The Household Income and Expenditure Survey is one of the field-based household surveys conducted in the field of social statistics. It provides data on income, spending patterns in society, and the impact of demographic, social, and economic factors on households.
Survey objectives
O Providing the Department of Economic Statistics (Price Statistics) with the data needed to update the calculation of the weights of consumer basket goods annually to compile consumer price indices and estimate inflation.
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O Provide the Department of Economic Statistics (National Accounts) with the data needed to estimate household consumption expenditures to estimate Gross Domestic Product GDP.
O Measuring the average monthly consumption expenditure of households overall and by COICOP section.
O Measuring absolute and extreme poverty and analyzing the characteristics of poor households and individuals
Data collection tools
Key concepts
• Household expenditure:
It is the value of expenditure incurred by all household members during the reference period to obtain goods and services (consumption and non-consumption), whether related to the household as a whole—such as spending on food, housing, electricity, or the acquisition of durable goods—or to individual household members, such as expenditure on clothing, personal items, and similar items.
• Consumption expenditure:
Household expenditure after excluding non-consumption expenditure, such as spending on the purchase of buildings and land, mortgage loan installments, marriage dowries, loans and advances, gifts given to others, transfers to dependents, and similar items.
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• What is the Household Expenditure Survey?
It is one of the household surveys conducted by the General Authority for Statistics. It is considered one of the key surveys that help identify and analyze household spending behavior, as well as the social and economic conditions of households, and assess societal well-being.• What is the purpose of the household expenditure survey?
The survey aims to:
- Measure the level and distribution of household consumption expenditure on goods and services according to the Classification of Individual Consumption According to Purpose.
- Provide the necessary data to the Department of Economic Statistics (Price Statistics) to update the weights of goods in the consumption basket on an annual basis for the compilation of Consumer Price Indices.
- Provide the necessary data to the Department of Economic Statistics (National Accounts Statistics) to estimate household final consumption expenditure used in the estimation of Gross Domestic Product.
- Measure inequality and poverty and analyze the characteristics of households and individuals living in poverty in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.• Is the questionnaire available in different languages?
The questionnaire is available in Arabic and English.
• How can I verify the identity of the field researcher and ensure that they are affiliated with the General Authority for Statistics?
You can verify the identity of the field researcher through the following methods:
1. Verify that the field researcher is wearing the official Authority uniform, which includes a vest, cap, and identification badge.
2. Noting that the field researcher is using a tablet device belonging to GASTAT.
3. Requesting to view the field researcher’s identification card or digital ID, which can be verified through the Tawakkalna application used by the field researcher.
4. Confirming receipt of a text message indicating completion of participation in the survey.• Is my personal information shared in the survey treated with strict confidentiality?
GASTAT is committed to the highest standards of privacy and confidentiality for citizens and residents within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who participate in the survey. GASTAT will not disclose to any person, entity, or organization any identifying information related to individuals, nor any other data provided in the Household Expenditure Survey.• Will these data be used in decisions and policies related to taxation or those affecting households’ standard of living?
The Household Expenditure Survey provides an accurate picture of living standards in society and offers key indicators on social conditions that support decision-makers and policymakers.• Is the questionnaire completed in a single household visit?
No, the questionnaire cannot be completed in a single visit. It is completed with multiple visits due to the different reference periods of the questionnaire, which cover 14 days, starting with the first household visit.• Is it necessary for an individual living in the household to be related to the head of the household?
No, the individual doesn't need to be related to the head of the household.
• What is consumption expenditure?
Household consumption expenditure is the value of spending on all goods and services consumed by household members during the reference period, after excluding non-consumption expenditure such as spending on the purchase of buildings and land, mortgage loan installments, marriage dowries, loans and advances, gifts given to others, transfers to dependents, and similar items.• In out-of-home expenditure, what is meant by “expenditure at full-service establishments”?
It refers to expenditure incurred by an individual at establishments that provide full service, including waiter service to seated customers, with or without hospitality. Such expenditure usually includes tips and gratuities. Examples include restaurants, cafés, and similar establishments.
• In out-of-home expenditure, what is meant by “expenditure at limited-service and self-service establishments”?
It refers to expenditure incurred by an individual at establishments that provide limited or self-service, where waiter service or table seating is not available. Examples include self-service restaurants, snack kiosks, fast-food carts, and similar establishments.• If the household eats a meal outside the home, where should the expenditure be recorded?
All expenditure on food prepared outside the home is recorded in section 9, food away from home.
• Why is the reference period for expenditure (daily, monthly, quarterly, and annually) not unified?
This is intended to facilitate households’ recall of their expenditure, as some goods and services are purchased daily, others monthly, and others on a quarterly, semiannual, or annual basis, depending on household consumption patterns.• What is meant by “points of purchase”?
They refer to the place or type of establishment from which the household usually purchases food, durable goods, and non-durable goods.
Privacy Policy
The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) is a government entity with an independent legal personality. It is the only official statistical reference for implementing, supervising, and regulating the statistical work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It provides statistical products in social, economic, and environmental fields to support policymakers and decision-makers in advancing the implementation of development plans.
You can contact us by clicking on contact us link in our website, or send an email to: info@stats.gov.sa
Date of last update:
The last update on the privacy notice was made on (update date).
What is personal data?
Any data, regardless of its source or form, that may lead to identifying an individual specifically, or that may directly or indirectly make it possible to identify an individual, including name, personal identification number, addresses, contact numbers, bank and credit card numbers, photos, and videos of an individual, and any other data of personal nature.
What personal data is collected?
Various types of personal data and information is collected, which cover all aspects of life in the Kingdom: (demographic, social, economic, environmental, and cultural), including but not limited to:
Full name, age/date of birth, sex, address, contact information (e.g.: email address and phone numbers), ID number, marital status, current job information, previous job information, information about dependents/spouse/household.
How is personal data collected and what is the purpose?
Personal data is collected and obtained "directly or indirectly", using various methods, which include:
- Direct methods of obtaining personal data:
- Field visit to the household or establishment by GASTAT’s staff or one of its representatives.
- Phone call by GASTAT’s staff through the unified phone number: 920020081.
- Self-completion on GASTAT’s website.
Indirect methods of obtaining personal data:
Collect cookies and data on how you use our site, including your visit date and time, and the type of browser you use.
By collecting data, GASTAT aims to produce official statistics that serve the public interest, i.e., any personal data collected, whether it belongs to the individual, or on behalf of another individual, will be used for statistical purposes and the production of official statistics.
How do we use your personal data?
We use personal data collected directly or indirectly to produce official statistics that serve the public interest, and support policymakers and decision makers in advancing the implementation of development plans. GASTAT is the only official statistical reference for implementing, supervising, and regulating the statistical work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
How do we share your personal data?
Your personal information won't be given to any third party for the purpose of direct marketing. We are also dedicated to protecting the confidentiality of all Saudi Arabia’s resident data, and not disclosing it. GASTAT abides by the participation guidelines that the regulators have approved. We also pledge to enforce the laws governing data confidentiality, non-disclosure, and personal data protection vigorously and strictly.
The legal basis for collecting and processing personal data:
According to the policy of personal data protection issued by the National Data Management Office, the legal basis for collecting and processing personal data is:
- our explicit consent, and you can withdraw your consent at any time except for some exceptions explained above, and to do so you can contact the Data Governance Department.
- Legal Obligation: The regulations and bylaws in force - including Royal and High Orders - are a legal basis on which GASTAT can rely if the collection and processing of personal data is necessary to comply with these statutory requirements.
- Public Interest: Statistics collected from personal data aim to support policymakers, and decision makers to advance the implementation of Saudi Arabia's development plans.
How do we store your personal data?
Your personal data is stored securely in the technical assets of GASTAT in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Your personal data is kept for a specified period, after which we dispose of this data securely so that it cannot be accessed or restored again, based on GASTAT’s data preservation and destruction policy.
Rights of personal data owner:
Under the personal data policy, you have the following rights, which depend primarily on the purpose of collecting and processing personal data:
- Right to access personal data: you have the right to request a copy of your personal data, such data will be provided to you within seven working days via email DPO@stats.gov.sa.
- Right to dispose personal data: you have the right to request the disposal of your personal data in certain circumstances that do not contradict with the legal basis based on which data was collected.
- Right to restrict data processing: you can restrict the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances and for specific period of time.
- Right to object to processing: you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data that is not inconsistent with the legal basis.
- Right to transfer your personal data: you have the right to ask us to transfer your personal data - collected directly from you - to another party, or to deliver it to you for a fee. This right cannot be exercised if your consent is the legal basis for processing.
Except as otherwise specified, you are not required to pay any fees for exercising these rights, and in the event that a request is made to exercise one of these rights, you will be responded to within (7 days) from the request date.
Furthermore, it should be stressed here that some of these rights (the right to data disposal, the right to data transfer, and the right to object to processing) are not absolute rights but rather depend on the primary purpose and the legal basis mentioned earlier. Other than that, they are regarded as absolute rights.
For more details about the processing of your personal data and how to exercise your rights, you can contact the Data Protection Officer at GASTAT using the contact information provided below:
Email: DPO@stats.gov.sa
Except as stipulated, you are not required to pay any fee for the exercise of these rights, and if an application is made to exercise one of these rights you will be answered within (7 days) of the date of application.
It must also be emphasized here that some of these rights (the right to destroy data, the right to transmit data, the right to object to processing) are not absolute rights, but rather depend on the main purpose and statutory basis referred to earlier, and otherwise are absolute rights.
For more details about the processing of your personal data and how to exercise your rights, you can contact the Authority's Personal Data Protection Officer according to the contact data below:
Email: DPO@stats.gov.sa
How to submit a complaint?
If you have any complaints or issues regarding our adherence to the National Data Management Office's policy regarding the protection of personal data, you can contact the Data Governance Department via email at info@stats.gov.sa.
You can email the GASTAT’s Data Governance Department at DPO@stats.gov.sa to file a complaint if you are dissatisfied with how we handled your complaint or if we did not reply to you within three working days.
If GASTAT’s Data Governance Department does not resolve your complaint within 7 days, you may also file a complaint with the National Data Management Office about how we use your personal data.
Address of National Data Management Office:
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.
Website: Complaints (sdaia.gov.sa)