Part of a report in the Courier Mail 25/5/06

It is estimated the average person, as part of a household, now spends $2784 on food, $1007 on alcohol and cigarettes and a further $995 on clothes and shoes each year.

But the biggest hits for the household budget are rent (at $4388), recreation ($3079) and transport ($2989).

The biggest jump in spending has been on communications, particularly mobile phones.

The figures in the Measuring Australia's Progress 2006 research report count the entire population, including children, which explains some of the lower-than-expected results.


Based on that, a household of 2 adults and 1 child would spend on average about:
$160 per week on food
$ 58 pw on alcohol and cigarettes
$ 57 pw on clothes and shoes
$253 pw on rent
$177 pw on recreation
$172 pw on transport