Band 9: The table below gives information about the average annual spending by university students in three different countries in 2007. It shows their total average spending and their spending on various different living costs.

The table compares the average annual expenditure of university students in three countries in 2007. It shows both the total amount spent per student and the proportions spent on five living-cost categories.

Overall, students in Country A spent the most money each year, while those in Country C spent the least. Accommodation made up the largest share of spending in Countries A and B, whereas students in Country C spent the highest proportion on food. Books accounted for the smallest percentage in Countries A and B.

Students in Country A spent an average of US $5,000 per year. Almost half of this (45%) went on accommodation, while 22% was spent on both food and leisure. Only 3% was used for books, and 8% for other costs. In Country B, students spent slightly less overall, at US $4,500. They allocated 35% to accommodation and 28% to food, while leisure represented 23%. Books and other expenses made up 9% and 5% respectively.

By contrast, students in Country C spent far less in total (US $1,500). Food was their biggest expense at 36%, followed by accommodation at 30%. They also spent a relatively high proportion on books (21%), while leisure and other items accounted for only small shares.