How people spend their money around the world

[Mr Dumpster Stache]

Assuming this is accurate, it is very interesting:

http://www.economist.com/node/21664628?cid1=d/soc/Facebook/dyn/21664628/20151222-00:00am/paid/social-LA/BR-FT/BRPII/n/subs/US/BR-LIT

I was very surprised to see that the USA is the largest spender in only one category, and that we were the lowest in anything, let alone food spending.

[syednaeemul]

I think the chart has two underlying pieces of data:
-The price of things e.g. food in Australia is relatively more expensive than food in the US
-Cultural preferences for things (summarised nicely by the fun-loving Australians etc)

[NESailor]

I grew up in Europe so this comes as no surprise.  I remember buying new sneakers was like a multi year high point given how expensive they were compared to average incomes (this was Eastern Europe).  Food was also a big ticket item.  Now that I live in the US most everything seems laughably cheap compared to our household income and we're not even very high earners (above average but not two six figure incomes like many others on here).

[nereo]

Assuming this is accurate, it is very interesting:

Indeed, it is interesting.

I was very surprised to see that the USA is the largest spender in only one category, and that we were the lowest in anything, let alone food spending.

that's because it appears to be % o household spending. Ergo, it's pretty hard to have the lowest or highest in multiple categories.  if it was total $ amount, I'd expect this graph to be quite different.

[Kansas Beachbum]

The one that sticks out like a sore thumb is how much more Americans spend on healthcare vs. other countries, especially UE.  I would have assumed we spend more than some others given the prevalence of State provided/subsidized healthcare in many countries, but would not have expected the difference to be so large.  And what about those wacky Australians and their recreation :-)

[nereo]

The one that sticks out like a sore thumb is how much more Americans spend on healthcare vs. other countries, especially UE.  I would have assumed we spend more than some others given the prevalence of State provided/subsidized healthcare in many countries, but would not have expected the difference to be so large.  And what about those wacky Australians and their recreation :-)

I'm really wondering what the consider "health" to be.  Does it include things like gym memberships and vitamins?  It seems to include private and employer-sponsored health care ("Predominantly private health care in America eats up over a fifth of each household’s budget, whereas the European Union, where public health care is common, only spends 4% on it") but then it ignores the cost of health care in places like Europe and Canada?

[deborah]

The one that sticks out like a sore thumb is how much more Americans spend on healthcare vs. other countries, especially UE.  I would have assumed we spend more than some others given the prevalence of State provided/subsidized healthcare in many countries, but would not have expected the difference to be so large.  And what about those wacky Australians and their recreation :-)

I'm really wondering what the consider "health" to be.  Does it include things like gym memberships and vitamins?  It seems to include private and employer-sponsored health care ("Predominantly private health care in America eats up over a fifth of each household’s budget, whereas the European Union, where public health care is common, only spends 4% on it") but then it ignores the cost of health care in places like Europe and Canada?

Remember, it is the percentage of a household budget. If the government provides it, it is not part of your household budget.

Doesn't anyone else in the world play sport?

[happy]

Apparently not like we do :)

[ender]

It would be nice to see more than 4 total breakdowns.

Their categorization is a bit wonky.

[Kansas Beachbum]

Doesn't anyone else in the world play sport?

Deborah and Happy...I'm kidding, of course :-)  Australia has been on my list of places I want to go for forever, to go diving of course, but also because everything I've ever seen on TV, read, or heard from people who have been there or are from there suggest that it's just a pretty dang fun place!  Cheers!

[obstinate]

Remember, it's by percentages of total. The US can't lead in on thing without being behind in another. Each country only has 100% to allocate.

The health thing is fucking depressing. That's all I'll say about that.

[11ducks]

The one that sticks out like a sore thumb is how much more Americans spend on healthcare vs. other countries, especially UE.  I would have assumed we spend more than some others given the prevalence of State provided/subsidized healthcare in many countries, but would not have expected the difference to be so large.  And what about those wacky Australians and their recreation :-)

We are incredibly fun (plus insanely good-looking) people. Best place in the world!!!

[happy]

And we like our sport :D