The Household Budget Survey records all residing household expenditures to purchase goods and services to meet their needs; it is the main data source to describe, analyze and explain household spending behaviours. Started in 1968 the survey has been redesigned in 1997 in order to obtain an higher quality of information and the harmonization with the definitions and methodologies of the latest European directives. The survey has been further updated in 2014: as deep changes have been introduced in every stage of the process, no comparison can be made using data prior to 2014.

The survey allows to analyze the evolution of the household expenditure level and composition, according to household socio-demographic characteristics. The expenditures recorded include those for: food and drink, housing and domestic bills, furniture, clothing, shoes, health, transport, communication, leisure, education, culture, holidays and goods and services of a more occasional or exceptional nature. Any household monetary expenditure for a purpose other than consumption is excluded (for example, expenditures related to the payment of taxes or to professional occupation).

The Household Budget Survey is also the source of official estimates of relative and absolute poverty in Italy.