Presented Our Short Research on “Consumption Expenditure Pattern in India”
- Ramesh Beniwal
- Nov 13, 2025
- 3 min read
On November 12, 2025 , I presented our short survey and research project titled “Household Consumption Expenditure Pattern in India.”It was a great experience to share our findings and insights!
It shows:
Understanding How We Spend
A short research and survey on India’s changing consumption expenditure pattern
“I earn decent money, but by the end of the month after rent, school fees and groceries, there is barely anything left for savings.”— The middle-class reality in India
Introduction
India is not just growing in numbers — it’s growing in how people live, earn, and spend.To understand this change, our group (Group 5) conducted a short survey and research project titled “The Measures of India – Consumption Expenditure Pattern.”
The goal was simple: to understand how people from urban and rural areas use their income — what they spend it on, and what this says about their lives, priorities, and lifestyles.
We didn’t just want numbers — we wanted stories hidden behind the data.
The Study
Our study was based on both primary and secondary data.We collected primary data through a small household survey in Awadhpuri, Bhopal, using the KoBoToolKit app, with 38 respondents from different age groups and income levels.
We then used R Studio and Python to analyze and visualize our data.To connect our findings with the national picture, we also used secondary data from trusted sources like:
The Press Information Bureau (PIB)
Data for India reports
National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) and National Statistical Office (NSO)
Who We Surveyed
“These aren’t teenagers spending pocket money — these are people building their future, buying homes, raising families, and dreaming of a better tomorrow.”
79% of respondents were between 25–44 years — the true working class of India.
68% belonged to the middle class, which is rightly called the “engine of India’s economy.”
The survey included both salaried employees (39%) and self-employed people (37%), along with students, homemakers, and retirees.
This group represents the India that earns, saves, spends — and aspires.
What We Found
Our findings paint a clear and vibrant picture of modern India:
Rural households spend more on basic needs — food and healthcare.
Urban households spend more on education, housing, and entertainment.
The middle class continues to balance between necessity and aspiration — they want better lives, better education, branded products, and family security.
Men made up 73% of our respondents, but interestingly, women often made or influenced key spending decisions, especially for food, children’s education, and healthcare.
“In my house, I earn the money, but my wife decides where most of it goes.”— A survey respondent
Linking Local with National Data
When we connected our local survey to national data, the story became even more powerful.
On average, a rural Indian spends about ₹3,773 per month, while an urban Indian spends around ₹6,459 — about 71% more.
However, this urban–rural gap is narrowing, showing that villages are catching up.
Food habits are changing — packaged foods and ready-to-eat meals are replacing raw cooking ingredients.
Non-food spending (healthcare, transport, education, entertainment) now makes up 53% of rural and 60% of urban expenditure.
This shift clearly follows Engel’s Law, which says:
“As income rises, the percentage of income spent on food decreases, while spending on non-food items increases.”
India is living this transformation — step by step.
What It All Means
“India is changing. Development is not just a word in textbooks — it is real.”
Through this project, we realized that economics is not just about numbers and graphs. It’s about people and their everyday choices — what they buy, what they save, and what they dream of.
Our research showed that Indian families are moving beyond survival. They are now investing in education, comfort, technology, and health — building better lives with every rupee they spend.
Tools We Used
R Studio & Python for analysis
KoBoToolKit for survey collection
Government datasets for secondary data comparison
Together, these helped us see both — the micro picture (our local community) and the macro reality (the whole nation).
Final Reflection
“This project taught us something important: Economics is not just about voting numbers and graphs — it’s about understanding how real people’s lives are getting better step by step.”
Our short research may be small in size, but big in learning.We learned how to connect theory with real life — to see how numbers tell stories about change, development, and human dreams.
Data Sources:Press Information Bureau (2024), Data for India, and our primary survey in Awadhpuri, Bhopal (2025).
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