The city of Harbin has reported per capita consumer spending in the first half of 2016 of 10,068-yuan ($1,517.9) for urbanites, an increase of 517.4 yuan over the same last year period, based on national statistics bureau figures, which also show the growth of spending on transportation and communications in first place, up 9.4 percent year-on-year to 1,435.9 yuan, with food, cigarettes, and wine coming in second pushing the growth of consumer spending.

At the same time, there was an uptick in clothing to 1,229.4 yuan, up 8.5 percent, medical care at 1,159.1 yuan, up 7.4 percent, and daily goods, amounting to 614.6 yuan, up 5.1 percent.

However, housing expenditures continue to fall, with per capita spending on living at 876.6 yuan, down 3.7 percent year-on-year.

Harbin has also chosen to spend more on entertainment, culture and education, instead of daily necessities. The proportion of spending on food, clothing and housing accounts for 52.8 percent overall, down 0.7 percentage points, but spending on household appliances, transportation, communications, education and entertainment account for 35.7 percent overall, up 0.5 percentage points.