The Macedonian citizens spend around 40% of their monthly income on food, with 60% on other necessities, such as utilities, education, culture, and tourism, the RIA Rating Agency poll found, analyzing 40 European countries based on last year’s statistical data.

The poll also found that Macedonians are not giving up cigarettes and alcohol, even in crisis. Hence, Macedonians spend an average of 4% of their income on cigarettes and alcohol. They also have money for restaurants, coffee bars, and hotels, around 3.6%, while they spend much less on culture and recreation – 1.8%.

Macedonia occupies the 37th place on the list, above Moldova, where people spend around 43.8% on food, and Kazakhstan with 47.6%. At the top of the list is Luxemburg, with around 8% of the income spent on food, followed by Holland and Great Britain with 10.6%.

In the category of expenses for cigarettes and alcohol, with four percent Macedonia shares the 34th place with Lithuania and Turkiye. followed by Serbia with 4.9% and Bulgaria with 5%. Romanians spend eight percent of their income on alcohol and cigarettes. Here Luxemburg tops the list again, with 1.3 %spent on cigarettes and alcohol.