Household spending
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On average, each Canadian household spent $71,360 in 2008, up 2.0% from 2007. This was slightly below the rate of inflation of 2.3% as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
The basics still represent the largest shares of spending. Personal taxes accounted for 21% of the average household's budget in 2008, while shelter represented 20%, transportation 14% and food 10%. These shares changed only slightly from 2007.
The one-fifth of Canadian households with the lowest incomes spent an average of $22,860 in 2008, and almost 52% of their budgets went to food, shelter and clothing, while 3% was spent on personal taxes. Meanwhile, the top one-fifth of households spent an average of $146,060 and 28% of their budgets went to food, shelter and clothing, while 29% went to personal taxes.
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