Ukrainians spending more

In 2005 the average monthly gross expenses of a Ukrainian household reached UAH 1,229, up 36 percent from 2004, the State Statistics Committee reports. An urban and rural household spent an average 1,290 and 1,098 hryvnias a month, respectively. In per capita terms, gross monthly expenses totaled 471 hryvnias, including 506 in the cities and 399 in the countryside. Per capita average gross monthly expenses exceeded the subsistence level by 11 percent (in 2004 this ratio was 95 percent).

The report also points out that the growth rate of per capita gross expenses in 2005 exceeded the consumer price index in comparison with 2004: 136.6 percent vs. 113.5 percent, respectively. It also notes that the percentage of the population with per capita gross expenses below the subsistence level dropped by 10 points to 55.3 percent. The percentage in this category of households among those with children decreased by 9 points to 64 percent, www.korrespondent.net quotes RBK-Ukraine as saying.