Where Do Canadians Spend the Most Money Each Year?

StatsCan says that the average Canadian household spent $914 on recreation equipment in 2016. That’s just over 1% of their total household expenditure for the year.

Canadians spent $935 – about 1.1% of their total expenditure – on household furnishings. Of course most people don’t redecorate every year and choosing your pets wisely can make your household furnishings last even longer. Just remember which animals are illegal to keep as pets in Canada.

Household equipment costs the average Canadian household $1,218 in 2016. That’s a little over 1.1% of the total expenditure for the year. Well-made, energy-efficient appliances are items that will save you hundreds of dollars over time, so the one-off investment is worth it.

The average Canadian household spent $1,249, or just over $104 a month, on public transport in 2016. If you don’t like the idea of spending just under 1.5% of your total expenditure on buses and trains to get to work, take heart in the fact that it’s a small price to pay for being inspired to come up with the funniest tweets about public transit.

StatsCan says that the average Canadian household spent $1,311, or about 1.5% of their total annual expenditure, on personal care in 2016. If you think that you’re spending too much in this area, check out these beauty products that cost less than $10 and are worth every penny.

Do you want an extra $1,406 to put into your savings every year? Then give up smoking and drinking. According to StatsCan, $1,406 was the amount the average Canadian household spent on tobacco-related products and alcoholic beverages in 2016. That’s nearly 1.7% of their total expenditure.

On average, Canadian households spent $1,688 – almost 2% of their total expenditure – on education in 2016. The selected few who have money to spare naturally spend much more to get their children educated at the most expensive private schools in Canada.

StatsCan says that Canadians spent an average of $1,739 or 2% of their annual expenditure on "other accommodation" in 2016. If you can’t afford that cottage at the lake but still need the occasional getaway, you might want to consider one of the most amazing camping spots in Canada.

Canada is one of the most generous countries in the world. Don’t believe us? Believe the statistics, then. According to StatsCan, in 2016 the average Canadian household spent $1,929 on gifts of money, support payments and charity. That’s 2.7% of their total expenditure.

Recreation services cost the average Canadian household $2,132 in 2016. In other words, Canadians spend 2.5% of their total expenditure on play, whether it’s a hockey game or some of the great adventures every Canadian must try at least once.

Do you sometimes feel that you’re spending far too much on utilities? The average Canadian household spends 2.9%, or $2,460 of their total expenditure, on water, fuel and electricity. That’s just for their principal accommodation, though, and does not include the utilities for additional properties.

The most common health concerns in Canada include a wide range of conditions. What they don’t include is worrying about medical costs. The average Canadian household spent $2,574 – 3% of their total expenditure – on healthcare in 2016, according to StatsCan. For comparison, our neighbours to the south spend around $10,000 a year on healthcare. Per person.

Canadians like eating out. According to StatsCan, the average Canadian household spent just over 3% of their total expenditure on restaurant food in 2016. That’s $2,608 a year, or a little more than $50 a week.

Canada may not be known as one of the world’s fashion capitals but this doesn’t mean Canadians don’t like to dress well. In fact, the average Canadian household spent $3,371, or just under 4%, of their total expenditure on clothing and accessories in 2016. Not sure what to wear? Buy local and support some awesome Canadian brands.

Planning for a rainy day costs the average Canadian household $5,067 in 2016. That’s just under 6% of their total expenditure, which some experts will tell you is not quite enough. No reason to panic, though: it’s definitely possible to retire with less money.

A little over 7% of the average Canadian household’s total expenditure – $6,176 in 2016, according to StatsCan – goes for food they buy at the store and prepare at home. If you want to save on your grocery bill, be aware of the ways stores trick you into spending more.

StatsCan says that in 2016, the average Canadian household spent $4,704, or a little over 5.5%, of their total expenditure on household operations. This included $2,246 for communication such as phones and internet. If you always want to cry when you open the phone bill, take heart in the fact that it’s one of the things Canadians pay less for than our southern neighbours.

Private transportation makes up 12.6% of the average Canadian household’s total expenditure. If you think the $10,660 each Canadian household spent on average on their cars in 2016 is too much, you might be interested in the many ways to cut your car costs.

They say that the only things that are certain in life are death and taxes. In Canada, $15,310 – or 18.1% – of the average household’s total expenditure went to income tax in 2016. This isn’t quite as depressing as the situation in countries like Sweden and Denmark, where more than half of people’s income go toward taxes. Still, if you want to pay much less income tax, you'll want to consider moving to one of the world’s top tax havens.

Shelter is important, especially in a country with a climate like Canada’s. That’s why it comes as no surprise that it’s what Canadians spend most of their money on. In 2016, according to StatsCan, the average Canadian household spent $16,293, or a little over 19% of their total expenditure, on their principal accommodation.