Life costs 64% more for Italian singles, Coldiretti says

(ANSA) - Rome, February 15 - The day after Valentine's Day in Italy is dedicated to St. Faustino, patron saint of single people, and for the occasion on Monday farmers' association Coldiretti said life for Italy's 7.7 million singles costs on average 64% more than for those who are coupled up.
    Coldiretti used data from Italian statistics bureau Istat to compare average spending for the typical Italian family to that of singles, who account for 1.9 million people under age 45 in Italy.
    That number jumps to 7.7 million when adding in the additional 2.1 million singles between ages 45-65 and the 3.7 million over age 65.
    Coldiretti said average spending on food and beverages for a single person is 274 euros per month, 45% higher than the 190 euro equivalent for an average household of 2.3 people, and singles spend 98% more than families on housing costs.
    Living in poverty as a single person can be one consequence of an increasingly aging population.
    In Italy, Coldiretti said 7.4% of single people over age 65 live in poverty, jumping to 19.8% in the country's south.