Household consumption expenditure

In 2018, the estimate of mean monthly consumption expenditure for households residing in Italy was 2,571 euros in current values, substantially unchanged to 2017 (+0.3%), when it grew by 1.6% compared to 2016. Household consumption expenditure was still far from 2011 levels (2,640 euros per month), followed by two years of strong shrinkage.

Considering inflation dynamics (+1.2% the change in the consumer price index for the whole nation, NIC), consumption expenditure decreased by 0.9% in real terms, showing a shrinkage for the first time after slightly positive dynamics between 2014 and 2017.

Since consumption expenditure distribution is asymmetric and mainly concentrated in medium-low expenditure levels, the greatest part of households spent less than the average. The median value is the level of consumption expenditure that equally divides households into two parts, and 50% of households residing in Italy spent in 2018 about 2,153 euros, unchanged to the previous year (2,154 euros).

As in the past, the highest expenditure levels, were observed in the North west area (2,866 euros), in the North east (2,783) and in the Centre (2,723 euros); the lowest levels, in the South (2,087) and in the Islands (2,068 euros).

Household consumption expenditure structure remained substantially unchanged to 2017: the share of expenditure on housing was still the most important (35.1% out of total expenditure), followed by expenditures on Food and non-alcoholic beverages (18.0%) and on Transport (11.4%).

Household expenditure on Food and non-alcoholic beverages was 462 euros per month, without significant differences compared to 2017 (457 euros). In particular, expenditure increased on meat (98 euros per month, +4.0% to 2017), fish and seafood (41 euros per month, +3.4%) and on coffee, tea and cocoa (15 euros, +5.0%). Only expenditure on sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery significantly decreased (19 euros per month, -2.6% to 2017).

Household monthly expenditure on non-food was 2,110 euros, remaining stable to 2017 (2,107 euros). As for Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, minor and major maintenance and repair, the expenditure remained unchanged to the previous year (exception made for the North east, where it decreased by 3.5%) and was equal to 903 euros (35.1% of the total), of which 589 euros for imputed rentals.