free market" contract format, with no government-mandated caps on what you can charge a new tenant.
However, if you choose the cedolare secca flat tax regime (21% on your first property, 26% on additional ones), you give up the right to apply ISTAT inflation-linked rent increases during the tenancy, which is a meaningful trade-off in an inflationary environment.
What's the standard lease length in Lake Como right now?
The standard residential lease length in Lake Como is 4 years with an automatic 4-year renewal (known as "4+4"), as established by Italy's Law 431/1998, giving tenants significant long-term security.
The maximum security deposit a landlord can legally require in Lake Como is three months' rent under Law 392/1978, which typically amounts to 1,500 to 4,500 euros ($1,565 to $4,690) depending on the property.
Italian law requires landlords to return the security deposit at the end of a tenancy minus any legitimate deductions for damages or unpaid rent, though the exact timeline is not strictly defined and disputes can take months to resolve.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Italy compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
How does short-term renting really work in Lake Como in 2026?
Is Airbnb legal in Lake Como right now?
Yes, Airbnb-style short-term rentals are legal in Lake Como, but they require full compliance with Italy's national CIN registration system and regional CIR codes before you can legally advertise or accept guests.
To operate a short-term rental in Lake Como, you must obtain a CIN (National Identification Code) through the Ministry of Tourism's BDSR portal, which became mandatory on January 1, 2025, and display it on all listings and at the property entrance.
There is no single nationwide annual night limit for Lake Como specifically, but landlords should check their local municipality and condominium rules, as some buildings restrict short-term lets and regulations continue to evolve.
The most common penalty for operating an unlicensed or non-compliant short-term rental in Lake Como includes fines of up to 8,000 euros and removal of listings from platforms, with enforcement becoming stricter since the CIN system launched.
By the way, we also have a blog article detailing whether owning an Airbnb rental is profitable in Lake Como.
What's the average short-term occupancy in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average annual occupancy rate for short-term rentals in Lake Como is approximately 56% to 61%, with Como city at the lower end and premium tourist towns like Bellagio at the higher end.
Realistic occupancy rates across Lake Como short-term rentals range from around 45% for less optimized listings in secondary locations to 70% or higher for top-performing properties with lake views and excellent reviews.
The highest occupancy rates for short-term rentals in Lake Como occur from May through September, with July and August often exceeding 80% occupancy as European and American tourists flood the lake for summer holidays.
The lowest occupancy rates for Lake Como short-term rentals fall in November through February, when cold weather and limited tourism activity can push occupancy below 30% for properties without winter appeal like proximity to ski areas or cozy heating.
Finally, please note that you can find much more granular data about this topic in our property pack about Lake Como.
What's the average nightly rate in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average nightly rate for short-term rentals in Lake Como is approximately 180 to 220 euros ($190 to $230) in Como city and 350 to 420 euros ($365 to $440) in premium locations like Bellagio.
A realistic low-to-high nightly rate range that covers most Lake Como short-term rental listings runs from around 100 euros ($105) for basic inland apartments to over 500 euros ($520) for luxury lakefront villas with views and amenities.
The typical nightly rate difference between peak summer season (July to August) and off-season (November to February) in Lake Como is approximately 40% to 60%, meaning a property earning 300 euros per night in August might drop to 120 to 180 euros in January.
Is short-term rental supply saturated in Lake Como in 2026?
As of early 2026, the Lake Como short-term rental market is competitive but not fully saturated, with saturation pressure highest in iconic tourist towns and more opportunity remaining in Como city and lesser-known villages.
The number of active short-term rental listings in Lake Como has been growing steadily, with AirDNA tracking over 2,200 properties in Como and around 600 in Bellagio alone, though the new CIN compliance requirements may slow new entrants.
The most oversaturated neighborhoods for short-term rentals in Lake Como are Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio, where hundreds of listings compete for the same pool of tourists seeking the classic lakefront experience.
Neighborhoods in Lake Como that still have room for new short-term rental supply include the northern lake areas around Colico and Domaso, the Lecco side of the lake, and well-connected but less famous villages that offer authenticity without the tourist crowds.
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What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Lake Como, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can ... and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why it's authoritative | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAECI) | Italy's official source for reciprocity rules affecting foreign buyers. | We used it to explain when non-EU buyers face reciprocity checks. We also used it to show where the rule is interpreted in practice. |
| Agenzia delle Entrate - Cedolare Secca | Italy's tax authority explaining the flat-tax option landlords use. | We used it to describe the common landlord tax regime and its trade-offs. We then reflected this in realistic net-yield assumptions. |
| Immobiliare.it - Como Market | One of Italy's largest property portals with transparent market data. | We used it for recent rent and sale prices to compute gross yield estimates. We cross-checked those figures against other datasets. |
| Idealista - Como Province Rents | Publishes repeatable price indices with a stated methodology. | We used it as an independent cross-check on portal rent levels. We used it to widen or tighten our rent ranges when sources differed. |
| AirDNA - Como STR Dashboard | Widely used STR analytics provider built on Airbnb and Vrbo data. | We used it for occupancy, ADR, and revenue benchmarks for Como short-term rentals. We translated that into seasonality and saturation analysis. |
| AirDNA - Bellagio STR Dashboard | Provides comparable metrics for Lake Como's premium tourist market. | We used it to show how a top lake town differs from Como city. We discussed when STR can beat long-term renting in Lake Como. |
| Normattiva - Law 431/1998 | The official Italian legal publication platform for laws in force. | We used it to state the default 4+4 residential lease framework. We explained what this means for investor flexibility. |
| Italian Ministry of Tourism - BDSR/CIN | The official national framework for short-term rental identification. | We used it to explain that short-term rentals need a CIN code. We listed what you must do before listing on platforms like Airbnb. |
| Polizia di Stato - Alloggiati Web | The official police portal for mandatory guest registration in Italy. | We used it to describe the legal obligation to report guests. We translated it into a practical workflow for remote landlords. |
| Italian Ministry of Economy - IMU Framework | The official framework governing how municipalities set IMU rates. | We used it to explain why IMU varies by comune around Lake Como. We modeled IMU as a range in monthly holding cost estimates. |
| The Local Italy | Provides current English-language coverage of Italian regulations. | We used it to verify the latest 2026 rule changes for short-term rentals. We incorporated updates on tax rates and compliance requirements. |
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in Italy. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
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