Household budget gets heavier and heavier

"The Italian real estate market presents a significant mismatch between housing supply and the economic capabilities and preferences of young people and families, both for buying and renting. One of the most relevant aspects of the problem is the relationship between the cost of real estate and wages,' the research states.

In the North, for example, a couple under 35 with an income of EUR 3,000 per month would spend 33% of it on the mortgage for an 80 square metre flat in the suburbs of Milan (EUR 1,000 per month). In the South, the situation appears slightly more sustainable: a family with two salaries (EUR 2,200 per month) spends 23% on rent for a 100 square metre flat in Palermo (EUR 500 per month).

Although metropolitan areas are the most attractive to young people looking for housing, attracted by the greater concentration of job opportunities, the costs are often prohibitive. In Lazio, for example, living in Rome costs 140% more than the regional average, in Lombardy the gap between region and metropolitan area rises to 250%, while in Apulia the difference is 42%.

Moreover, a significant part of Italy's real estate stock consists of large houses, often not in line with the current needs of buyers, who tend to prefer more compact, efficient and manageable solutions.

In Italy, wealth is increasingly concentrated in the hands of the older generations: Baby Boomers (born between the post-war years and the early 1960s) own on average more than 360,000 euro per family, while Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) about 300,000 euro; in contrast, Millennial and Gen Z families (born between 1981 and '96, and 1997 and 2012 respectively) have only 150,000 euro. In a context marked by falling birth rates, and the consequent shrinking pool of heirs, wealth may be increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few.

This phenomenon amplifies inequalities, in a housing market now dominated by the over-65s, making it difficult for young people who have lower salaries and less stable working conditions to buy a house and struggle to achieve economic independence.

Not surprisingly, Italians leave the parental home around the age of 30, later than the European average.

"In-depth data analysis is essential for understanding the dynamics of the housing sector and identifying solutions to make access to housing more equitable. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning makes it possible to monitor critical issues in the market, highlighting territorial disparities and gaps between incomes and housing costs, providing a solid basis for more effective and targeted policies," explain Nicola Chiarini and Francesco Braggiotti of Datasinc. Datasinc is a start-up specialising in massive collection and analysis of Italian real estate data; massive collection and analysis of judicial credit procedural data; and document digitisation.

Housing is therefore becoming more and more expensive and its weight on the family budget is increasing. But in which regions, as far as Italy is concerned, does one spend more to maintain the family dwelling?

Centro Studi Gromia's observatory sheds light on the monthly costs of living in Italy. Here they are.

For Italian families, housing remains the most expensive expense, and 2025 is no exception: rising costs could weigh in at more than €900 more per year, eroding savings and affecting the lifestyles of millions of people. In order to shed light on this trend, the first observatory of the new Study Centre of Gromia _ a real estate brokerage platform _ has analysed the trend of rents, mortgages and bills throughout 2024, processing the data collected from the main sources in the sector (Idealista, MutuiOnline.it, Facile.it, Mutui.it and Cittadinanza Attiva) and translating them into a detailed picture of average monthly house costs. It emerges that Lombardy is the most expensive region for rents, Trentino Alto Adige has the highest mortgage payments and Veneto has the highest average expenditure for utilities (light, gas and Tari).

Thus, in Lombardy, those who choose to rent are faced with the highest rent in Italy, with an average of 1,544 euro (calculated on 80 square metres). If we add utility bills, the total monthly expenditure rises to 1,765.67 euro, making it one of the highest nationwide. On the other hand, those who bought a house with a mortgage spend a total of 856.30 euro per month (instalment plus bills), again placing them among the regions with the highest costs per homeowner.

Moving to Trentino-Alto Adige, we find the most expensive mortgage instalment in Italy, with an average of 821.13 euro. The rent, although high (1,128 euro), is lower than in Lombardy. The total monthly expenditure, including bills, is 1,339.92 euro for renters and 1,033.05 euro for homeowners, values that place the region among the most expensive.

In Veneto, families living in rented accommodation have to budget an average monthly expenditure of 1,210.08 euro, resulting from the sum of the rental fee of 984 euro and the utilities, which in this region reach the highest figure at national level, equal to 226.08 euro. Those who, on the other hand, have chosen to buy a house with a mortgage, spend an average of 817.10 euro per month, considering both the mortgage instalment of 591.02 euro and the utilities.

In Emilia-Romagna, the monthly cost for those who live in rented accommodation rises to 1,367.75 euro, with an average rent of 1,144 euro and utilities amounting to 223.75 euro. Homeowners with a mortgage, on the other hand, spend an average of 795.92 euro per month, adding the instalment of 572.17 euro to the utilities.

Finally, in Lazio, those who live in a rented house spend an average of 1,261.58 euro per month, with a rent of 1,080 euro and utilities of 181.58 euro. For those who bought a house with a mortgage, the monthly expenditure is 812.97 euro, resulting from the sum of the instalment of 631.39 euro and utilities.

In contrast, Molise, Calabria, Sicily, Umbria and Abruzzo are the least expensive. Molise stands out as the cheapest region overall: those who choose to live in rented accommodation can count on average rents of only 544 euro per month, the lowest in Italy. To this figure must be added utilities, which remain among the lowest in Italy with an average monthly value of EUR 197.42, bringing the total monthly expenditure to EUR 748.92.

In Calabria, average mortgage repayments are the lowest in the country at EUR 449.19 per month. To this figure must be added utilities, which are among the cheapest in Italy, with an average of EUR 178.08 per month, for a total expenditure of EUR 627.27. Even those living in rented accommodation can benefit from low costs, with average rents of 656 euro and a total monthly expenditure of 834.08 euro (rent plus utilities).

In Sicily, households living in rented accommodation face a total monthly expenditure of EUR 792.67. This figure is the result of the combination of the average rent of 616 euro and utilities, which in Sicily amount to 176.67 euro. Those who, on the other hand, have chosen to buy a house through a mortgage, incur monthly expenses of 676.22 euro (average mortgage instalment of 499.55 euro + utilities).

In Umbria, families living in rented accommodation face a total monthly expense of 807.17 euro, combining the average rent of 600 euro with utilities, which amount to 207.17 euro. Those who chose to buy a house with a mortgage, on the other hand, spend 701.05 euro a month, resulting from the sum of the average mortgage instalment of 493.88 euro and utilities.

In Abruzzo, the total monthly expenditure for those living in a rented house is 837.50 euro, with an average rent of 640 euro and utilities of 197.50 euro. Those who bought a house with a mortgage spend 673.06 euro per month, considering both the average mortgage payment of 475.56 euro and the utilities.