The table shows how much money a retired single person and a retired couple in Australia need on average for a comfortable life, in different types of expenses.
Overall, it can be seen that couples spend more money than single people in all categories. Housing is the biggest cost for both groups, while other expenses are lower. Also, the total amount for couples is much higher than for single individuals.
Looking at the details, housing is the highest expense, at $184 for a single person and $194 for a couple. Leisure is also quite high, especially for couples, who spend $202 compared to $140 for singles. Health costs are also higher for couples, at $177, while single people spend $122.
For basic needs, couples spend double on food, at $100, while singles spend $50. Clothing and other costs are also higher for couples, at $80 and $70, compared to $44 and $37. Transport is almost the same, with $107 for singles and $108 for couples.
In total, a retired couple needs $931, which is much more than $684 for a single person.