Why Italy

Why do Italian men and women remain living at home even when they are in their 30s?

I'm told they are not allowed to move out until they are married. Is this true or just another cultural myth?

Public Comments

1. It is true. It's a combination of culture and economics.
2. My mother was Italian and when I turned 21 she showed me the door. At that time 21 was a legal age not 18. So I moved into my own apartment. And I am a girl. All my kids where gone by the time they where 19.. If a parent won't let go of a child then the kid will live at home forever. Marriage has nothing to do with it. Some Italian families won't let children leave for a lot of reasons. It is a cultural thing.
3. same with brazilian families.. i think its a latin thing..
4. Si che verro. I credo che sia una caratteristica latina. In Romania ce lo stesso. Ciao!
5. I think that happens rarely. What if you never get married? Your parents aren't going to just force you to stay there if you're like 50 years old.
6. You're right. I'm Italian, in my 40s, and still at home. You move when you marry (I'm not) or when you find a job far from for your home town. In Italy the average age for getting married / getting a full paying job is quite high. A friend of mine got married and she is still living at her childhood home - her parents gave her the house and moved to another one. Many married people have home next door to their parents house, to get help with their children and/or to help their parents with old alge. In my 20s I worked in Milan, sharing house with other 2 girls, a good paying job, but still needed my parents financial help to pay the bills. So I came home after an year to feel more independent!
7. Hi, I've been living in Italy for 8 years now. Well, first these type of things happen in a lot of countries with a Latin influence. A lot of them stay at home until they are in their 30s-40s for a lot of reasons. Some will say they can't afford to rent a house/appartment on their own, some only like the convenience (you know, mom cooking and cleaning up after them), etc. You have to know, that just because they live at home doesn't mean their parents control their lives. If they want to do something they'll do it with or without their parents consent. No, they don't leave their parents house only to get married....I would say that's the last reason. Some leave because they go attend university in another city, some go live with their girlfriend/boyfriend, some don't get along with their parents, etc. I hope I answered your question.