Shanghai Urban Residents Enjoy Comfortable Living Standard

The growth rate of consumption of local urban residents outstripped that of their income in the first quarter of this year.

Meanwhile, daily spending of urban residents showed the characteristic of a fairly comfortable living standard. According to a survey of 500 households conducted by the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics, the per-capita disposable income of urban residents was 3 £¬187 yuan in the first quarter, up 0.2 percent from the same period last year. The per-capita consumption spending was 2,390 yuan, up 4.2 percent.

Entertainment, cultural and educational services ranked first in the growth rate of spending, with the per-capita outlays reaching 394.35 yuan, a surge of 31.9 percent. The increase is due to two reasons. One is that the number of computers purchased doubled and the other is that the per-capita educational spending amounted to 195.24 yuan, up nearly 30 percent.

The increase in transport and communications spending also showed that urban residents enjoyed a considerably higher living standard. The per-capita spending in this regard was 203.5 yuan in the first quarter, a rise of 15 percent.

In the first three months of this year, 500 households purchased 20 mobile telephones, more than any other quarter in recent years. Owing to the increasing use of new communications means such as mobile telephones and E-mail, the per-capita spending on telecom service was 76.75 yuan, a 32 percent increase.

Medical consumption is on the increase, with the per-capita spending rising 5.4 percent to 144.24 yuan. The per-capita spending on medicines and health care jumped 23.3 percent and 43.8 percent£¬ respectively, while the per-capita spending on tonics plunged 11.8 percent.

The per-capita spending on miscellaneous items and services reached 10.4 yuan, up 12 percent.

Food consumption showed a marginal increase, with the per-capita spending hitting 1.086 yuan in the first quarter, up 2.4 percent. The consumption of milk, dairy products, aquatic products, liquor and beverage remained at a high level.






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