The average cost of groceries per month
The average Australian spends $204 per week on groceries, with Gen Y spending the most and Baby Boomers spending the least.
Key takeaways
- Australians spend an average of $207 weekly on groceries, with 35% feeling financial stress.
- Gen Y spends the most at $242 weekly, Baby Boomers the least at $162, showing differing generational costs.
- To save on average grocery bills, 60% of Aussies visit multiple stores and 52% bulk buy essentials.
Quick overview
- Australians spent $12.23 billion on groceries in January 2026.
- Aussies who shop for their household report spending an average of $207 per week, according to Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker.
- The food category hit hardest by inflation in February 2026 was beef and veal 13.5%. The lowest was fruits, which rose 1.9%.
- People living in NSW spend the most on groceries at $226 per week, followed by QLD ($210) and VIC ($203).
- Those in Western Australia spend the least at $164 per week, followed by South Australia at $202.
- Baby boomers spend the least each week at $162, followed by Gen X at $199, Gen Z at $214, and Gen Y at $242 per week.
Money isn't stretching as far as it used to at the supermarket?
Data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows prices rose for 24 out of 31 grocery product categories analysed between February 2025 and 2026. This means you're paying around 13% more for beef, lamb and goat, 12% more for coffee and tea, 7% more for chocolate and 5% more for ice cream. Price drops have been far smaller - consumers now pay around 1% less for pet supplies, soft drinks and juices, cereal and oil. According to Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker, 35% of Aussies say their grocery shopping is causing them financial stress, down from 37% 3 years ago.
Finder survey: What do Australians do to save money on groceries?
| Response | |
|---|---|
| Visit multiple stores | 60.86% |
| Bulk buy | 52.59% |
| Coupons | 37.85% |
| Other | 12.55% |
| I do not do anything to save money on groceries | 7.97% |
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1004 Australians, December 2023
Average grocery bill per month for an Australian household
Australians spent $12.23 billion at the supermarket in January 2026, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
How much has the cost of groceries changed?
In Australia, the cost of living is rising across the board – with an overall inflation level of 3.7% as of February 2026. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic having well and truly passed and the supply chain returning to normal, inflation has an impact on almost everything, including food. The ongoing war in Iran could have dire implications for the supply chain over the coming months.
| Grocery category | Inflation rate (12 months to February '26) |
| Beef and veal | 13.5% |
| Lamb and goat | 13.0% |
| Tobacco | 11.6% |
| Coffee, tea and cocoa | 11.5% |
| Snacks and confectionery | 6.7% |
| Ice cream and other dairy products | 4.6% |
| Fruit | 4.3% |
| Breakfast cereals | 4.1% |
| Milk | 3.7% |
| Eggs | 3.4% |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 3.1% |
| Jams, honey and spreads | 3.0% |
| Personal care products | 1.7% |
| Wine | 1.6% |
| Fish and other seafood | 1.5% |
| Beer | 1.5% |
| Cakes and biscuits | 1.3% |
| Spirits | 0.9% |
| Food additives and condiments | 0.9% |
| Other meats | 0.8% |
| Bread | 0.7% |
| Pork | 0.5% |
| Vegetables | 0.5% |
| Other food products n.e.c. | 0.3% |
| Cheese | -0.1% |
| Pets and related products | -0.2% |
| Waters, soft drinks and juices | -0.5% |
| Other cereal products | -0.6% |
| Poultry | -0.7% |
| Oils and fats | -1.2% |
| Other non-durable household products | -1.2% |
"I've got 2 kids and my partner and I at home, and I budget to spend $180-$250 per week – the more expensive weeks are when I need things like nappies, cleaning goods and dishwashing tablets. If I were to shop only at Woolworths without hunting for all the things on special, I'd easily spend over $250 a week. But I'm a shop hopper! I always look at the Woolies and Coles catalogues first, and I'll go and buy what's on special at each, then I get the essentials at Aldi. This usually means my meals and snacks differ each week, but between the three stores, I usually get everything I need either on special or cheaper from Aldi."
Average cost of groceries by state
So far for March 2026, people in NSW spend the most on groceries, with an average cost of $226 each week based on data from Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker. People in Western Australia have the lowest average weekly cost at $164, followed by South Australia at $202.
Average cost of groceries by household size
A bigger household usually means a higher grocery cost if you're sharing meals together. This may not be the case in a share house, but for the sake of comparison let's take a look at different costs based on Finder's data for different types of households, with an example of the household size.
| Household type | Household size example | Average cost of groceries per week |
| Single person | 1 person | $152 |
| Couple only | 2 people | $200 |
| Single parent with children | 2-3 people | $229 |
| Couple with children | 4 people | $274 |
Source: Finder Consumer Sentiment Tracker (March, 2026)
Average cost of groceries by lifestage
The Finder Consumer Sentiment Tracker shows that Gen Y spend the most on groceries, with an average weekly bill of $242. Baby Boomers spend the least at $162 per week, suggesting that working adults and/or people with children at home typically have the highest grocery costs.
What does this mean
As the cost of living rises further, what you spend at the supermarket will also increase – but there are still plenty of ways to save money on groceries. Creating a good budget is another important step to take to help ease your bill shock at the checkout.
More resources on Finder
Ask a question
6 Responses
More guides on Finder
-
Student budget calculator for Uni — FREE with downloadable worksheet
This free student budget template worksheet will keep you informed where your money is going.
-
Budget tips for international students
There's plenty of ways to save money as an international student in Australia.
-
Alternatives to MoneyBrilliant
MoneyBrilliant closed on 16 December 2022. Here are popular alternatives for those looking to move to a new money management app.
-
How to save money on groceries
Check out these 20 easy hacks to cut down on your grocery bill and save more money each week.
-
Budget planner: win at money
Use our free budget planner template to create a personalised budget to track your expenses so you can spend less and save more.
-
Free household budget template
Household budget templates are useful financial tools to help you manage your money better.
-
How to prepare your finances for a recession
How to get your debts, savings, super and your investments sorted for an economic downturn.
-
FIRE: Financial Independence, Retire Early
Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) is about saving and investing as much as you can while you’re young, so you can retire in your 30s or 40s.
-
Financial planning: Choosing a financial planner that suits you
Can a financial planner benefit you? Find out here.
-
What is my net worth?
Your net worth is calculated based on the value of your assets minus your liabilities, and this figure represents your overall financial health.
In the article https://www.finder.com.au/budgeting/average-grocery-bill, it states 38% of shoppers seeking savings use vouchers; what are they calling vouchers?
Hi Maggie, That question just specified “coupons” without giving a detailed definition – in the Australian market, these would most likely be discount coupons found on register receipts or accessed via supermarket apps.
How much should I be spending on groceries per week,
2 adults (parents)
4 kids, 21, 19, 14 & 12
Live in huntervalley NSW
Seems to be just getting more and more!!
Hi Patrice,
The average amount depends on a range of things: diet (eating meat is generally more expensive), access to fresh fruit and vegies (farmers markets tend to be cheaper), availability and location (regional locations can be pricier than city locations, where retailers buy in bulk) and more. You are right that groceries are getting more expensive! If you regularly shop at Woolworths or Coles, you may want to enrol in their paid rewards program: for $7 a month, you receive 10% off one shop per month (up to $500, which is a discount worth $50).
Best of luck!
What are the average cost of groceries for a family of 4 in Perth?
2 Adults
2 kids at 17 and 22.
Rg
The average cost for a family of four is (Couple with children, 4 people) is $258, but this is a national average, not simply Perth.