Does being single bring freedom or burden? Examining the expenditure patterns of single-person households in Taiwan

Abstract

This study utilizes data from Taiwan’s “The Survey of Family Income and Expenditure” from 2011 to 2021 to examine the differences in expenditure patterns between single-person households and multi-person households. The aim is to understand the impact of being single and living alone on living expenses. The estimation results indicate that, after controlling for other variables, single-person households spend significantly more on “housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels”, amounting to NT$67,920 per capita higher than other families. Additionally, per capita expenditures related to maintaining the living environment and daily operations are also significantly higher for single-person households. This shows the higher fixed cost of living alone without sharing expenses with others. However, single-person households have the advantage of being able to concentrate their expenses more on themselves. Significant higher per capita expenditures on several “treating oneself well” items demonstrate the freedom that comes with single living. On the other hand, the comparison of income elasticities shows that the expenditures of single-person households fluctuate more significantly, indicating higher financial risks.