How Canadians spent their money in 2016

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Release date: December 13, 2017
Infographic: How Canadians spent their money in 2016
Description: How Canadians spent their money in 2016

The average annual expenditure on goods and services per household was $62,183.

The percentage spent of average annual expenditure on goods and services per household by category
Category Percentage
Shelter 29%
Transportation 19%
Food 14%
Household operations, furnishings and equipment 11%
Recreation 6%
Health and personal care 6%
Clothing and accessories 5%
Education and reading materials 3%
Miscellaneous 3%
Alcohol, tobacco and games of chance 3%

Shelter costs for owners and renters across Canada

Average annual expenditure on shelter per household by province
Province Average annual expenditure per household
Owners Renters
N.L. $14,824 $10,751
P.E.I. $14,079 $9,907
N.S. $15,390 $10,826
N.B. $13,556 $10,122
Que. $16,458 $10,487
Ont. $23,076 $14,628
Man. $16,191 $12,069
Sask. $18,219 $14,628
Alta. $23,499 $17,231
B.C. $21,599 $15,276

In 2016, Canadian households spent on average $8,784 on food.

Of that, 26% was on restaurant meals.

  • Breakfast $198
  • Lunch $788
  • Dinner $1,317

Public transportation

British Columbia households spent the most on public transportation, while New Brunswick spent the least.

Average annual expenditure on public transportation per household by province
Province Average annual expenditure per household
N.L. $1,051
P.E.I. $667
N.S. $783
N.B. $555
Que. $828
Ont. $1,421
Man. $1,068
Sask. $902
Alta. $1,547
B.C. $1,699

Note: Canada-level statistics include the 10 provinces only.

Source: Survey of Household Spending, 2016

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