Credit is considered a luxury in Italy, with loans and mortgages priced higher than the European norm. At the start of 2026, the average mortgage rate in Italy was 3.55%, compared to 3.06% in France, 2.49% in Spain, and a European average of 3.23%. The disparity is even more pronounced in consumer credit: personal loans in Italy are at 8.11%, which is significantly higher than the European average of 7.51%. In recent years, a European comparison of household lending trends has confirmed that the cost of credit varies significantly between Italy and the rest of the Eurozone. From Spain to Finland, including the primary European markets, Italy consistently positions among the countries with mortgage rates exceeding the 3% threshold and a significant mismatch in consumer credit, with an average rate that consistently exceeds 8%. With an average interest rate of 3.55% at the start of the year, the cost of financing for Italian families purchasing a home remained higher than in France, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Finland, and the Netherlands.