Australia sits in the eighth position when it comes to global rankings on clothing expenditure, with a score of 3.21.
This is according to new research commissioned by United Kingdom-based online fashion brand Public Desire, with data compiled from Numbeo, Statista and official report sources.
Australians have an average annual expenditure of $2,500 per person, the research revealed, buying around 56 items each year with an average $44.64 per item.
Significant costs of particular items include $78.47 for a pair of jeans and $52.25 for a summer dress.
Despite scoring low overall, Australia was second-highest in terms of average yearly expenditure, alongside India which also hit $2,500. Switzerland was the top scorer in this at $2,825.64, while China held the lowest average yearly expenditure at $259.09.
The top scorer overall was the United States, having the largest apparel market size valued at $351.35 billion, with a total average annual spend of $1,500 per person.
Americans purchase approximately 53 items each year, averaging around $28.30 per item. The high cost of popular brands contributes significantly, with items like a pair of jeans costing $75.55 and Nike running shoes at $111.24.
Norway holds the second position, notable for its relatively lower number of clothing purchases, with only 12 items bought per person annually. Despite this, Norwegians spend an average of $1,150 on clothes each year.
The average price per item is higher than in the United States, at $95.83, influenced by costs like $89.23 for a pair of jeans and $134.42 for men’s leather business shoes.
India is the third, with an apparel market revenue standing at $165 billion. Indians purchase about 24.2 clothing items each year, with an average value of $103.31 per item. The country has the lowest prices for popular brand clothes such as $32.20 for a pair of jeans and $35.33 for a summer dress, but it has the second largest average amount spent on clothes in a year per person at $2,500.
China takes the fourth spot, with the second-highest apparel market revenue at $313.82 billion. Chinese consumers buy around 21 clothing items each year and spend a total of $259.09, the lowest on the list.
The average price per item is also the lowest, totalling $12.11. Key costs include $65.26 for a pair of jeans and $35.06 for a summer dress.
Switzerland holds the fifth position, with a market size of $12.68 billion. The average price of clothing items here is also the highest, with a pair of jeans priced at $148.44 and a summer dress at $62.45. Swiss consumers purchase the most amount of clothes yearly, totalling around 118 items, with each item averaging $23.95.
Sitting sixth on the list is Iceland with an average annual clothing expenditure of $1,570 per person. Icelanders purchase around 57.2 items yearly, with a high average value per item at $27.45. The country offers the second most expensive items from popular brands after Switzerland totalling $473.
Denmark is the seventh with an apparel market revenue of $5.92 billion and with an annual spending average of $1,723.21 per person. Danes purchase about 60 clothing items each year, with an average item value of $28.72.
Following Australia is the United Kingdom in ninth place, with an apparel market revenue of $82.89 billion.
The average annual spending on clothes is $1,320.78 per person, with approximately 20 items purchased yearly. Each item has an average value of $66.04, the second highest in the list after Norway.
Ireland rounds up the ranking with an apparel market revenue of $5.06 billion. Irish consumers purchase about 23 clothing items each year, with an average value of $48.80 per item. Key costs include $94.08 for a pair of jeans and $40.41 for a summer dress. It has the third cheapest costs of popular clothing brands at $330.62 in total.
"It's interesting to see how different countries' cultures, economies, and societies shape their spending patterns,” a spokesperson from Public Desire said.
“In the United States, high market revenue and spending per person highlight the importance of fashion in American culture. In Switzerland, high spending per item shows a preference for quality and brand prestige.
“Norway's fewer purchases but higher spending per item suggest a focus on quality over quantity.
“These insights are valuable for fashion retailers and marketers to better understand and meet the varied needs of global consumers."