When finding housing becomes a mental health issue Over 70% of Italians live in a state of absolute mental anxiety due to housing costs.
In a country like Italy, where the dream of owning a home often remains a mirage for younger generations, the search for affordable rent has transformed into a true test of emotional and financial endurance. Millions, between twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings, confront every day with the deep psychological burden of searching for and managing a home. A recent study conducted by HousingAnywhere, the leading continental platform for temporary rentals, reveals that 72.6% of Italian residents live with constant anxiety related to housing expenses, feeling trapped in a cycle of sacrifices that erodes daily serenity. This malaise is not abstract: it manifests in sleepless nights, forgoing dinners out or trips, and a widespread sense of precariousness that affects work and personal relationships.
The bigger the city, the more anxiety it creates
@gioelearreghini_ Replying to @Mariarita original sound - Gioele Arreghini
The problem worsens in metropolises, where the demand for housing far exceeds supply, inflating prices to unsustainable levels for most potential tenants. In Rome, for example, the average cost for a furnished apartment hovers around 2000 euros per month, a figure that exceeds by a third the typical wallet of aspiring tenants, stuck at about 1500 euros after subtracting other essential expenses. The same in Bologna, where average rents approach 1800 euros, while available budgets languish at 1400, forcing many into compromises like sharing cramped spaces or skipping meals. Milan, needless to say, has rents that soar beyond 1800 euros, against a maximum spending ceiling that for the average tenant does not exceed 1415. All these imbalances, documented in the Rent Gap Monitor for the second quarter of 2025, are not isolated but reflect a broader European trend.
Faced with this grip, young Italians try as they can to circumvent the market barriers. According to the report, a widespread tactic among those over 30 is that of simulating stable cohabitation, pretending to be together to appear more appealing to landlords. 17% of respondents admit to having resorted to this ploy, given that landlords prefer couples to single individuals or unstable groups of roommates. As Luca Contella, an expert in real estate dynamics for Southern Europe at HousingAnywhere, observes, this practice emerges from a context of fierce competition, where every detail counts to stand out in a sea of applications. Landlords, often wary of overly fluid profiles, see couples as a guarantee of punctual payments and care for the spaces, pushing aspiring tenants into a “survival performance.”
Escape from the metropolis
But not everyone opts for these tricks: many prefer seeking less “competitive” areas. 12% of respondents, after exhausting options in their dream city, opt for nearby areas that are more affordable. 10% of users look outside the city from the start or consider commuting. However, the vast majority remain anchored to a single location, fueling a vicious cycle of disappointments and delays. For Contella, geographic flexibility is a winning strategy both for the ease of finding housing and for lower prices. The same principle applies to suburbs or peripheral neighborhoods, as long as there are efficient transportation and essential services to maintain a high quality of life. In a landscape where Italy’s affordability sees provinces like Milan and Rome absorb up to 43% and 39% of net income in rent, these moves are driven more by survival than convenience.
These strategies emerge from a broader context outlined by a survey conducted by HousingAnywhere in June 2025. The platform interviewed 3,190 young Europeans aged between 18 and 34, who had rented accommodation through the service in the past six months or were still actively searching for a rental in Europe. In terms of age distribution, 18% were between 18 and 20 years old, 36% between 21 and 24, 30% between 25 and 29, and 15% between 30 and 34. Additionally, 63% of respondents had already found accommodation, while the remaining 37% were still searching. Users were primarily focused on housing solutions in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain, with a smaller presence from Belgium, France, Portugal, and other European countries; notably, more than 620 participants were seeking accommodation in Italy, regardless of their nationality.
In this context, for Italy, the path to balance remains fraught with obstacles, exacerbated by fragmented regulations and a housing supply that struggles to keep pace with urbanization. What is needed are structural interventions, such as strengthening tax incentives for ethical landlords and promoting transparent digital platforms, to break the rent gap cycle. In the meantime, young people continue to navigate these situations as best they can, even resorting to expedients. Because, ultimately, finding a home is not just about walls and roofs but about claiming a space to breathe, dream, and grow in an Italy that, despite everything, has not yet given up.
