Figures published today by the Central Bureau of Statistics on household spending in 2010 show a grim picture of rising prices. The average Israeli household spent NIS 13,496 a month in 2010, 1% more than in 2009.
35% of household spending was on housing and home maintenance. Among consumer items, spending on clothing and footwear rose the most, while spending on education, culture, and entertainment fell the most.
As for the issues at the center of the current social protest - housing and food - these items accounted for half of household expenditure by the bottom fifth of households, 43% of household expenditure by the middle fifth of households, and one third of household expenditure by the top fifth of households.
Household expenditure on communications and transport by the top fifth of households was 4.5 times the expenditure by the bottom fifth, and expenditure on health was triple the expenditure by the bottom fifth.
77% of households had at least one computer, and 28% had two or more computers. 68% of households have Internet access. There were 73 computer for every100 people in the top 10% of households, compared with 16 computer for every 100 people in the bottom 10%.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 5, 2011
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