Why prices and costs will increase in Italy in 2026: transport, insurance and excise duties

In addition to fuel costs:

• Motorway tolls across most of the national network are increasing from January 1, 2026. These rises, averaging around 1.5% and reaching up to 1.9% in some stretches, are tied to inflation adjustments built into concession contracts, not discretionary tax hikes. (FIRSTonline)

For logistics companies especially, even small increases in fuel and toll costs add up over large fleets and high mileage, contributing to higher prices for goods and services downstream. (TrasportoEuropa)

2. Insurance Premiums — Tax Changes Impacting Costs

Another major factor driving rising costs in 2026 is changes in insurance taxation:

• The Budget Law includes a shift in how certain auto insurance coverages are taxed. For example, the levy on ancillary guarantees such as driver injury protection is being raised from 2.5% to 12.5%. This change will push up the price of many standard policies for motorists. (alvolante.it)

Although this component specifically affects parts of auto insurance, the broader insurance market may adjust base rates in response to higher tax burdens — meaning higher premiums for consumers across different types of coverage. (Reddit)

3. Excise Duty Increases — Beyond Fuel

Excise duty hikes are not limited to transport fuels. Other excise-taxed goods will see price effects:

• Tobacco products, including cigarettes and related items, will face stepped increases in excise duties. In 2026 alone, a pack of cigarettes could become several cents more expensive as the government raises the fixed portion of excise taxes. (Money.it)
• These duty increases are part of multi-year plans to boost state revenue and, in the case of tobacco, also reflect government health policy goals.

Excise duties are a key revenue source for public finances, but their rise typically gets passed through to consumers — adding to general inflationary pressures in the economy. (fanpage.it)

4. Beyond Taxes — Broader Inflation and Cost Pressures

While budget changes and excise duties are explicit drivers, inflation and economic dynamics also play a role:

• Transport and logistics costs are affected by global fuel price volatility and supply chain pressures that continue to reverberate from recent years of pandemic disruption and geopolitical shifts.
• Freight and delivery charges may rise as fuel and labor costs climb, impacting food prices, retail goods and services that depend on road transport.

In utilities and services unrelated to transport, discussions among consumers and analysts point to inflation, supply costs and investment needs as reasons behind tariff increases in sectors like telecom and energy — even where there is no direct tax change. (Reddit)

What This Means for Italian Households

Taken together, these factors suggest that transportation, insurance and excise-taxed goods will be noticeably more expensive in 2026. For many families:

• Higher fuel bills and motorway tolls mean increased travel costs.
• More expensive insurance premiums put pressure on household budgets.
• Everyday goods such as cigarettes and other taxed products will see higher shelf prices.

Consumer groups have estimated that, taken broadly, annual household spending could increase significantly due to these and other rippling cost pressures. (geopop.it)