How Canadians spent their money in 2021
Release date: October 18, 2023
Description: How Canadians spent their money in 2021
On average, Canadian households spent less in 2021 than in 2019
| Category | 2019 average | 2021 average |
|---|---|---|
| Average spending on goods and services | $68,980 | $67,126 |
| Shelter | $20,200 | $21,106 |
| Food | $10,311 | $10,305 |
| Transportation | $12,737 | $10,099 |
| Household operations, furnishings and equipment | $7,934 | $9,157 |
| Recreation | $4,624 | $4,223 |
| Health care and personal care | $4,164 | $4,206 |
| Clothing and accessories | $3,344 | $2,303 |
| Education and reading materials | $1,856 | $1,996 |
| Tobacco, alcohol, non-medical cannabis and games of chance | $1,971 | $1,976 |
| Miscellaneous | $1,838 | $1,754 |
How the COVID-19 pandemic changed the spending behaviour of Canadian households
In 2021, Canadian households spent more on mortgages and on the purchase of bicycles and pets, and less on recreational services, air travel and taxi services.
| Category | 2019 average | 2021 average | Percentage change from 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase of pets | $44 | $79 | +79.5% |
| Bicycles | $40 | $106 | +165.0% |
| Mortgage | $6,350 | $6,882 | +8.4% |
| Recreational services | $2,593 | $1,168 | -55.0% |
| Air travel | $871 | $230 | -73.6% |
| Taxi services | $74 | $38 | -48.6% |
Internet access services
In 2021, spending on Internet services by households in Whitehorse and Yellowknife increased by more than 17% from 2019.
| Territorial capital | 2019 average | 2021 average | Percentage change from 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitehorse, Y.T. | $1,130 | $1,332 | +17.9% |
| Yellowknife, N.W.T | $1,426 | $1,692 | +18.7% |
- National-level statistics include the provinces only.
- Estimates represent average spending by Canadian households.
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Household Spending, 2019 and 2021.
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