《TAIPEI TIMES》 Almost all households have Internet access: survey

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Prepared by reporter Kao Chia-ho

DIGITAL EQUALITY: Mobile phone ownership in the nation rose to 98.04 percent last year, surpassing color televisions to become the most common household device

By Kao Chia-ho and Fion Khan / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Smartphone and Internet access in Taiwan exceeds 90 percent even among the lowest-income households, a survey released by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics （DGBAS） showed.

The latest Survey of Family Income and Expenditure, which compared the top 20 percent of income earners with the bottom 20 percent, found Taiwan’s highest and lowest-income households show the largest disparity in ownership rates for cars, computers and dehumidifiers, while basic home appliances, mobile phones and Internet access have become nearly universal across income levels.

The survey found that Taiwan has largely achieved digital inclusion, with more than 90 percent of low-income households having access to mobile phones and Internet connectivity.

While car ownership has remained stable since 2017, with a national penetration rate of about 60 to 61 percent after first surpassing 50 percent in 1996, ownership rates differ sharply by income level, the survey showed.

More than 95 percent of households in the highest income bracket own a car, compared with 39 to 42 percent of households in the lowest income bracket — a gap of more than 50 percentage points, indicating that the high price of vehicles and maintenance costs remain significant barriers for low-income households.

More than 96 percent of high-income households own a home computer, compared with 34 to 43 percent of low-income households.

Dehumidifier ownership ranges from 65 to 70 percent among high-income households, compared with 40 to 44 percent among low-income households, suggesting that low-income families prioritize essential needs over quality-of-life appliances.

In contrast, basic appliances such as color televisions and washing machines maintain near-universal adoption at 98 to 99 percent across all income groups.

Mobile phone ownership exceeds 90 percent in the lowest income group and approaches 100 percent in the highest group, while Internet access equipment showed a similar pattern, with more than 91 percent of low-income households connected online, almost matching the rate among wealthier families.

Mobile phones and mobile Internet services have replaced many of the household technologies that once dominated daily life, the survey showed.

Mobile phone ownership rose to 98.04 percent last year from 86.15 percent in 2005, surpassing televisions, which stood at 97.65 percent, to become the most common household device in Taiwan, the survey showed.

Cable television subscriptions, once the dominant source of living-room entertainment, peaked at an 86.36 percent adoption rate in 2017, up from 54.15 percent in 1995, but declined to 80.44 percent last year as streaming services gained ground.

Devices such as video cassette recorders have disappeared from Taiwanese homes, while digital camera ownership fell to 5.7 percent from 51.7 percent over 15 years.

Similarly, the landline telephone penetration rate, which peaked at 97.55 percent in 2005, dropped by more than 24 percentage points to 73.76 percent last year.

DGBAS data on household consumption patterns also showed that Taiwanese spending habits have undergone significant changes over the past three decades.

While basic expenses such as food, clothing, housing and transport have declined or stagnated as a proportion of overall budgets, spending on healthcare, dining out and lodging has grown rapidly, the data showed.

The share of spending on food, beverages and tobacco fell to 15.36 percent last year from 19.53 percent in 1995, while expenses on clothing and footwear dropped to 2.57 percent from 4.6 percent.

Spending on housing services, utilities and fuel edged down to 24.09 percent from 25.13 percent, while transportation and communications slipped slightly to 11.39 percent from 11.47 percent, indicating stable spending patterns for housing and commuting needs.

In contrast, the share of spending on restaurants and accommodation surged to 14.19 percent last year from 8.16 percent 30 years ago, while healthcare spending also rose sharply to 14.08 percent from 9.96 percent over the same period.

DGBAS officials attributed the rise in dining and travel spending to the growing number of dual-income households and single-person households, saying that dining out has become normal, as cooking at home takes longer.

People are also increasingly willing to spend on specialty restaurants, as well as domestic and overseas travel, and hotel stays, reflecting a growing preference for lifestyle and leisure experiences, they said.

The increase in healthcare expenditure is largely driven by Taiwan’s rapidly aging population, they said.

As more households care for elderly family members, spending on nutritional supplements, out-of-pocket treatment for chronic illnesses, long-term care and caregiving services has become a growing financial burden, they added.

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