The estimated average weekly expenditure in 2015-2016 for all households in the State was €837.47. This is 3.3% higher than the estimated figure of €810.61 in 2009-2010. The corresponding increase in retail price levels, as recorded by the Consumer Price Index, was 6.3%. As a result, there was a real decrease of approximately 3% in the volume of average household consumption over this five-year period. See table 1.1.
The highest percentage increase (11.3%) was in Housing up from €147.73 in 2009-2010 to €164.36 in 2015-2016. Increases in expenditure on rent, purchases of dwellings and the introduction of Local property tax and Water charges contributed to this increase. Expenditure on Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure increased by 10.8% over this time period, up from €253.81 in 2009-2010 to €281.21 in 2015-2016. See table 1.1 and figure 1.1.
Expenditure on Transport increased from €116.31 in 2009-2010 to €124.39 in 2015-2016. This increase is primarily driven by the increase in car purchases, which has risen by €14.18 from €30.25 to €44.43 over the time period. Excluding purchase of cars, expenditure on Transport over the five year period actually decreased by 7.1%. Expenditure on Petrol/Diesel decreased by 6.3% from €36.91 to €34.59 over this period.
The highest percentage decrease (-29.1%) was for expenditure on Alcoholic drink and tobacco down from €39.48 in 2009-2010 to €28.00 in 2015-2016. This is due to a drop in expenditure on Tobacco and Drink consumed out, down €5.44 and €5.70 respectively. Expenditure on Drink consumed at home has remained relatively consistent since 2009-2010 at €10.56.
As a proportion of total household expenditure, Alcoholic drink and tobacco fell from 4.9% to 3.3% from 2009-2010 to 2015-2016, while the proportion relating to Food fell from 16.2% to 14.7%. The proportion of total expenditure on Housing increased from 18.2% to 19.6% over this period.
| X-axis label | 2009-2010 | 2015-2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Food | 16.195492922943 | 14.7 |
| Alcoholic drink and tobacco | 4.87074068182 | 3.34340334579149 |
| Clothing and footwear | 4.94814409015639 | 4.01805437806727 |
| Fuel and light | 4.36071510819727 | 4.60434403620428 |
| Housing | 18.2250036698058 | 19.6 |
| Household non-durable goods | 2.0340476173758 | 1.97141390139348 |
| Household durable goods | 3.70767999974656 | 3.28369971461664 |
| Transport | 14.3477643406186 | 14.9 |
| Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure | 31.3104115693366 | 33.6 |
In 1980, the largest proportion of total household expenditure related to expenditure on Food at 27.7%. However, by 2015-2016 this has fallen to 14.7%. Conversely, the proportion of expenditure on Housing increased from 7.2% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2015-2016. See table 1.2 and figure 1.2.
The proportion of total expenditure for Food has shown a steady decline over the past thirty five years whereas most of the proportion increase for Housing occurred during the period 1999-2000 to 2015-2016.
The proportion of expenditure for Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure increased from 20.5% to 33.6% over the thirty five year period. A detailed breakdown of expenditure items included in the Commodity Group Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure is provided in the Statbank tables and includes expenditure on medical, childcare, education, pensions and telephone.
For example, in 1980 medical related expenditure (e.g. expenditure on doctors, dentists, medicines and health insurance) accounted for 1.8% of total household expenditure compared with 5.0% thirty five years later.
| X-axis label | Food | Alcoholic drink and tobacco | Clothing and footwear | Fuel and light | Housing | Household non-durable goods | Household durable goods | Transport | Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 27.7019607843137 | 7.2 | 8.89411764705882 | 6.14117647058824 | 7.1764705882353 | 1.86666666666667 | 5.54509803921569 | 14.9176470588235 | 20.5176470588235 |
| 1987 | 25.215409568798 | 7.98375901191632 | 6.74204017626173 | 6.2713525309775 | 8.81306581551234 | 2.07550837872951 | 3.91791430455635 | 13.5827006210592 | 25.3723054505594 |
| 1994-1995 | 22.6950400576272 | 7.65055413956762 | 6.38989679078352 | 4.9656426868137 | 9.80618197260303 | 2.32884792676146 | 3.61837529116657 | 14.3451899841285 | 28.1995897026998 |
| 1999-2000 | 20.3679983382954 | 7.63345565325763 | 6.07733850308108 | 3.75268296060375 | 9.59115142283459 | 2.49428789032749 | 4.64931108495465 | 16.4301045489164 | 29.003669597729 |
| 2004-2005 | 18.1344648846427 | 5.99400345563574 | 5.42102855981299 | 3.89394247382864 | 12.0070637259884 | 2.21313141579429 | 4.51646508791544 | 15.593556255717 | 32.2199918690924 |
| 2009-2010 | 16.195492922943 | 4.87074068182 | 4.94814409015639 | 4.36071510819727 | 18.2250036698058 | 2.0340476173758 | 3.70767999974656 | 14.3477643406186 | 31.3104115693366 |
| 2015-2016 | 14.7 | 3.34340334579149 | 4.01805437806727 | 4.60434403620428 | 19.6 | 1.97141390139348 | 3.28369971461664 | 14.9 | 33.6 |
Households owned with a mortgage had the highest spending in 2015-2016, with an average expenditure of €1,157.13 per week. This compares with households rented from a local authority, which had the lowest average expenditure in 2015-2016 at €411.14 per week. Households owned with a mortgage also had the highest expenditure for all nine Commodity Groups. These figures reflect variations in household size, income and activity composition. Households owned with a mortgage are larger in size, with an average of 3.40 persons compared with state average of 2.73. Nearly 94% of households owned with a mortgage reported at least one person at work compared with 34.1% of households rented from a local authority. See table 1.3.
Households owned with a mortgage spent most on Housing (€262.83) followed by households rented from private owners (€219.01). These expenditures are considerably higher than other types of households. These gaps are attributed to expenditures on rent and mortgages. Households rented from private owners spent the highest percentage of overall expenditure on Housing at 28.3%. See tables 1.3, 1.4 and figure 1.3.
Household rented from private owners spent an average of €208.56 per week on rent in 2015-2016 while households owned with a mortgage spent €195.71 on mortgage payments. Households rented from a local authority spent on average €68.98 per week on rent.
| X-axis label | 1 adult | 1 adult with children | 2 adults | 2 adults with 1-3 children | 3+ adults | Other households with children |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food | 13.3 | 16.2 | 15 | 13.8 | 15.4 | 15.8 |
| Alcoholic drink and tobacco | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 2.7 |
| Clothing and footwear | 3 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 5.2 |
| Fuel and light | 6.6 | 6.2 | 5.1 | 4 | 3.9 | 4 |
| Housing | 24.7 | 27.1 | 17.4 | 23.5 | 15 | 19.9 |
| Household non-durable goods | 1.6 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 2 | 2.1 | 2.2 |
| Household durable goods | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
| Transport | 13.1 | 9.6 | 15.9 | 14.1 | 16.2 | 13.9 |
| Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure | 30.9 | 27.1 | 34 | 33.3 | 35.4 | 32.9 |
As a proportion of overall expenditure, households rented from a local authority spent the most on Food (20.1%), Fuel and light (7.1%), Alcoholic drink and tobacco (5.7%), Clothing and footwear (5.4% ), Household durable goods (4.2%) and Household non-durable goods (2.6%). Those rented from private owners spent the highest proportion on Housing (28.3%) followed by households owned with a mortgage (22.7%).
Despite the fact households owned with a mortgage spent most on Transport overall (€164.78), including car purchases (€58.14), as a proportion of overall expenditure, households owned outright spent the most on these categories. Nearly 18% of total expenditure of households owned outright was spent on Transport, with 7.3% of their overall expenditure on car purchases and 4.7% on Petrol/Diesel.
Households owned outright spent most on Medical (€51.92) compared with households rented from a local authority who spent the least (€7.59). Households owned with a mortgage spent most on Holidays (€42.20), Pension contributions (€69.92) and Childcare (€24.96). Nearly 94% of households owned with a mortgage had at least one person at work and also had the highest number of children per household. Households rented from private owners spent most on Education and training (€33.36). This type of expenditure consists primarily of expenditure on third level education. See table 1.5.
Over a quarter (27.1%) of total lone parent household expenditure was on Housing compared with households comprising of 3+ adults spending 15.0%. Proportionately households with 3+ adults had the highest expenditure for Alcoholic drink and tobacco (4.1%), Transport (16.2%) and Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure (35.4%). See tables 1.6, 1.7 and figure 1.4.
| X-axis label | 1 adult | 1 adult with children | 2 adults | 2 adults with 1-3 children | 3+ adults | Other households with children |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food | 13.3 | 16.2 | 15 | 13.8 | 15.4 | 15.8 |
| Alcoholic drink and tobacco | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 2.7 |
| Clothing and footwear | 3 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 5.2 |
| Fuel and light | 6.6 | 6.2 | 5.1 | 4 | 3.9 | 4 |
| Housing | 24.7 | 27.1 | 17.4 | 23.5 | 15 | 19.9 |
| Household non-durable goods | 1.6 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 2 | 2.1 | 2.2 |
| Household durable goods | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
| Transport | 13.1 | 9.6 | 15.9 | 14.1 | 16.2 | 13.9 |
| Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure | 30.9 | 27.1 | 34 | 33.3 | 35.4 | 32.9 |
In real terms, Other households with children spent the most on Food (€184.29), Clothing and footwear (€60.76), Fuel and light (€47.33), Household non-durable goods (€25.48) and Household durable goods (€40.44). These households are considerably larger in size than others, averaging 5.27 persons per household compared with the State average of 2.73 adults per household. They also have the largest sized dwellings, averaging 6.2 rooms. Households consisting of 3+ adults spent most on Alcoholic drink and tobacco (€47.21), Transport (€186.35) and Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure (€407.29). Households with 2 adults with 1-3 children spent the most on Housing (€244.50), with more than half this expenditure on mortgages (€129.85). Over 59% of these households are owned with a mortgage. Lone parent households had the highest expenditure for rent at €98.15. Over 76% of these households are rented for payment.
As a proportion of money spent on Food consumed at home, households comprising of 2 adults spent the most on Uncooked meat and fish (24.8%) and Fresh fruit and vegetables (14.0%). Lone parent households spent the least on Uncooked meat and fish (19.5%) but most on Sugars, confectionery and snacks (10.7%) and Soft drinks (5.0%). Single adult households had the highest expenditure on Bread (5.8%) and Cakes, buns, pastries and biscuits (7.6%). Households consisting of 2 adults with 1-3 children spent the most on Dairy (11.8%). See figure 1.5.
| X-axis label | 1 adult | 1 adults with children | 2 adults | 2 adults with 1-3 children | 3+ adults | Other households with children |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bread | 5.84386281588448 | 5.28113879003559 | 5.44114205476246 | 5.07623160306689 | 5.5041831792162 | 5.52286707675849 |
| Cakes, buns, pastries and biscuits | 7.62635379061372 | 6.29181494661922 | 6.41235665808565 | 6.38054111218824 | 6.0472625862322 | 6.65284835517518 |
| Milk, yoghurt, cheese | 9.90523465703971 | 10.9466192170819 | 9.5483267025509 | 11.8181017008901 | 8.95347130485836 | 10.4774003744317 |
| Uncooked meat and fish | 22.3601083032491 | 19.4875444839858 | 24.8186285981746 | 19.7232748744161 | 23.0515191545575 | 21.3091735758224 |
| Fresh fruit and vegetables | 13.5153429602888 | 11.5444839857651 | 14.0182541539902 | 13.7481272583062 | 12.5128430940848 | 11.527146295801 |
| Sugars, confectionary and snacks | 8.57400722021661 | 10.7330960854093 | 8.17926515328809 | 9.32405040979995 | 8.71862615587847 | 10.1832040652581 |
| Takeaways | 4.96389891696751 | 8 | 5.00819096653405 | 5.69313474927294 | 7.97005724350506 | 6.31853436747793 |
| Soft drinks | 3.04602888086643 | 5.01067615658363 | 3.1944769482799 | 3.85123821274346 | 3.97768971084691 | 4.84086654185611 |
In real terms, households with 3+ adults spent on average €40.21 per week on Meals away from home (incl. takeout tea/coffee). This is equivalent to 22.6% of total Food expenditure. As a percentage of overall Food expenditure, all households without children spent similar amounts (22.5% and 23% for 1 adult and 2 adult households respectively). Lone parent households spent the least (13.0%) on Meals away from home (incl. takeout tea/coffee).
Households with 2 adults with 1-3 children spent the most on Pension contributions (€59.47) and Childcare (€45.55). This reflects the economic status of these households, with 91.6% reporting at least one member at work. See table 1.8.
Households consisting of 3+ adults had the highest average expenditure on Education and training (€52.73), with the majority (€41.53) on College/university fees. These households reported the highest number in third level education (0.39 persons per household). Nominally, these households had the highest expenditure on Holidays (€48.68). However, on a per capita basis households consisting of 2 adults spent the most. See table 1.8.
Households in the highest income decile (i.e. those with a gross weekly income in excess of €2,163.17) spent on average €1,699.93 per week, which was more than twice the overall average expenditure of €837.47 for all households. In contrast, households in the lowest income decile (i.e. with a gross income below €252.21) spent just €304.91, which was less than half (36.4%) of the average for the State. These differences in expenditure, to some extent reflect corresponding variations in income levels and household size. For example, the average household size in the highest income decile was 3.73 persons, whereas it was just 1.22 for those in the lowest income decile. Over 97% of households in the highest income decile reported at least one person at work compared with 12.3% for persons in the lowest income decile. Over 76% of members of the lowest income decile households were retired or not at work. See tables 1.9.
As a proportion of total household expenditure, households in the lowest income decile spent more on Food than households in the highest income decile (17.8% compared with 11.7%) and on Fuel and light (9.3% compared with 3.0%). While combined expenditure on Food and Fuel and Light accounted for 27.0% of total expenditure in households in the lowest income decile, this fell to under 15% for households in the highest income decile. On the other hand, expenditure on Transport and Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure accounted for 55% of total expenditure in the highest income households while the corresponding figure was just over 38% for those in the lowest income decile. See figure 1.6.
| X-axis label | 1st gross household income decile <=252.21 | 10th gross household income decile >2,163.17 | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food | 17.7527795087075 | 11.742836469737 | 14.7205273024705 |
| Alcoholic drink and tobacco | 4.47017152602407 | 2.62187266534504 | 3.34340334579149 |
| Clothing and footwear | 2.4203863435112 | 3.80192125558111 | 4.01805437806727 |
| Fuel and light | 9.29126627529435 | 2.95188625413988 | 4.60434403620428 |
| Housing | 22.7148994785347 | 19.1872606519092 | 19.6257776397961 |
| Household non-durables | 2.03010724476075 | 1.64300882977534 | 1.97141390139348 |
| Household durables | 3.11239382112755 | 3.01894783902867 | 3.28369971461664 |
| Transport | 10.9999672034371 | 14.5429517686022 | 14.8530693636787 |
| Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure | 27.2080285986029 | 40.4899025253981 | 33.578516245358 |
Households in the highest income decile spent substantially more than households in the lowest income decile on Medical expenditure, at €87.31 a week compared with €14.42 a week in the lowest income decile households. More than 75% of persons in households in the lowest income decile had a GP/medical card compared with 11.0% for households in the highest income decile. Households in the highest income decile spent more on Pension contributions at €162.66 per week as opposed to €1.63 in households in the lowest income decile. They also spent over ten times the amount on Holidays (€85.02 versus €7.39 in lowest income decile group) and their Childcare costs greatly exceeded that of lowest income decile households (€36.89 compared with €0.33). See table 1.10.
As a proportion of total Food expenditure, households in the highest income decile spent 28.4% on Meals away from home (incl. takeout tea/coffee) compared with 12.7% for households in the lowest income decile.
There were no major differences in the proportions of the total expenditure on Food consumed at home between households in the lowest and highest deciles. The largest variations between the lowest and highest decile households were in Takeaways (4.2% versus 6.2% respectively), Fresh fruit and vegetables (12.9% versus 14.5% respectively) and Bread (6.2% versus 4.9% respectively). See figure 1.7.
| X-axis label | 1st gross household income decile <=252.21 | 10th gross household income decile >2,163.17 | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread | 6.2 | 4.9 | 6.8 |
| Cakes, buns, pastries and biscuits | 7.4 | 6.1 | 8.2 |
| Milk, yoghurt, cheese | 10.1 | 10.2 | 12.8 |
| Uncooked meat and fish | 23.1 | 22.1 | 31.9 |
| Fresh fruit and vegetables | 12.9 | 14.5 | 16.5 |
| Sugars, confectionary and snacks | 8.5 | 8.4 | 11.3 |
| Takeaways | 4.2 | 6.2 | 7.7 |
| Soft drinks | 3.29879467117784 | 3.6 | 4.8 |
Households located in Very affluent areas spent the most, with an average weekly expenditure of €1,083.73. This is nearly twice the expenditure of households in Very disadvantaged areas (€584.53). Households in Very affluent areas had the highest expenditure in 7 out of the 9 Commodity Groups. Households in Average areas spent the most on Fuel and light (€41.58) while households in Affluent areas spent most on Transport (€144.46). Households located in Very disadvantaged areas spent the least in 8 out the 9 Commodity Groups with the exception of Alcoholic drink and tobacco. See tables 1.11.
The level of household expenditure is income and economic status related. Over 78% of households in Very affluent areas reported at least one person at work while this is just over half (52.5%) for households in Very disadvantaged areas.
As a proportion of total household expenditure, households in Very disadvantaged areas spent the most on six of the nine Commodity Groups, Food (17.3%), Alcoholic drink and tobacco (4.8%), Clothing and footwear (4.5%), Fuel and light (5.9%), Household non-durable goods (2.3%) and Household durable goods (3.7%). Households in Very affluent areas spent the least in each of these Commodity Groups. See table 1.12 and figure 1.8.
| X-axis label | Very disadvantaged | Disadvantaged | Average | Affluent | Very affluent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food | 17.3 | 15.9 | 14.8 | 14.4 | 12.8 |
| Alcoholic drink and tobacco | 4.8 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 2.9 |
| Clothing and footwear | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
| Fuel and light | 5.9 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 3.5 |
| Housing | 18.5 | 17.1 | 17.7 | 19.3 | 23.6 |
| Household non-durable goods | 2.3 | 2.1 | 2 | 1.9 | 1.7 |
| Household durable goods | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.8 |
| Transport | 14.5 | 16.2 | 16.6 | 15.6 | 12.3 |
| Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure | 28.5 | 32.6 | 33.6 | 34 | 36.5 |
Households in Very affluent areas spent the most on Housing (€255.71) in 2015-2016. The average expenditure on mortgage and rent for these households were €90.50 and €90.36 respectively. Households in Very disadvantaged areas spent the least on Housing (€107.91) with comparable figures for mortgages and rent at €33.19 and €35.55 respectively. Over 36% of households in Very affluent areas were owned with a mortgage, while nearly 35% were rented from private owners with 1.5% rented from a local authority. In Very disadvantaged areas, 23% of households were owned with a mortgage, 27.5% were rented from a local authority and 11.6% rented from private owners.
Households in Very affluent areas spent nearly five times more (€34.56) on Education and training than households in Very disadvantaged areas (€6.95). The majority of this expenditure was on College/university fees. Households in Very affluent areas have the highest number of persons in third level education (0.17 persons per household) compared with households in Disadvantaged and Very disadvantaged areas (each having 0.08 persons per household). See table 1.13.
Households in Very affluent areas spent the most (€56.45) on Medical while households in Very disadvantaged areas spent the least (€21.13). Nearly two-thirds of persons living in households in Very disadvantaged areas have a Medical/GP visit card.
Households in Very affluent areas had the highest expenditure on Pension contributions (€61.13) while households in Very disadvantaged areas spent the least (€13.70). Households in Very affluent areas spent the most on Childcare (€17.12) compared with households in Very disadvantaged areas (€3.12). These differences can be contributed to the economic status of these households. As previously stated, over 78% of households in Very affluent areas reported at least one person at work compared with almost 53% for households in Very disadvantaged areas.
Households in Very affluent areas spent 14.9% of their Food consumed at home expenditure on Fresh fruit and vegetables. Households in Very disadvantaged areas spent proportionately the most on Bread (5.8%), Sugars, confectionary and snacks (9.5%), Takeaways (8.1%) and Soft drinks (4.3%) while spending the least on Milk, yoghurt and cheese (9.5%) and Fresh fruit and vegetables (11.2%). Households in Very affluent areas spent the least on Bread (4.9%), Cakes, buns, pastries and biscuits (6.2%), Uncooked meat and fish (23.1%) and Sugars, confectionary and snacks (8.6%). See figure 1.9.
Households in Very affluent areas spent on average €37.95 per week on Meals away from home (incl. takeout tea/coffee). This is equivalent to over 27% of their total average weekly Food expenditure and is more than double the amount of what households in Very disadvantaged areas spent, €15.79 or 15.6% of their average weekly Food expenditure.
| X-axis label | Very disadvantaged | Disadvantaged | Average | Affluent | Very affluent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bread | 5.83441596787528 | 5.61894510226049 | 5.63465009023461 | 5.24307933092047 | 4.89913544668588 |
| Cakes, buns, pastries and biscuits | 6.30683831345223 | 6.79224973089343 | 6.66733507118508 | 6.456030519417 | 6.17112193182947 |
| Milk, yoghurt, cheese | 9.47206802881776 | 10.4198062432723 | 10.2065369961901 | 10.241612051257 | 10.2057040643943 |
| Uncooked meat and fish | 22.664462029054 | 23.0893433799785 | 22.979747343092 | 22.4787244448792 | 20.6697803835834 |
| Fresh fruit and vegetables | 11.1964095901736 | 12.7664155005382 | 12.9436534990977 | 13.430499853272 | 14.8961542283613 |
| Sugars, confectionary and snacks | 9.47206802881776 | 9.1173304628633 | 8.6625225586525 | 8.96018781179693 | 8.63559574679519 |
| Takeaways | 8.06661155072635 | 4.80086114101184 | 5.33386805694807 | 5.80064560305194 | 6.84686475206201 |
| Soft drinks | 4.26361166883194 | 3.8751345532831 | 3.63946260276719 | 3.64863542991294 | 3.62714896154228 |
Breaking the trend of previous surveys, Rural households spent more than Urban households in 2015-2016, at €847.35 per week compared with €833.43. Rural households spent more in 7 out of the 9 Commodity Groups, the exceptions being Alcoholic drink and tobacco and Housing. See table 1.14.
| X-axis label | Urban | Rural |
|---|---|---|
| Food | 14.41512784517 | 15.4552428158376 |
| Alcoholic drink and tobacco | 3.59238328353911 | 2.74738891839264 |
| Clothing and footwear | 3.954741250015 | 4.16946952262937 |
| Fuel and light | 4.36869323158514 | 5.17023662005075 |
| Housing | 21.5722976134768 | 14.9454180680946 |
| Household non-durable goods | 1.95817285194917 | 2.00271434472178 |
| Household durable goods | 3.2084278223726 | 3.46610019472473 |
| Transport | 13.2932579820741 | 18.601522393344 |
| Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure | 33.6344983981858 | 33.4419071222045 |
In 2015-2016 Urban households spent on average €179.79 per week on Housing compared with €126.64 for Rural households. This is principally due to higher expenditure on rent in Urban areas, €62.73 compared with €10.20 for Rural areas. This difference can be explained by the tenure profiles of both area types. Over 37% of Urban households are rented from private owners or local authorities compared with just 9.1% for Rural households. See figure 1.10.
Rural households spent €157.62 on average on Transport compared with €110.79 for Urban households. Rural households spent more on car purchases (€57.97 compared with €38.90) and on Petrol/Diesel (€48.56 compared with €28.87). This is explained by Rural households having a greater reliance on private transport than those in Urban areas. Over 89% of Rural households own at least one car compared with 77.2% in Urban households. The corollary of this is that Urban households expenditure on public transport is double that of Rural households (€7.82 compared with €3.90).
Although Rural household spent more overall on the Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure Commodity Group, Urban households spent more on Holidays (€36.34 compared with €25.14 for rural households), Education and training (€20.26 compared with €13.14 for Rural households ), Sports and leisure activities (€18.46 compared with €16.38 for Rural households), Internet, telephone and television subscriptions (€17.99 compared with €15.07 for Rural households) and Childcare (€11.16 compared with €9.44 for Rural households). See table 1.15.
Rural households spent considerably more on Money given to those outside of household (€14.82 compared with €7.99 for Urban households). This difference was mostly due to support payments made by Rural households for students in third level education living away from home. Rural households also spent more on Medical (€45.47 compared with €40.78 for Urban households), Phone (€21.97 compared with €19.12 for Urban households), Charitable donations (€4.35 compared with €3.51 for Urban households), Betting and lotteries (€3.62 compared with €3.59 for Urban households) and Reading materials (€8.13 compared with €7.23 for Urban households).
Households in the Mid-East region had the highest average weekly expenditure in 2015-2016 at €984.28. This figure is almost 43% higher than the average weekly expenditure of households in the Border region which spent the lowest at €689.14. Households in the Mid-East region had the highest expenditure in six of the nine Commodity Groups while households in Dublin had the highest expenditure for Alcoholic drink and tobacco (€33.72), Housing (€224.21) and Miscellaneous goods and services and other expenditure (€331.00). See table 1.16.
Expenditure may be size and income related. The Mid-East region had the largest households (averaging 3.0 persons per household) while the Border region had the smallest (2.6 persons per household). Also, 75.4% of households in the Mid-East region reported at least one or more person at work compared with just 56.6% for households in the Border region.
In absolute terms and as a proportion of expenditure on Food, households in Dublin had the highest expenditure on Meals away from home (incl. takeout tea/coffee) at €32.70 or just over a quarter (25.2%). As a proportion of overall Food expenditure, households in the West spent the least on Meals away from home (incl. takeout tea/coffee) (17.1%).
Households in Dublin spent most on Alcoholic drink and tobacco (€33.72) as a whole and on Drinks consumed out of home (€14.04), while households in the Mid-East region spent most on Drinks consumed at home (€13.36). Households in South-West spent most on Tobacco (€7.82).
Households in Dublin spent on average €224.21 per week on Housing in 2015-2016, equivalent to nearly a quarter (23.8%) of overall expenditure. This compares with an average expenditure of €118.13 on Housing for households in the Midlands, equivalent to 15.8% of overall expenditure. Households in Dublin spent on average €81.30 on rent in 2015-2016. This figure is more than double the average weekly expenditure on rent of any other region. Nearly 36% of households in Dublin are rented.
Households in the Mid-East region had the highest average weekly expenditure on mortgages (€99.22), while the Border region had the lowest (€43.98). This reflects tenure of these regions. The Mid-East region had the highest proportion of households owned with a mortgage (47.2%) while the Border region had the lowest (27.9%).
Households in the Mid-East region spent the most (€156.78) on Transport in 2015-2016 while households in Dublin spent the least (€105.90). Households in Mid-East spent the most on Petrol/Diesel (€46.09), Insurance, tax and fines (€26.60) and Vehicle maintenance and other costs (€18.00). Households in the Mid-East have the highest rate of car ownership in the country, 90% of all households own at least one car with 41.9% of households owning two or more cars. Households in the Mid-West had the highest expenditure on car purchases (€57.92) while households in Dublin spent the most on public transport in 2015-2016 (€11.17).
In 2015-2016, households in Dublin spent more than twice households in the Border and Midland regions on Holidays, spending an average €48.79 per week compared with €20.19 and €23.57 respectively. Households in Dublin spent most on Pension contributions (€49.23). Households in the Midlands spent most on Childcare (€13.70) followed closely by Dublin (€13.27). Households in the Mid-East spent most on Sports and leisure activities (€23.41). This figure reflects the fact that households in the Mid-East have the highest number of children per household, averaging 0.70 per household. See table 1.17.
In 2015-2016, households where the reference person was either an Employee or Self employed spent more than twice that of households where the reference person was Unemployed (€1,031.931 and €1,020.95 compared with €487.78 respectively). Expenditure for households where the reference person was Unemployed was equivalent to 58.2% of national average expenditure (€487.78 versus €837.47). See table 1.18.
| X-axis label | Self employed | Employee | Unemployed | Retired | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food | 14.446348988687 | 13.6501506885157 | 17.8072081676166 | 16.8927077682306 | 17.6112255497456 |
| Alcoholic drink and tobacco | 2.78759978451442 | 3.15912901068871 | 5.27491902087006 | 3.49824125439686 | 4.17789045581788 |
| Clothing and footwear | 4.04623145109947 | 4.01674532187261 | 4.44872688507114 | 3.76249059377352 | 4.15324213454462 |
| Fuel and light | 4.51442284147118 | 3.86460321921061 | 6.12571241133298 | 6.45223386941533 | 6.23426468775859 |
| Housing | 17.4807777070376 | 20.9771980657603 | 23.3260896305712 | 13.6884657788356 | 20.5408545925104 |
| Household non-durables | 1.79832508937754 | 1.93617784152026 | 2.24691459264423 | 2.0159949600126 | 2.24827901899681 |
| Household durables | 3.21073509966208 | 3.24343705483899 | 3.19406289720776 | 3.54024114939713 | 3.3204809943837 |
| Transport | 16.4572212155346 | 14.7480933784268 | 12.7229488703924 | 15.8094604763488 | 12.9069173753059 |
| Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure | 35.25735834272 | 34.4034963611873 | 24.8534175242937 | 34.3401641495896 | 28.8068451909365 |
Households where the reference person was an Employee had the largest households in the State with 3.12 persons per household while households where the reference person was Retired were smallest with 1.74 persons per household. Households where the reference person was an Employee reported the youngest average age of reference person at 43.4 while Retired households had the oldest at 73.1.
Households where the reference person was an Employee spent the most on Housing (€216.47) in 2015-2016 while households where the reference person was Retired spent the least (€78.22). This reflects the tenure composition of these households. Nearly 81% of households where the reference person was an Employee were either owned with a mortgage or rented for payment while nearly 83% of households where the reference person was Retired were owned outright.
Expenditure on mortgages and rent was also reflected by tenure. Households where the reference person was an Employee spent most on mortgages (€102.93) while households where the reference person was Unemployed spent most on rent (€71.81). Over 51% of households where the reference person was an Employee were owned with a mortgage while 62.6% of households where the reference person was Unemployed were rented.
Households where the reference person was Self employed spent most (€168.02) on Transport in 2015-2016 while households where the reference person was Unemployed spent the least (€62.06). While Self employed and Employee households spent most on overall car purchases (€55.34 and €54.54 respectively), households where the reference person was Retired spent most on new cars (€24.77). Households where the reference person was Self employed spend most on Petrol/Diesel (€52.17).
As a proportion of overall expenditure, households where the reference person was Unemployed had the highest expenditure on Food (17.8%), Alcoholic drink and tobacco (5.3%), Clothing and footwear (4.4%) and Housing (23.3%). Households where the reference person was an Employee spent the least on Food (13.7%). Households where the reference person was Self employed had the highest expenditure on Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure (35.3%) while households where the reference person was Unemployed had the lowest (24.9%). See table 1.19 and figure 1.11.
Households where the reference person was Self employed spent the most on Medical (€55.43), Phone (€25.69), Sports and leisure activities (€23.48), Money given to other households (€11.98) and Reading materials (€14.31). Employees spent most on Pension contributions (€62.02), Holidays (€42.16), Childcare (€17.85), Television (€19.28) and Betting and lotteries (€3.97). Other households, which are primarily student households, had the highest expenditure on Education and training (€28.05) with the majority of this expenditure on third level education (€25.47). See table 1.20.
Households where the reference person was retired had the highest expenditure on Charitable donations, averaging €7.08 per week. These households spent just over 9% of overall expenditure on Medical.
Households where the reference person was an Employer or Professional (Social Group 1) spent more than double the average weekly expenditure of households where the reference person was involved in Agriculture and other Occupations (Social Group 5). In 2015-2016 households in Social Group 1 spent on average €1,112.32 per week compared with €528.76 for households in Social Group 5. Households in Social Group 1 spent most in all Commodity Groups. The differences in expenditure reflect corresponding variations in income levels and economic status. For example, nearly 82% of Social Groups 1 households reported at least one person at work compared with less than 28% for Social Group 5 households. See tables 1.22.
As a proportion of overall spending, households in Social Group 5 spent most on Food (18.4%) and Fuel and light (6.6%). Households in Social Group 3, i.e. where the reference person was a Manual skilled worker, spent the most on Alcoholic drink and tobacco (4.4%). Households in Social Groups 1 and 2 spent the most on Housing (20.4%), while households in Social Group 1 spent the most on Miscellaneous good, services and other expenditure (37.1%). See table 1.22 and figure 1.12.
Expenditure on Housing for each social group was a reflection of their general tenure status in 2015-2016. Households in Social Group 1 spent the most (€226.93 per week) on Housing, with €106.87 of this on Mortgage payment (primary dwelling). Nearly half (47%) of these households were owned with a mortgage and a fifth (20%) rented from private owners. Households in Social Group 5 spent the least on Housing, spending just €90.33 per week and just €11.89 per week on mortgages. More than half (53.4%) of these households are owned outright, less than 10% are owned with a mortgage and just over 15% are rented from private owners. See tables 1.21 and 1.22.
| Social Group 1 | Social Group 2 | Social Group 3 | Social Group 4 | Social Group 5 | |
| Food | 12.9477128883774 | 15.3867341719023 | 16.8777517296586 | 16.6454853546357 | 18.3731749754142 |
| Alcoholic drink and tobacco | 2.81573647871116 | 3.53615508715783 | 4.35702441534679 | 4.2377753570564 | 3.75595733414025 |
| Clothing and footwear | 3.70576812428078 | 4.24705866921997 | 4.36560123506204 | 4.59029290728637 | 4.14933050911567 |
| Fuel and light | 3.75881041426928 | 4.99337626736271 | 5.39053119103437 | 5.34828128782377 | 6.59089189802557 |
| Housing | 20.401503164557 | 20.4299523878228 | 17.5624678369261 | 18.2053376906318 | 17.0833648536198 |
| Household non-durable goods | 1.74590046029919 | 2.07893390695295 | 2.10703871004632 | 2.41920842411038 | 2.2543308873591 |
| Household durable goods | 3.22029631760644 | 3.29612675594496 | 3.50791926353708 | 3.65075042362624 | 2.96542854981466 |
| Transport | 14.3268124280783 | 14.839784367991 | 17.1407742009263 | 15.6590413943355 | 14.7817535365761 |
| Miscellaneous goods, services and other expenditure | 37.0765607019563 | 31.1918783856455 | 28.6923208874149 | 29.2438271604938 | 30.0419850215599 |
In absolute terms and as a proportion of overall Food expenditure, households in Social Group 1 spent the most (€38.02) on Meals away from home (incl. takeout tea/coffee) in 2015-2016, equivalent to more than a quarter (26.4%) of total Food expenditure. This is more than double the amount of what households in Social Group 5 spent, €13.43 equivalent to 13.8% of their average weekly Food expenditure.
Households in Social Groups 1 spent on average €412.41 per week on Miscellaneous goods, services and expenditure. They spent nearly ten times the amount on Pension contributions compared with households in Social Group 5 (€72.45 versus €7.55). They also spent considerably the highest for Holidays (€52.41 compared with €11.11 for households in Social Group 5), Medical (€61.13 versus €26.02 for households in Social Group 5) and Childcare (€18.95 compared with €3.32 for households in Social Group 4). Social Group 4 consists of Semi-skilled and Unskilled manual workers. These households spent the most on Betting and lotteries (€4.74) in 2015-2016. See table 1.23.
As a proportion of overall expenditure households in Social Group 1 spent most on Pensions (6.5%), Medical (5.5%), Holidays (4.7%), Sports and leisure activities (2.5%) and Childcare (1.7%) while households in Social Group 5 spent the most on Phone (3.2%), Charitable donations (0.6%) and Education and training (3.7%). Households in Social Group 4 spent most on Television, Internet and bundle subscriptions (2.1%) and Betting and lotteries (0.7%).
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