CNA file photo

Taipei, Sept. 2 (CNA) Households in Taipei spend an average of NT$24,000 (US$781) per year on public transport, more than twice the national average, due to the convenient transport network in the city, according to statistics released Sunday by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS).

The average annual expenditure per household in Taiwan for 2017 was NT$812,000, with Taipei posting the highest average annual household expenditure at NT$1.08 million, followed by Taoyuan's NT$880,000, according to the 2017 statistics on family income and expenditure in Taiwan.

In addition, families in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, also spent the most on public transport, clothing and recreation, compared with any other cities or counties around the country.

Last year, the average household expenditure for public transport in Taipei was NT$24,000, more than twice the national average of NT$10,000, due mainly to the effectiveness of the public transport system.

Around 2 million passengers use the Taipei Metro daily, according to data provided by the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC).

In comparison, Taipei's average household expenditure for purchase of motor vehicles was just NT$4,768 last year, lower than the national average of NT$15,000.

In New Taipei, the average annual family spending on public transport was NT$13,000 last year, also higher than the national average.

The DGBAS statistics show that an average family in Taipei spent NT$31,000 on footwear and clothing last year, higher than the national average of NT$23,000.

Meanwhile, average spending per household in Taipei on recreation was NT$88,000, with travel taking the largest slice of the pie at NT$55,000.

(By Pan Tzu-yu and Evelyn Kao)
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