Press Release 18/07/2018

FAMILY EXPENDITURE STATISTICS 2017

Expenditure in restaurants and hotels increased and in 2017 accounted for 11.5% of total family consumption in the Basque Country

The average expenditure per person in the Basque Country is 21% higher than the Spanish average and it is the Autonomous Region with the highest expenditure, followed by Madrid and Navarra

Average household expenditure was 33,709 euros in 2017, 0.1% up on the previous year, according to Eustat data. Average expenditure per person stood at 14,175 euros, 21% higher than the Spanish average and, by autonomous regions, the highest average expenditure per person in Spain, followed by Madrid (13,709 euros) and Navarra (13,325 euros).

By expenditure group, Basque homes maintained the same average household spending in 2017 on Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, the largest category, although it was down 3.2% compared to the previous year. In second place in terms of category size, expenditure on Food and non-alcoholic beverages, maintained the same level, with a slight decrease of 0.1%, with respect to 2016. Coming in third place, Restaurants and hotels saw an increase of 2.8% compared with the previous year and accounted for 11.5% of total household budgets. Expenditure on Transport registered a significant increase compared to 2016 (8.0%). In contrast, other average expenditure by household that decreased in respect of the previous year was son Alcoholic beverages and tobacco (-13.6%), Clothing and footwear (-2.7%) and Leisure and Culture (-0.5%).

If we focus on the structure of expenditure, the three main expenditure groups in the consumption structure of Basque households in 2017 were Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, accounting for 33.1% of total household budgets, followed by Food and non-alcoholic beverages, at 13.8% and expenditure on Restaurants and hotels at 11.5%. Following these were Transport (10.4%), Other goods and services (7.6%) and Leisure and culture (5.3%). In relation to 2016 it is expenditure on housing that has changed the most in Basque household budgets, going from 34.2% to 33.1%. Spending on Transport, in turn, increased by almost one percentage point, going from accounting for 9.6% of household spending in 2016 to 10.4% in 2017, all in current terms.

In absolute terms, total expenditure on consumption in 2017 rose by 0.3% with respect to 2016, with different trends in the various expenditure groups. Looking at the two most significant groups in terms of volume of expenditure, Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels decreased by 2.9% whereas Food and non-alcoholic beverages remained constant with growth of 0.1%. The level of expenditure on Restaurants and hotels and Transport has increased by 3% and 8.3%, respectively. There was also a significant rise in expenditure on Health, which was up 6.1% compared to 2016.

If we look at the average household expenditure according to the level of net monthly household income in 2017, in households with a monthly income below 1,000 euros there was an average annual expenditure per household of 16,345 euros, whilst households with a monthly income of 3,000 euros or more was triple this amount, with an annual expenditure of 50,311 euros.

With respect to 2016, there was only an increase in average household expenditure in households with an income between 2,000 and 2,999 euros, with an increase of 1.3%. In the other groups the most notable reductions in average household expenditure were in the group with the lowest income (below 1,000 euros) with a reduction in average household expenditure of 4.7% and the group with the highest level of income (3,000 euros or more) with a reduction of 3.6%.

In terms of 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 35,252 euros per household, 4.6% above the average for the Autonomous Region. The lowest average expenditure per household (€32,535) was produced in households situated in municipalities of 100,000 or more inhabitants.

By province, families in Álava accounted for 14.0% of the total expenditure on consumption in the Basque Country in 2017, Bizkaia accounted for 53.2% of the total and Gipuzkoa 32.8%.

Note: The survey on family expenditure is carried out in collaboration with the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE).

As a result of incorporating the new European consumption classification, ECOICOP (European Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose) in 2016 and various changes in the collection of information, the homogenous series for the period 2006-2017, which incorporates the data from a number of expenditure plots relating to years prior to 2016 and are fully adapted to the new ECOICOP classification, will be disseminated together with the 2017 statistics.

For further information:

Euskal Estatistika-Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute C/ Donostia-San Sebastian, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.es Tel. 945 01 75 62 Further press releases on Family Expenditure Statistics of the Basque Country