WELLINGTON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- New Zealanders have changed their household spending patterns with the surging cost of living, according to data released by the statistics department Stats NZ on Tuesday.

Half of the 12 main expenditure groups, as was shown in the Household Economic Survey, have increased between the years ended June 2019 and 2023, with food up 28.1 percent to 300 New Zealand dollars (183 U.S. dollars) per week, and housing and household utilities up 15.5 percent to 398 New Zealand dollars (242.79 U.S. dollars) per week.

Combined, these six groups account for 82.2 percent of total household expenditure in the year ended June 2023, Stats NZ said.

The increase in total household expenditure between 2019 and 2023 is a reflection of the increased cost of living experienced by New Zealanders, due to global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and extreme weather events, said Stats NZ wealth and poverty statistics senior manager Victoria Treliving.

Between the years ended June 2019 and 2023, households spent less on communication such as postal services, internet, and cell phones, less on recreation and culture, but more on food and other expenditure, Treliving said.

The proportion of expenditure spent on recreation and culture decreased to 8.3 percent in the year ended June 2023, down from 9.6 percent, she said, adding communication decreased to 2.5 percent of total net household expenditure, down from 2.9 percent, she said.

"While households have spent more on essentials such as food and interest payments, we are also seeing more households prioritizing personal contributions to their saving schemes," Treliving said.

In 2023, household expenditure on interest payments increased by 17 percent, and contributions to savings by 63.8 percent, statistics show. Enditem

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