E-bike or regular bike? Which one to choose for the city?

In Milan with the distances you've got and the traffic you often run into, an e-bike is definitely worth it if you're pedaling at least 3-4 times a week. Personally I don't have one yet because I just got into cycling, but I see a ton of colleagues in the lab using them and they tell me the financial payback is real - you spend less on gas and car maintenance, but obviously it depends on how much you actually use the bike.

The main difference is that with a regular one you're more independent but as soon as there's a hill or crazy heat (like right now in July) you end up completely exhausted before you get to the office. With an e-bike you arrive not sweaty, the motor helps you in the tough moments and for Milan where like the Navigli has some annoying slopes, it's convenient. The downside is the upfront cost - a decent one costs like 1500-2500 euros at least - and you gotta think about charging. If you live somewhere where you can charge it easily it's clearly simpler.

Honestly if the alternative is really the car, at least try renting one for a week and see how you like it. Maybe start with a normal bike to save money and then upgrade if you see that you're actually pedaling every day. Seems to me the city is full of people who have e-bikes and are really happy about it, but everyone's got their own needs. If you have dogs like you say in your profile, maybe it becomes an excuse to get them some exercise too, right?

it really depends on what areas you go to and how much you're willing to spend right away, because if you get a decent e-bike you're dropping at least 1500-2000 euros and that's a pretty big hit. what nobody tells you is that after the first 2-3 years the motor and battery start giving you problems, especially if it rains a lot and you don't maintain it properly, and repairs cost a lot. i personally see them abandoned around here sometimes because people spent so much and then don't take care of them. if you don't need to do long trips like over 7-8 km a normal bike with good gears is enough for you, you get some exercise too and you don't have breakdowns that wreck your budget.