In recent years, urban gardens have become much more than a trend.
For some, they represent an environmentally friendly choice; for others, a way to save money on groceries.
As the cost of living has increased, interest in sustainability has grown, and more people have sought healthier food options, an increasing number of people have started growing tomatoes on their balconies, herbs on their windowsills, or cultivating small community gardens in cities.
The question is: does it really pay off? Or is the financial saving more a matter of perception than reality? As is often the case when it comes to financial education, the answer depends on how you calculate the costs.
Urban gardens grow as prices rise
Inflation in recent years has brought renewed attention to the cost of food.
According to ISTAT data, in 2024, average monthly household spending in Italy remained broadly stable compared with the previous year (+0.6%), but around one in three households (31.1%) continued to limit the quantity and/or quality of the food they purchased. The percentage difference between spending in the Northeast, which recorded the highest level among the different areas of the country, and the South, which recorded the lowest, was 37.9%.
Although food inflation declined from the exceptionally high levels recorded in 2023, efforts to contain spending remain widespread.
At the same time, interest in home and community gardens has grown.
A survey conducted by Coldiretti/Ixè on the occasion of Earth Day 2024 found that 61% of Italians spend some of their free time caring for gardens, vegetable gardens, balconies, and terraces, with the aim of growing fruit, vegetables, and herbs for the table or flowers to decorate their homes.
This practice is becoming increasingly widespread in urban areas as well, driven by the desire to consume fresh produce and, in many cases, to reduce grocery costs.
How much can you really save?
The idea of growing lettuce, tomatoes, or zucchini at home may suggest immediate savings. To determine whether growing your own food is actually worthwhile, however, we need to consider the initial costs of:
- pots or raised beds;
- soil;
- seeds or seedlings;
- irrigation;
- fertilizers;
- tools;
- time spent growing and maintaining the plants.
A study conducted by the University of Padua showed that the actual savings depend on how the garden is managed.
Gardens that are maintained over time, reuse materials, produce homemade compost, collect rainwater, and limit the use of chemical fertilizers can produce a good yield of vegetables while keeping costs low and reducing environmental impact.
By contrast, people who continually purchase new materials, use large amounts of water, or frequently replace tools and containers risk eliminating much of the financial advantage.
Growing your own food, therefore, does not automatically mean saving money: as with any investment, planning makes the difference.
A garden designed with consistent, long-term use in mind can gradually reduce spending on products such as tomatoes, lettuce, zucchini, and herbs; an improvised setup, on the other hand, may end up costing more than it saves.
The value that doesn’t appear on the receipt
When it comes to urban gardens, the benefits are not purely financial.
Simply comparing the cost of a zucchini grown at home with that of one purchased at the supermarket can be misleading.
Growing your own food provides benefits that cannot be immediately measured in monetary terms:
- it reduces food waste because you harvest only what you need;
- it gives you access to fresh, seasonal produce;
- it encourages a more varied diet;
- it supports psychological well-being through contact with nature.
A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that gardening is associated with reduced stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as improvements in perceived health, quality of life, and social relationships.
Urban gardens are good for cities too
Urban gardens do more than produce food.
According to the European Commission, urban agriculture contributes to making cities more sustainable by promoting urban green spaces and biodiversity, with positive effects on citizens’ well-being.
In many European cities, community gardens have become genuine community spaces, where families, older people, and young people work together to grow food and manage shared areas.
Does time have an economic value?
There is one aspect we often forget when doing the math: growing food takes time.
If our only goal is to spend less, that time may have an opportunity cost: the hours spent tending the garden could be used for other activities.
If, on the other hand, we consider gardening a hobby, a form of light physical activity, an opportunity to spend time together, a way of taking care of ourselves, or simply a moment of relaxation, then the time invested is not a cost but a benefit.
The value is not only financial, but also educational and personal.
Growing your own food makes us more conscious consumers
There is another, less obvious effect that may be even more important: people who grow even just a few plants tend to develop a better understanding of the value of food.
They learn how long it takes to grow a tomato, how much water is needed, and how much work goes into every harvest.
This awareness can also change purchasing habits: people tend to buy less, waste less, and pay more attention to choosing seasonal products. In this sense, a garden becomes a tool for financial education as well as environmental education.
So, is it worth it?
The answer is: it depends on what we mean by saving.
If we consider only the final price of the vegetables, growing your own food is not always cheaper, especially at the beginning.
If, however, we also consider reduced waste, food quality, personal well-being, learning, and environmental value, the balance changes considerably.
An urban garden is not necessarily a shortcut to reducing your grocery bill, but it can become an investment in your lifestyle. In this case, true saving does not mean spending less today, but learning to place greater value on what we consume.
Discover more content on mindful consumption, sustainability, and financial education on the Museum of Saving blog. Take part in our events, workshops, and educational programs designed to help young people, adults, families, and schools build a solid foundation for the future. Visit www.museodelrisparmio.it.
August 5, 2026