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- calendar_today November 13, 2026
Official data from Statistics Canada provides detailed insights into how Canadian households allocate their expenditures, covering major spending categories and tracking recent shifts. This overview draws on household spending surveys as well as quarterly consumption expenditure figures.
In 2023, the average Canadian household's total expenditure reached $105,367, with $76,146 categorized as current consumption. The largest spending categories were shelter ($24,501), transportation ($12,019), and food ($11,933). Within shelter costs, most spending went toward principal accommodation, both for owned and rented living quarters, with additional outlays for utilities and other accommodation needs. Food spending was primarily distributed between purchases from stores and restaurants, with store-bought food accounting for the majority share.(Household spending, Canada, regions and provinces - StatCan Table 11-10-0222-01)
Other notable household expenses included household operations ($5,970), communications ($3,425), health care ($3,060), clothing and accessories ($2,716), and recreation ($5,175). Household insurance and pension contributions, as well as income taxes, also represented significant shares of household budgets.(Household spending, Canada, regions and provinces - StatCan Table 11-10-0222-01)
Recent trends show substantial increases in core costs like shelter, which climbed from $20,200 in 2019 to $24,501 in 2023. Food expenditures also rose during this time, alongside moderate increases in recreation and transportation expenses. These trends reflect changes in prices and consumption patterns over the past several years.(Household spending, Canada, regions and provinces - StatCan Table 11-10-0222-01)
Complementary quarterly data further details household consumption at a national level. For the second quarter of 2026, major consumption expenditures (in chained 2017 dollars, seasonally adjusted at annual rates) included: housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels ($351,685 million), food and non-alcoholic beverages ($121,445 million), transport ($200,287 million), and recreation and culture ($116,636 million).(Household final consumption expenditure, quarterly, Canada - StatCan Table 36-10-0107-01)
The data illustrates that while shelter and core necessities remain the largest components of household expenditures, variations across categories reveal the evolving priorities and pressures in Canadian household budgets.
