Moving To Milan in November

Hi,

My girlfriend and I and are moving to Milan on the first weekend of November. We will be flying on the 2nd and start new jobs on the 4th so need to hit the ground running! I was wondering whether anyone would be able to answer a few questions i have as finding relevant information online has been difficult. Apologies if i'm repeating questions that can be found elsewhere and if there are any good resources for this i'd appreciate any links.

Bank Accounts
HSBC offer to set up an international account for a £100 charge, but this seems expensive. I'm assuming account set up is free once i arrive? Are there any banks that offer favourable rates on transferring currency?

Mobile Phones.

Are there any good pay as you go deals that offer minutes and data?

Renting

Is rent tax deductable? Some sites said it was but i can't seem to find a definitive answer. We have accomodation for the first few months then were hoping to find somewhere in the Navigli district. Will a budget of € Protected content able to get us a reasonable 1 bed apartment?

Thanks in advance for any help!