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The Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS) announced the results of the fifth Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HEIS) carried out by the Ministry over a period of 12 months from September 2012 to September 2013. Detailed data on household expenditures and monthly income were collected by the household with a diary/notebook provided by MDPS.
The sample included 3723 households, 1826 of which were Qatari. The average Qatari household size was 8.7 persons, average non-Qatari household size 4.3 persons, while the average size of all households was 5.5 persons. Definition of “household” for the purposes of this HEIS survey is ” One or more individuals, living together in one house, sharing food and beverage and other living aspects, in a way to form one living unit (household) which spends on its needs (goods and services) from its accumulated cash revenue, the source being one or more individuals of the household”. The survey results indicate that the monthly household expenditure for Qatari households was QR 49,600, compared to QR 18,000 for non-Qatari households, and the average expenditure for all Qatari households was QR 26,500. Qatari household’s monthly average income, from all sources, was QR 88,200, after adding rental value of dwellings owned by the household and calculating water and electricity exemption as income, and about QR 72,700 without including rent and utilities. The Non-Qatari household’s monthly income was QR 24,400, and the average income of all households was QR 41,600. Salaries and wages represent 67% of the Qatari household monthly income and 97% of the non-Qatari household monthly income. The food share of total monthly spending was QR 8,033 (16%) and QR 2,700 (15%) for the Qatari and non-Qatari household respectively. Transportation and communication take one fifth of the Qatari household budget, about QR 9,560 or 19.25%. The Qatari household average expenditure on healthcare and education amounted to QR 1,523, and QR 1,571 respectively, at a percentage of 3% for each. The smallness of this percentage is due to free-of-charge health care and education. The Qatari household monthly expenditure on restaurant food was QR 1,922 almost 24% of the amount spent on food. The survey’s results showed that Qatari households monthly expenditure on the costs of travelling abroad was QR 5,711 (about 11.5% of total expenditure). Qatari household monthly expenditure on non-consumable expenses (interests on loans, administrative fees, pension contributions, insurance, dowries, alimony) was QR 4,158 or 8.4%. The Qatari household monthly expenditure was QR 2,800 on clothes, QR 4,000 on housing, QR 4,800 on durable goods and home appliances, and QR 2,500 on personal care. The non-Qatari household monthly expenditure was QR 621 on clothes, QR 6,177 on housing, QR 596 on durable goods and home appliances, and QR 404 on personal care.
