3. Parliamentary replies
Written reply to PQ on Impact of sustained increases in essential household expenses on consumption patterns among lower- and middle-income households
7 October 2026
Question:
Mr Gabriel Lam: To ask the Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) whether the Government tracks how sustained increases in essential household expenses affect consumption patterns among lower- and middle-income households, including whether households reduce expenditure on healthcare, insurance, enrichment or other longer-term needs to meet immediate living expenses.
Written Answer by Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Dr Tan See Leng
1. What constitutes essential household expenses would differ across households in Singapore. For food, utilities and public transport, the Household Expenditure Survey showed that between 2017/2018 and 2023, the proportion of total household expenditure spent on these items remained broadly unchanged for lower-income households in the 1st to 20th income percentiles, as well as middle-income households in the 21st to 80th income percentiles [Table 1].
Table 1: Expenditure on Food, Utilities and Public Transport as a Proportion of Total Household Expenditure
Expenditure | Households in the 1st to 20th percentiles | Households in the 21st to 80th percentiles | ||
2017/18 | 2023 | 2017/18 | 2023 | |
Food | 11.0% | 10.0% | 7.7% | 7.8% |
Utilities | 7.4% | 7.4% | 5.1% | 5.1% |
Public Transport | 2.6% | 1.9% | 2.1% | 1.8% |
Source: Department of Statistics
Notes:
* Food includes expenditure on uncooked, processed and packaged food purchased for home consumption and excludes expenditure on food and beverage serving services such as food at hawker centres, coffee shops, cafes and restaurants.
# Utilities comprises expenditure on water supply, electricity, gas and other fuels, and miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling, including refuse collection and housing maintenance fees.
^ Public Transport comprises expenditure on passenger transport by railway, bus and coach fares, including MRT and LRT fares.
2. Over the same period, the share of total household expenditure spent on healthcare and insurance increased for both lower- and middle-income households. As for private tuition and other educational courses, their share of total household expenditure fell slightly for lower-income households, while remaining stable for middle-income households [Table 2].
Table 2: Expenditure on Insurance, Healthcare and Private Tuition and Other Educational Courses as a Proportion of Total Household Expenditure
Expenditure | Households in the 1st to 20th percentiles | Households in the 21st to 80th percentiles | ||
2017/18 | 2023 | 2017/18 | 2023 | |
Insurance | 7.1% | 9.4% | 7.3% | 10.1% |
Healthcare | 10.1% | 10.4% | 6.1% | 8.4% |
Private Tuition and Other Educational Courses | 1.8% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
Source: Department of Statistics
Notes:
* Insurance comprises expenditure on insurance services connected with dwelling, health and transport, accident insurance and term life insurance, excluding premiums for whole-life insurance plans with saving components.
# Healthcare comprises expenditure on medicines and health products, public and private outpatient and inpatient care services, excluding expenditure on insurance services connected with health.
^ Private Tuition and Other Educational Courses comprises expenditure on home-based and centre-based private tuition, IT courses, commerce-related courses, language courses and performing arts courses.