The given table provides information about the proportion of expense per head in Australia over a 25-year period, from 1986 to 2009.
Overall, it is obvious that expenditure for housing and food had the highest proportion, while communication and education had the lowest percentage among other categories. Notably, spending for water & electricity, housing, healthcare, education, recreation & entertainment, communication as well as insurance increased steadily over the years, while the percentage of food and clothing saw a moderate decline. In addition, the figures of transport and other goods and services remained almost unchanged throughout the period.
In 1986, the expense of housing had the largest proportion at 22%. By 2009 these figures had risen to 26%. The expenditure for water & electricity, healthcare, education, recreation & entertainment, communication and insurance & financial services experienced increases of 3%, 3%, 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% respectively over the period.
Food accounted for the second highest proportion of spending in 1986, at 18%, though this figure declined gradually to 15% by 2009. Moreover, expenditure for clothing fell slightly from 6% in 1986 to 4% in 2009. Moreover, the percentage of transport and other goods and services was 14% and 8% in 1986 and have changed minimally in following years.
