Cagliari is the Italian metropolitan city where dependence on the private car costs families the most , with an average of 1,078 euros more in twelve months , almost double the national average of around 600 euros.
The data comes from a new study by Clean Cities , the European coalition of over 130 NGOs and associations working towards zero-emission urban mobility by 2035. The research quantifies the cost of car dependence in large Italian urban areas , comparing data on public transport availability and car use, fuel sales volumes recorded by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), vehicle fleets registered by the Automobile Club of Italy (ACI), and variations in pump prices. The results highlight two components of the problem: a structural extra cost , linked to the lack of public transport alternatives comparable to the European average, and a cyclical extra cost , determined by oil price shocks and geopolitical crises. These two factors combine to transform car dependence into an economic burden for families.
THE DATA – Thirteen metropolitan cities were analyzed with a quantification of what the promoters call the "Local Oil Tax," a cost that isn't included among the expenses for essential services but weighs heavily on household budgets and arises from the obligation to use the car where public transportation offers no adequate alternatives. In total, in the areas considered, the figure approaches 5 billion euros over twelve months.
According to the study, two factors are particularly significant in Cagliari: the low population density of the metropolitan area and the lack of alternatives to the car. Where buses, trains, and other transportation options are lacking, people rely on cars to get to work, school, or the doctor, and so the rising fuel prices end up directly in families' pockets .
The South of the country remains the hardest hit overall: Cagliari is followed by Reggio Calabria with €800 per family and Bari with €677. In Milan, the average is €508. In absolute terms, Rome takes the lead, with €1.14 billion.
HORMUZ EFFECT – The crisis linked to the Strait of Hormuz is also driving up the bill, according to the study. Between March and September 2026, soaring pump prices, combined with car reliance, generated €3.15 billion in extra costs in the cities analyzed: an average of €381 per family . This "Hormuz tax" accounts for just over a quarter of the total. The remainder is a structural cost, which families pay even without international crises.
STIFF DEMAND – In metropolitan areas, however, giving up the car is almost impossible: while fuel prices have risen by 19.9%, consumption has fallen by just 0.35% . Those affected by the price increase, the study emphasizes, often have no way to avoid it.
"The real fuel tax isn't just the one we see at the pump: it's also the one we pay when we have no alternative to driving," says Claudio Magliulo, director of Clean Cities Italy. "Investing in buses, trams, subways, and railways doesn't just reduce emissions: it lowers the cost of living and makes families less exposed to oil price shocks."
(Unioneonline)