The table demonstrates the percentage of expenditure allocated to 11 different categories per capita in Australia in 1986 and 2009.
Overall, it can be clearly seen that spending on housing accounted both for the highest proportin and the greatest growthm while clothing presented the lowest figure.
Looking at the detail, in 1986, housing shared the largest percentage, demonstrating 22%, and food took second place with 18%. Furthermore, transport took third place, showing 14%, other goods and services, and recreation and entertainment represented 8%, electricity and water showed almost the same figure (7%), clothing indicated 6%, and both insurance and financial services and healtcare exhibited 5%. Education constituted just 4$, while communication displayed the least significant proportion, standing at 3%.
Moving to 2009, spending on housing increased to 26%, and food decreased to 15%. Moreover, transport declined to 13%, and both recreation and entertainment, and electricity and water illustrated 10%, other goods and services recorded an increase to 9%, although spending on healthcare rose to 8%; after that, insurance and financial services experienced growth to 7%, both communication and education exhibited a rise to 6%, while clothing declined to the lowest proportion, illustrating 4%.