In Italy you don't talk about money in public.
SOL-di — stress on first syllable. 'Soldi' = money (informal, plural).
Know this before asking an Italian how much they earn or what something cost. Discussing personal income, prices of possessions, or asking about wealth is considered very intrusive in Italian culture.
Italians consider asking directly about salary, property value or personal finances deeply inappropriate. Indirect discussion is acceptable ('il mercato immobiliare è alto a Milano' — property is expensive in Milan). Discussing the price of a meal or holiday in general terms is fine; asking 'quanto guadagni?' (how much do you earn?) is extremely rude.
Non è elegante chiedere quanto guadagna.
It's not elegant to ask how much someone earns.
'Non è elegante' is the polite Italian way to say 'it's not done'.
È una domanda un po' personale.
That's a rather personal question.
Polite way to deflect an intrusive question.
In Italia si parla di tutto tranne di soldi e politica.
In Italy you talk about everything except money and politics.
Overstated but reflects a real social norm.
This Italian reticence about money has deep roots — in Catholic culture, ostentatious wealth was discouraged, and in a society with strong family ties, knowing someone's wealth changes relationships. Italians often conceal real wealth ('apparire meno ricchi di quello che si è') as a social defence mechanism.