by Guisela Chiarella
Residents of Friuli Venezia Giulia are feeling the squeeze as inflation continues to outpace wages, eroding household purchasing power in one of Italy’s historically prosperous regions. According to the 2025 Geography Index report by JobPricing, the region has seen a 13.6 percent decline in purchasing power between 2015 and 2024.
While Italy’s overall inflation surged 20.8 percent over the past decade, wages grew by only 9.5 percent, leaving families with less disposable income despite a tightening labor market. Friuli Venezia Giulia’s average gross annual salary in 2024 was €32,071, slightly below the national average of €32,402.
The JobPricing report highlights that even as wages began to rise more sharply from 2022—driven by low unemployment and rising living costs—the gains have not been enough to offset soaring prices. Analysts note that the region, long celebrated as an economic powerhouse, now faces a realignment of household finances.
Compared with neighboring Veneto, where purchasing power fell 16.5 percent, Friuli Venezia Giulia has fared slightly better but still remains below the national average. Regions such as Trentino-Alto Adige have managed to keep pace with inflation thanks to higher salary growth, illustrating the uneven impact of Italy’s economic pressures.
The findings underscore a broader challenge for Friuli Venezia Giulia: how to protect residents’ earnings and maintain economic stability in the face of persistent inflation. For a region that has prided itself on being a northern economic engine, the decline in purchasing power signals a shift that could reshape both policy priorities and daily life.
