Romanians' income ups at slower pace than expenses in fourth quarter

Romanian citizens’ monthly income grew by 5.8 percent in the fourth quarter compared to the third in 2011, whilst their average spending went up by 6.6 percent on average in the respective period. According to the National Statistic Institute (INS), the average monthly spending of a Romanian household sums up to 90.9 percent of its total income. According to INS, salaries still represent the majority figure of the total income of RON 2,025 (some EUR 463) per month, whereas in kind revenues were of RON 517 (or some EUR 118) there seems to be a wide spread between urban and rural households. In the fourth quarter of 2011, urban households' total income was divided in salaries (representing 62,9 percent), state aids (22.6 percent) and naturally traded goods (8.5 percent), whereas the majority of rural households still lives of agricultural production, which represents 44.3 percent of their average income. The remaining income factors of rural households are salaries (26.0 percent) and state aids (22.4 percent). Households in cities earned 16.5 percent more than those in rural areas. Total expenses were of RON 2,311 on average a month per household (some EUR 528). Romanians spent money on food, non-food products, services and payments for social security. editor@romania-insider.com