Emirati households in Abu Dhabi: 4 mobile phones, Dh22,960 average monthly spend...

A survey conducted by Department of Economic Development Studies for National Family Status Observatory in Abu Dhabi has revealed that the average number of landlines in each Emirati family household is one, but the average number of mobile phones is four.

The survey covered Emirati families in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region for the second quarter of 2013.

The value of landline bills for national families surveyed was put at Dh1,155, while mobile phone bills during the same period reached about Dh4,259.

Also, about 39.4 per cent of Emirati heads of households bought new mobile phones during the three months prior to the survey.

Bank borrowings

The bank borrowing percentage of heads of households in Abu Dhabi for the second quarter of this year was  about 55.8 per cent, which reflects a decline in bank borrowings compared to that of Q1, 2013.

About 62 per cent of Emiratis surveyed pointed out that the main reason for obtaining a loan was to buy a car, while over 25 per cent of respondents said that hey obtained loans to buy a house for the family.

About 7 per cent of respondents said the loans were meant for weddings and about 4 per cent got a loan only to travel.

Average total spending

Compared to an average of about Dh20,652 in the month of March, the average total spending of a national family for month of May was of about Dh22,960, which reflects an increase in household expenses.

The survey, conducted in June 2013, also indicated a rise in the percentage of national families expecting an increase in monthly expenses during the third quarter of 2013.

This is due to higher consumption expenditure during the second quarter of the year with the Holy Month of Ramadan, the holiday period and the subsequent travel expenses.

Education

About 32.6 per cent of national families in Abu Dhabi have children studying on their own expense in schools, institutes or universities within the state, with an average spending of about Dh50,000 annually, and about 28.1 per cent of national families have children receiving private lessons with an average spending that reached about Dh6,224 during the three months prior to the survey.

House owners, tenants

The survey also indicated that about 84.4 per cent of national families surveyed are owners of their houses and only about 15.6 per cent are tenants.

About 24.9 per cent of the sample surveyed enjoys the benefits of housing and housing allowances that represent about 90.6 per cent of the rental value of the house with an average value of monthly rent of about Dh10,422 a month.

Price sensitive

A large percentage of national families have shown higher consumer consciousness concerning perfumes and toiletries, with 52 per cent of the respondents saying that an increase in prices reduced their consumption.

Employment

The survey also revealed  that the average number of employed family members within national families is two and also 34.3 per cent of national families have a family member who has at least one income other than the employment main income.

The results reflected that a large segment of the national heads of households who obtain incomes other than from their employment get it from rentals of real estate they own, in addition to the sale of crops and animal products from UAE family-owned farms and pension.

The largest proportion of national heads of household who earn incomes other than the income from employment in accordance with the above-mentioned sources, consider these incomes regular and on a monthly basis during the three months prior to the survey.

The survey results also showed that the contribution of rent to the family income grew from 8 per cent in March 2013 to 28 per cent in June 2013.

Residence issues

With regard to the problems faced by the national families in their areas of residence about 83.1per cent of national heads of households reported that they do not have any problem.

Among the three regions of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, the Western Region emerged as one of the main areas in which the nationals had issues with their areas of residence.

These are related to roads, sanitation, electricity, lack of recreational places for their families, along with the lack of educational and health services in general, as well as complaints of increasing housing for bachelors.
 

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