Press Release 22/07/2013
The average expenditure per household in the Basque Country in 2012 was similar to that of 2006
Spending on housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels increased the most between 2006 and 2012, by 25.9%
Average household expenditure was 33,118 euros in 2012, 2.2% less than the previous year and almost the same as in 2006, according to Eustat data. If we focus on the structure of expenditure, the three main expenditure groups in the consumption structure of Basque households in 2012 were Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, accounting for an average total household expenditure of 34.8%, followed by Food and non-alcoholic beverages, at 13.7% and expenditure on Hotels, cafés and restaurants at 10.0%. Following these were Transport (10.0%), Other goods and services (7.3%) and Leisure, entertainment and culture (6.0%).
Regarding the evolution of expenditure, there was a notable increase in average household spending on Housing, water, electricity and other fuels, the largest category, which registered a rise of 25.9% in 2012 with respect to 2006, although it did fall by 1.5% with respect to 2011. In second place in terms of category size, expenditure on Food and non-alcoholic beverages, registered a fall of 2.9% with respect to 2006 and of 4.2% with respect to the previous year. Expenditure on Transport, a significant part of the expenditure structure of Basque households (10%), also fell sharply with respect to 2006 (-24.3%), although it rose slightly in relation to 2011 (0.5%). Spending on Clothes & Footwear and on Leisure, entertainment and culture dropped below 2006 levels, with falls of 22.5% and 16.9% respectively. However, they showed different trends with respect to 2011, as the former continued to fall (-8.3%) while spending on culture rose by 3%.
Average expenditure per person reached 13,648 euros, with a drop in current expenditure of 0.9% with respect to the previous year, which contrasts with the growth of 8.7% that occurred between 2006 and 2011.
In absolute terms, total expenditure on consumption in 2012 fell by 1.1% with respect to 2011, with different trends in the various expenditure groups. Thus, the two most significant groups in order of expenditure, Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels and Food and non-alcoholic beverages were down by 0.4% and 3.2% respectively. However, the level of total expenditure on Hotels, cafés and restaurants” was up by 2.2%. The most significant decrease in percentage terms was produced in Healthcare with an expenditure situated at 838 million euros (13.6% down on the previous year).
If we look at the average household expenditure according to the level of net monthly household income, significant differences can be seen between households with the lowest and the highest incomes. In 2012, in households with a monthly income below 1,000 euros there was an average annual expenditure per household of 16,959 euros, whilst households with a monthly income of 3,000 euros or more generated an annual expenditure of 50,884 euros.
Households with the lowest monthly income (up to 999 euros), as well those with incomes between 1,000 and 1,999 euros, both saw a drop in the level of average expenditure per household with respect to 2011, of 9.0% and 6.6% respectively. On the other hand, households with the highest level of income increased their level of expenditure: by 3.4% in households with an income between 2,000 and 2,999 euros and by 0.9% in those of 3,000 euros or more.
Finally, if we observe expenditure according to the geographical location of the family, the largest average household expenditure was produced in municipalities of fewer than 10,000 inhabitants, with an expenditure of 35,122 euros per household, 6.1% above the average for the Autonomous Region. The lowest average expenditure per household (€32,704) was produced in households situated in municipalities of between 10,000 and 100,000 inhabitants.
Note: The survey on family expenditure is carried out in collaboration with the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE). The data of previous years were recalculated according to new population estimates calculated by the INE.
For further information:
Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Instituto Vasco de Estadística
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tlf: 945 01 75 62
More press releases on the Family Expenditure Statistics in the Basque Country