The Household Budget Survey records all residing household expenditures to purchase goods and services to meet their needs; it is the main data source to describe, analyze and explain household spending behaviours.
The survey allows to analyze the evolution of the household expenditure level and composition, according to household socio-demographic characteristics.
The expenditures recorded include those for: food and drink, housing and domestic bills, furniture, clothing, shoes, health, transport, communication, leisure, education, culture, holidays and goods and services of a more occasional or exceptional nature. Any household monetary expenditure for a purpose other than consumption is excluded (for example, expenditures related to the payment of taxes or to professional occupation).
The Household Budget Survey is also the source of official estimates of relative and absolute poverty in Italy.