RAMALLAH, June 26, 2008, (WAFA)-Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said that the average monthly per capita expenditure in the Palestinian Territory was 95.4 JD (116.3 JD in West Bank, and 59.8 JD in Gaza Strip).
In a press release, PCBS added that the percentage of per capita expenditure on food groups to the total per capita expenditure was 36.8% (35.4% in West Bank, and 41.3% in Gaza Strip).
It revealed that the percentage of per capita expenditure on housing was 6.6%, and it was 14.6% on transport and communications groups, while the percentage was 7.1% on clothing, 6.3% on housing equipment, 47% on medical care, 5.9% on cultural and educational groups.
By type of locality, the average monthly per capita expenditure ranged from 102.7 JD in urban areas, to 94.5 JD in rural localities, and it was 69.4 JD in the refugee camps.
'It is noticed that there is an increase in the per capita expenditure in 2007 compared with 2006. In 2007, the per capita expenditure was 95.4 JD compared with 92.3 JD in 2006 (3.4% increase). This increase is basically shown in the main groups such as (food, clothing, housing equipment, transport and communication, cultural groups, and personal care). Expenditure on housing group decreased by 27%,' PCBS said.
PCBS pointed out that the data showed an increase in the per capita expenditure in the West Bank in 2007 compared with 2006, the per capita expenditure in the West Bank was 107.1 JD in 2006 compared with 116.3 JD in 2007(increased by 8.4%). In Gaza Strip the situation was different, the per capita expenditure decreased by 13.6% for the same period. The level of living standard decreased in a more dramatic way in comparison with the West Bank. The results showed the percentage of per capita food consumption to the total consumption was 34.5% in Palestinian Territory (33.3% in the West Bank compared to 38.5% in Gaza Strip). The per capita consumption in the West Bank increased by 72.0% compared to the per capita consumption in Gaza Strip.
PCBS added that the results of the PECS 2007 indicated that, the average monthly household expenditure on various goods and services amounted to 607.8 JD (707.7 JD in the West Bank compared with 414.5 JD in Gaza Strip), taking into consideration that the average household size was 6.1 in West Bank and 6.9 in Gaza Strip.
'The share of expenditure on food to total expenditure was 36.8% (35.4%% in the West Bank compared with 41.4% in the Gaza Strip). While data indicated that expenditure on transport and communications groups ranked second in terms of its share of the total expenditure of Palestinian households and its share was 14.6% (15.6% in the West Bank compared with 11.2% in Gaza Strip), PCBS said.
PCBS said that the total monthly expenditure on household equipment was 38.1 JD (44.3 JD in the West Bank, 26.0 JD in Gaza Strip) which represented a percentage of 6.3% of the total Palestinian household expenditure. And the total expenditure on medical care was 28.5 JD (34.4 JD in the West Bank compared to 17.2 JD in Gaza Strip) which represented a percentage of 4.7% of the total Palestinian household expenditure.
PCBS concluded that the results indicated that the monthly household expenditure on tobacco and cigarettes exceeded the household expenditure on education, personal care and recreational activities, where the amount of the monthly family expenditure on tobacco and cigarettes was 28.1 JD (33.3 JD in the West Bank compared with 18.2 JD in Gaza Strip), while the average monthly household expenditure on education, personal care and recreational activities was 20.9, 16.2, 14.8 JD respectively.
