Business · Economy · 20 hrs ago
Italian household spending fell 8.7% in real terms from 2019 to 2025
Italian households spent an average of €2,782 a month on consumption in 2025, up from €2,560 in 2019.
But after adjusting for inflation, their spending was 8.7% lower, equivalent to about €224 less per household each month.
The figures come from Italy’s statistics agency, as cited by the Centre for Training and Research on Consumption.
Price rises linked to the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis have continued to affect household budgets.
The biggest real spending drop was in Puglia, at 18.7%, while spending rose in real terms in regions including Umbria and the Marche.
Many families have cut back: one in three reduced spending on food and drinks, while 44% cut clothing purchases.
The figures show that higher nominal spending has not meant households can buy as much as before.
Italian household spending fell 8.7% in real terms between 2019 and 2025, according to the Consumption Research and Training Centre (Crc).
The decline was equivalent to about €224 per household per month.
Average nominal monthly household spending rose from €2,560 in 2019 to €2,782 in 2025, but prices also increased.
Puglia recorded the largest fall in real spending, while Umbria had the largest increase.
The Crc cited Istat data showing that many families cut spending on food, clothing, personal care and health, or changed their travel habits.
- Who
- Italian households.
- What
- Real household spending fell 8.7% between 2019 and 2025, equivalent to about €224 per household per month.
- When
- From 2019 to 2025.
- Where
- Italy; regional changes varied.
- Why
- Price increases meant households could buy less with their spending. The Crc linked the increases to the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The sharp increase in retail prices in recent years has produced a paradoxical situation: Italians spend more to buy less.
Istat confirms this: in the past year, one family in three reduced spending on food and drink, 44% cut spending on clothing, 38.2% cut purchases for personal care, 25.4% cut health spending, while almost half of families (45% of the total) changed their travel habits.
Average monthly household spending was €2,560 in nominal terms.
Average monthly household spending was €2,782 in nominal terms, while real spending was 8.7% lower than in 2019.
- Real spending change
- Down 8.7% from 2019 to 2025
- Monthly real spending difference
- About €224 per household
- Nominal monthly spending, 2019
- €2,560
- Nominal monthly spending, 2025
- €2,782
- Largest regional decrease
- Puglia, down 18.7%
- Largest regional increase
- Umbria, up 9.9%
Sources
Related news
Italy-Germany bond spread opens lower at 107.6 points
Vela Equity Partners acquires environmental services firm Ecologica Piemontese
European gas futures rise above €82 per megawatt-hour
Fiat reveals concept car that switches from family vehicle to pickup
Fiat plans electric car under €15,000 and expands its market reach by 2030
Italian airlines urge aviation authority to block Emirates Milan-Lima route
Bologna event to examine how companies can benefit from a multigenerational workforce
Italian automation firm plans to pass skills from senior staff to younger workers
Companies explore ways to help younger and older workers thrive together
Veneto wages lost 13.9% of purchasing power over a decade
Buying back university years does not always bring an earlier pension
