Press release: 12.764-062/22

Vienna, 2022-03-11 – Household expenditures rise with the number of people living in the household, whereas expenditures per adult equivalent decrease. This is the result of an analysis of the Household Budget Survey 2019/20 according to socio-demographic characteristics by Statistics Austria. Large households (five or more people) spend 24% less than single households per adult equivalent. Not only the size of the household is significant but also whether children are living within it. Households with three or more children spend about 18% less per adult equivalent than those with one child and about 26% less than households without children.

Single-person households show clear gender differences in the expenditure structure. Male single-person households spend considerably more on eating out (+79.4%), consumer electronics and computing (+141.9%), vehicle maintenance (+109.9%) as well as alcoholic beverages and tobacco (+109.8%) than female single-person households. In contrast, the latter spend considerably more on personal hygiene and cosmetics (+138.1%), health (+70.5%) as well as clothing and footwear (+31.4%).

Not only size and composition of a household influence the level and structure of expenditures but also age and educational level of the main earner. Young households spend relatively more on leisure and eating out whereas older households show higher expenditure shares for housing, food and health. In respect to the highest educational level of the main earner both household and equivalent expenditures increase with a higher level of education. Within the expenditure structure the shares for leisure increase with a higher level of education while those for food and non-alcoholic beverages decrease.

For more detailed information please refer to the German version.

©  STATISTICS AUSTRIA, Last Changed 11.03.2022

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