The cost of living continues to weigh heavily on Italian household budgets. Istat has released territorial inflation data for August, processed by the National Consumers Union to compile its traditional ranking of the cities and regions experiencing the sharpest price hikes and the best opportunities for savings.

Taking the top step of the podium for the most expensive city is Rimini: with a headline inflation rate of 3.9%, it records the highest additional annual expenditure in Italy, costing the average family an extra 1,128 euros. Bolzano claims the silver medal (+3.6% and an extra 1,094 euros per family), followed by Verona with 1,055 euros in supplementary expenses. Just outside the podium are Pistoia (1,041 euros) and Syracuse, which boasts the country's second-highest inflation rate (+4.5%) and a financial sting of 1,039 euros. On the flip side, Italy’s most budget-friendly city is Benevento, where the annual increase stops at a "mere" 547 euros, followed by Grosseto (563 euros) and Brindisi (574 euros).

Analyzing regional figures, Trentino-Alto Adige holds the negative record with an average price surge of 976 euros (+3.3%), closely followed by Friuli Venezia Giulia (955 euros) and Veneto (920 euros). Meanwhile, Basilicata confirms its status as Italy's most virtuous region, keeping the economic impact limited to 650 euros.