Shanghai residents spend more on education
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-02-14 15:52

Urban residents of Shanghai, China's largest metropolis, spent 937 yuan (US$112) on education each on average in 2003, up by 14.1 percent compared with the previous year.

The majority of urban families devoted the bulk of their annualspending on education to after-school training of their offspring,such as classes of piano, violin and painting.

Shanghai reported the fastest urbanization in China, thanks toits rapid economic growth. The per capita disposable income of urban residents in Shanghai rose 12.2 percent to reach 14,867 yuan(US$1,791) last year, according to a sample survey recentlymade by the Shanghai Municipal Statistical Bureau.

Urban dwellers' spending on food and clothing continues to dropwhile the ratio of consumption in education, recreation and other items keeps rising.

The Engel's coefficient (which shows the part of food expenses in total consumption) of Shanghai urban families fell from 55.8 percent in 1989 to 43.1 percent in 2001 and then to 37.2 percent in 2003.

The survey showed each resident spent 4,103 yuan on food last year, 2.2 percentage points lower than the previous year.

But the per capita spending on cultural and other social activities averaged 3,369 yuan, a rise of 11.1 percent over a yearearlier, or 30 percent of the total consumption of urban residents.

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