Sardinian families' loan-taking habits are visibly changing, influenced by a continuing high cost of living, but also by the small relief provided by falling interest rates. Between the decrease in average amounts requested for personal loans, the preference for slightly shorter repayment periods, and the increasingly widespread need for immediate liquidity or to consolidate old debts into a single payment, the picture outlined in the new report from Segugio.it's Financing Observatory, updated at the end of October 2026, tells the story of a very careful and prudent region, where people strive to manage credit with great moderation to avoid overburdening the family budget.
After a summer marked by rising costs, October brought signs of recovery for those seeking personal loans. Data shows that the average APR for applications granted fell to 8.32 percent, an improvement from the 8.45 percent recorded in the third quarter of the year . This reduction brings overall conditions back to levels very similar to those at the beginning of the year, confirming that the market is finally stabilizing after the fluctuations of recent months.
The factor that continues to make the greatest difference for banks and financial companies, however, remains the type of job applicants hold. Looking at the payroll loan sector, where job security is strongest, different trends emerge depending on the applicant's profile: for private sector workers, the average rate increased slightly, rising from 7.09 to 7.16 percent, while for pensioners, the downward trend continued, with the rate settling at 7.49 percent .
The most advantageous conditions continue to be reserved for public and state employees, for whom the average interest rate in October dropped to 5.33 percent , the lowest level recorded in the last year. The financial difference between the various options is significant and significantly impacts the total amount to be repaid: as Matteo Favaro, head of the financial products department at Segugio.it, explains, a public employee who applies for a €10,000 loan to be repaid over seven years by choosing a salary-secured loan, compared to a standard personal loan with an interest rate of 8.32 percent, manages to save more than €1,200 in final interest alone .
Looking at the data directly related to Sardinia, the use of personal loans clearly demonstrates the cautious attitude faced by residents. Comparing the first ten months of 2026 with the same period of the previous year, the average amount requested on the island decreased by 4.5 percent, from €12,903 to €12,318. Along with the amount, the expected time to repay the debt also decreased, from 5 years and 9 months to 5 years and 6 months, while the average age of people requesting financing decreased slightly, settling at around 45 years and 7 months.
Looking at the reasons for applying for a loan, nearly one in three requests, equal to 31.9 percent of the regional total, is for simple liquidity, that is, to have cash to cover unexpected current expenses or manage everyday needs. The second most common reason is the purchase of a used car, which accounts for 20.8 percent of total requests, with an average loan amount of €11,954.
Debt consolidation represents a significant socially significant figure, accounting for 18.5 percent of all requests . This is the preferred option for those with multiple existing loans and preferring to consolidate them into a single, easier-to-manage monthly payment. For this type of loan, the highest amounts requested are available, averaging €18,273, with very long repayment plans averaging six years and ten months. Conversely, travel and vacations represent the lowest percentage of requests, both in terms of number of requests and amount received, averaging €4,595.
Regarding salary-backed or pension-backed loans, Sardinia continues a largely stable trend, with the average requested amount rising slightly by 0.8 percent to €22,595. Public sector employees lead the ranking of the largest loans, representing 40.8 percent of all applicants on the island and receiving an average amount of €26,079 . Private sector workers follow, making up 32.9 percent of the sample with an average amount of €19,824, and finally pensioners, covering 26.3 percent of applications with an average requested amount of €19,780.
Finally, the Observatory's analysis reveals how different areas of Sardinia perform, highlighting interesting differences between provinces in terms of both loan amounts and the characteristics of those requesting a loan. For personal loans, the Carbonia-Iglesias area ranks first for the highest average loan amount, reaching €15,926 with an average repayment term of 5 years and 11 months. Next in line are the provinces of Sassari with €12,548 and Nuoro with €12,365, while the Cagliari area records an average of €12,226. The lowest average loan amounts in the region are found in Sulcis Iglesiente at €11,013 . Looking at the age of the applicants, the youngest are in Ogliastra with an average of 43 years and 2 months, while the oldest applicants are in Sulcis with an average of 48 years and 9 months.
Then there is the salary-backed loan (Cassa del Quinto), and here the province of Oristano records the highest average loan amount on the island at €24,648 per loan, followed by Ogliastra at €23,626 and the Metropolitan City of Cagliari at €23,573, which also has the longest loan term overall: 8 years and 6 months. In other Sardinian regions, the average amounts are €22,483 in Medio Campidano, €21,394 in Nuoro, €21,253 in Carbonia-Iglesias, €21,197 in Sulcis Iglesiente, and €21,095 in Sassari. Olbia-Tempio closes the regional ranking with the lowest average loan amount, €19,119, but also records the highest average age of applicants: over 53 and a half years old.
The final picture therefore shows a Sardinian population that moves its steps in the credit market with great caution, trying to exploit – when possible – the guarantees of a permanent job to reduce costs and protect the stability of the family budget .