Residents in Beijing urban area had disposable income of 8,118.35 yuan (US$978) per capita in the first seven months of the year, an increase of 12 percent from a year before, according to the National Bureau of Statistics yesterday.

According to the statistics in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangzhou, Beijingers' disposable income per capita from January to July this year ranked the third among the four cities, next to Guangzhou and Shanghai.

The disposable income growth in Beijing this year ranked the second among the four cities, only next to Guangzhou.

Beijing residents earned per capita salaries of 5,911.28 yuan in the first seven months of the year, 56.6 percent higher than that in Tianjin, while 28.6 percent and 10.1 percent lower than that in Guangzhou and Shanghai respectively, according to statistics.

Beijing residents spent 6,020.92 yuan per capita in the first seven months of the year, up 4.7 percent from a year before, with the two figures ranking the third and fourth among the four cities respectively.

Beijingers' expenditures on dwelling and education & cultural service & entertainment from January to July declined by 7.1 percent and 6.2 percent respectively from a year before.

Beijing residents spent the most in clothes, medical-care, transportation and communications among the four cities, according to statistics.

(eastday.com August 29, 2003)