The consumption expenditure of households increased last year

According to the Household Budget Survey, in 2011 the average expenditure of a household member per month was 272 euros, which is 7 euros more compared to the previous year.

The compulsory expenditure on food and dwelling accounted for 45% of the budget, remaining on the same level as in 2010. In 2011, a household member spent on food and non-alcoholic beverages 75 euros per month, which accounted for 28% of the total expenditure. Compared to the previous year, the expenditure on food increased nearly 9%. Expenditure on dwelling amounted to 47 euros per month (17% of the household budget), which was 2 euros less than in 2010.

Expenditure on transport was 31 euros, on leisure time 26 euros, on communication 16 euros, on housekeeping 15 euros, on clothing and footwear 13 euros and on health 9 euros per month per household member. Compared to the previous year, the expenditure on transport has increased by 7 percentage points and the expenditure on communication by 6 percentage points, households have also started spending more on clothing and footwear, leisure time and eating out.

The total expenditure did not differ significantly in urban and rural areas. A household member in urban areas spent on average 11 euros more on dwelling than a household member in rural areas, the share of dwelling in total expenditure accounted for 19% in urban and 15% in rural areas. Expenditures on clothing, health, leisure time and eating out were also larger in urban areas. On the other hand, rural households spent 15% of their budget on transport, in urban areas the expenditure on transport accounted for less than 10% of the household budget.

By county, the expenditures of households were the biggest in Harju county (322 euros per month per household member, incl. 313 euros per month per household member in Tallinn) and Tartu county (312 euros per month per household member). The smallest expenditures were in households of Ida-Viru county, Põlva county and Valga county (respectively 183, 184 and 199 euros per month per household member).

More detailed overview has been provided in the blog of statistics (only in Estonian).

The estimates are calculated according to the data of the Household Budget Survey conducted in 2011. More than 3,500 households participated in the survey. Household is a group of persons who live at the same address and share joint financial resources and whose members consider themselves to be members of one household, while family is based on relationship or kinship. In 2011, nearly 600,000 households lived in Estonia and the average size of a household was 2.3 persons.

Mortgage payments, real estate purchases, financial investments, expenses on major repairs or construction and other investments are not taken into account as household’s consumption expenditures.

The Household Budget Survey is carried out by statistical organisations of all European Union Member States on the basis of the harmonised methodology.