A new report estimates that the average American worker drops nearly $1,100 annually on coffee. That’s not much less than what the average worker spends to commute to the job.
The Consumerist cites data indicating that the average worker in the U.S. currently coughs up over $20 a week on coffee, working out to a grand total of $1,092 annually. The average commute, meanwhile, reportedly runs $1,476 per year.
The costs for each individual, of course, are highly variable. And it goes without saying that statistics can be sliced and viewed in many different ways, yielding what appear to be very different results. A Mint.com post from last spring, for instance, estimates that the average consumer spends just $14.40 per month in coffee shops, or less than $175 annually. Mind you, that doesn’t include the costs of drinking coffee at home. But it makes the $1,100 figure seem pretty high.
A Bundle.com report from 2010, meanwhile, had it that the most expensive commutes around the nation still wound up costing under $700 or $800 for gas and auto expenses annually.
(MORE: Almost Half of Americans Live in a Household Receiving Government Benefits)
So, clearly, there are plenty of variables at work. In any event, it’s still fun to check out average spending data for all sorts of expenditures and see where you stack up. Here are a few more interesting figures:
Gasoline: In 2011, the average household spent $4,155 on gasoline. That’s an all-time high, as was the year’s average price for a gallon of regular: $3.53.
Overall Driving Costs: A 2011 AAA study estimates that, after accounting for insurance, gas, depreciation, and other expenses, the average car that’s driven 15,000 miles per year costs $8,776 annually.
Christmas: The average American shopper spent a bit over $700 on holiday gifts and purchases. The average rich American, mind you, dropped closer to $2,300 on gifts during the 2011 holidays.
(MORE: More Fees, Fewer Branches as Banks Cope with Lower Profits)
Cell Phone: According to one recent estimate, the average cell phone costs $605.95 annually. That’s the total for recurring monthly charges, taxes, overages, and such, and that doesn’t include the cost of the phone itself. And that’s for an average cell phone, not a smartphone. The costs related to using an iPhone can easily top $1,900 per year.
Electricity: Partly due to the rise in gadget use, the average U.S. household paid $1,419 for electricity in 2010, up about $300 from five years prior.
Health Insurance Premiums: In 2011, the cost of the average U.S. family’s employer-arranged health insurance premium topped $15,000 for the first time: $15,073 per year, up from $13,770 in 2010.
(MORE: The Number of ‘Improving’ Housing Markets Nearly Doubles)
Pets: According to the American Pet Products Association, the average dog owner spends $1,542 annually, while the average cat owner spends $1,183.
Shoes: Estimates for what the average woman spends on shoes range from $370 per year ($16,410 over 67 years), up to $25,000 over a lifetime.
Watching Sports: The average pay TV subscriber chips in roughly $100 per year for sports programming, and they pay that much whether they watch sports a lot or not at all.
(MORE: Third Time’s a Charm: An Economic Argument for Having More Kids)
Beverages: The average U.S. household spends an estimated $850 annually on soft drinks, for a total of $65 billion on soft drinks alone. A total of $101 billion was spent on beer in 2010.
Brad Tuttle is a reporter at TIME. Find him on Twitter at @bradrtuttle. You can also continue the discussion on TIME’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.