Name: Bill stress among Australians (March 2021 – March 2023) · dw:PLDlc
Creator: Finder

In the last few years and particularly over the last 12 months, the cost of living has soared dramatically, making it increasingly difficult for many Australians to afford their basic needs. Consumers are feeling the financial burden, from rising prices of food and petrol and the higher costs of health care and education to the major pressure on both rents and mortgages.

This report seeks to examine the causes and consequences of the rising cost of living as well as explore potential solutions to help consumers cope with these challenges. We have drawn on a wide range of sources from Finder, the government and other reputable third-party data providers. We incorporated economic data, academic research, market and consumer behaviour insights and expert opinion to provide a comprehensive overview of the issue.

Download the cost of living report.

Key cost of living statistics

Households were paying 7.8% more for goods and services in December 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.
94% of survey respondents noticed an increase in their weekly grocery shop.
Consumers are spending an extra $37 per week on groceries, an additional $1,924 a year.
43% of consumers are stressed about their grocery costs.
1 in 3 Australians have asked friends or family for financial help in the past 12 months.
Rate rises have added over $12,000 to the annual cost of servicing a $600,000 mortgage.
429,000 households missed a mortgage repayment in the second half of 2022.
An extension of free childcare is supported by 70% of Australians.

Food is the main non-housing expense driving increased inflation

The Australian consumer price index (CPI), the primary indicator of the nation's cost of living, reveals the other categories behind the rise of inflation. These include furnishings and furniture (6.6%), recreational costs (6.4%), and transport (5.6%).

Stress around housing, grocery, petrol and energy costs has been steadily increasing

Each month, Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker asks consumers which household expenses, if any, are causing financial stress. The question covers 19 different expense types, with each user able to nominate up to 3 expenses causing financial stress. The most commonly nominated expenses are housing costs (rent/mortgage), groceries, petrol and energy. The percentage of households citing these expenses as a cause of stress has been increasing steadily since 2021.

Bill stress among Australians (March 2021 – March 2023)
Date	March 2021	March 2022	March 2023
Housing	30%	34%	42%
Groceries	23%	29%	43%
Petrol	12%	27%	26%
Energy	18%	19%	23%

The average Australian has lost almost a month of their perceived savings buffer since the beginning of 2021

The sharp increase in grocery prices and housing costs has had a considerable impact on how long Australians think their funds could last in an emergency. Every month, Finder asks panellists how long they could live off their savings if they lost their job.

The perceived savings buffer of the average Australian sits at 14–15 weeks, down from around 18 weeks (3-month rolling average). When looking at our last cost of living report published in May 2022, there has been a significant increase in consumers from the middle-income bracket saying they could only live off their savings for 1 week or less.

Average number of weeks that Australians can live off their savings if they lost their job

Seasonally adjusted with a 3-month rolling average

Average number of weeks that Australians can live off their savings if they lost their job
Month - For Trends	Average (Q7.12 - If you lost your job tomorrow, how long could you live off your savings for...)
5/1/19	18.0
6/1/19	17.2
7/1/19	17.2
8/1/19	17.2
9/1/19	16.7
10/1/19	16.4
11/1/19	15.7
12/1/19	15.8
1/1/20	16.1
2/1/20	16.4
3/1/20	16.6
4/1/20	16.5
5/1/20	16.5
6/1/20	16.4
7/1/20	16.7
8/1/20	17.8
9/1/20	18.1
10/1/20	18.4
11/1/20	18.0
12/1/20	18.4
1/1/21	17.9
2/1/21	17.3
3/1/21	16.2
4/1/21	16.0
5/1/21	15.8
6/1/21	16.5
7/1/21	16.9
8/1/21	17.7
9/1/21	17.3
10/1/21	17.3
11/1/21	16.4
12/1/21	16.7
1/1/22	16.6
2/1/22	16.0
3/1/22	15.3
4/1/22	14.5
5/1/22	15.0
6/1/22	15.2
7/1/22	15.3
8/1/22	16.2
9/1/22	16.5
10/1/22	16.6
11/1/22	15.1
12/1/22	14.5
1/1/23	14.6
2/1/23	14.9

Average number of weeks that Australians can live off their savings if they lost their job
Month - For Trends	Average (Q7.12 - If you lost your job tomorrow, how long could you live off your savings for...)
5/1/19	18.0
6/1/19	17.2
7/1/19	17.2
8/1/19	17.2
9/1/19	16.7
10/1/19	16.4
11/1/19	15.7
12/1/19	15.8
1/1/20	16.1
2/1/20	16.4
3/1/20	16.6
4/1/20	16.5
5/1/20	16.5
6/1/20	16.4
7/1/20	16.7
8/1/20	17.8
9/1/20	18.1
10/1/20	18.4
11/1/20	18.0
12/1/20	18.4
1/1/21	17.9
2/1/21	17.3
3/1/21	16.2
4/1/21	16.0
5/1/21	15.8
6/1/21	16.5
7/1/21	16.9
8/1/21	17.7
9/1/21	17.3
10/1/21	17.3
11/1/21	16.4
12/1/21	16.7
1/1/22	16.6
2/1/22	16.0
3/1/22	15.3
4/1/22	14.5
5/1/22	15.0
6/1/22	15.2
7/1/22	15.3
8/1/22	16.2
9/1/22	16.5
10/1/22	16.6
11/1/22	15.1
12/1/22	14.5
1/1/23	14.6
2/1/23	14.9

Download the full report to read more.

The past couple of years have been difficult for many Australian families, but they have benefitted from record-low interest rates. Now interest rates are starting to rise and inflation has hit a 20-year high, many households are starting to feel the cost of living crunch.

In this report we delve into how different sectors of the economy have experienced inflation, how much more households are paying for the same basket of goods, how Australians are coping with the rising cost of living and what they're doing to fight it.

How is inflation changing households' living costs?

Over the 12 months to March 2022, the Consumer Price Index, which measures household inflation, rose by 5.1%. This is the largest year-on-year increase Australia has seen for over 20 years.

To put that into perspective, in the first quarter of 2021, the average household was spending approximately $8,860 per month on general living costs like bills and rent as well as entertainment and travel. Inflation means that those same expenses are now costing households $452 more per month on average.

Annual rate of inflation (2012–2022)

Annual rate of inflation (2012–2022)
Month - For Trends	Average (Q7.12 - If you lost your job tomorrow, how long could you live off your savings for...)
5/1/19	18.0
6/1/19	17.2
7/1/19	17.2
8/1/19	17.2
9/1/19	16.7
10/1/19	16.4
11/1/19	15.7
12/1/19	15.8
1/1/20	16.1
2/1/20	16.4
3/1/20	16.6
4/1/20	16.5
5/1/20	16.5
6/1/20	16.4
7/1/20	16.7
8/1/20	17.8
9/1/20	18.1
10/1/20	18.4
11/1/20	18.0
12/1/20	18.4
1/1/21	17.9
2/1/21	17.3
3/1/21	16.2
4/1/21	16.0
5/1/21	15.8
6/1/21	16.5
7/1/21	16.9
8/1/21	17.7
9/1/21	17.3
10/1/21	17.3
11/1/21	16.4
12/1/21	16.7
1/1/22	16.6
2/1/22	16.0
3/1/22	15.3
4/1/22	14.5
5/1/22	15.0
6/1/22	15.2
7/1/22	15.3
8/1/22	16.2
9/1/22	16.5
10/1/22	16.6
11/1/22	15.1
12/1/22	14.5
1/1/23	14.6
2/1/23	14.9

Annual rate of inflation (2012–2022)
Quarter	Annual inflation rate
Mar-2012	1.6
Jun-2012	1.2
Sep-2012	2.0
Dec-2012	2.2
Mar-2013	2.5
Jun-2013	2.4
Sep-2013	2.2
Dec-2013	2.7
Mar-2014	2.9
Jun-2014	3.0
Sep-2014	2.3
Dec-2014	1.7
Mar-2015	1.3
Jun-2015	1.5
Sep-2015	1.5
Dec-2015	1.7
Mar-2016	1.3
Jun-2016	1.0
Sep-2016	1.3
Dec-2016	1.5
Mar-2017	2.1
Jun-2017	1.9
Sep-2017	1.8
Dec-2017	1.9
Mar-2018	1.9
Jun-2018	2.1
Sep-2018	1.9
Dec-2018	1.8
Mar-2019	1.3
Jun-2019	1.6
Sep-2019	1.7
Dec-2019	1.8
Mar-2020	2.2
Jun-2020	-0.3
Sep-2020	0.7
Dec-2020	0.9
Mar-2021	1.1
Jun-2021	3.8
Sep-2021	3.0
Dec-2021	3.5
Mar-2022	5.1

Which goods and services have experienced the highest rate of inflation?

Transport services saw the highest rate of inflation this year at 13.7%. This is largely due to the rapid increase in automotive fuel prices which have increased by 35.1% over the past year. Car prices are also driving high inflation in this category, having increased by 6.6% this year.

Housing costs have risen this year, by 6.7% overall, predominantly due to a 13.7% increase in owner-occupier property prices.

Not all goods and services have increased over the past year though. The price of clothing and footwear actually decreased by 1.5%, as did communication services (–0.8%) which include postal services and telecommunication services like your mobile phone bill.

Inflation by category in the 12 months to January 2023

Inflation by category in the 12 months to January 2023
Month - For Trends	Average (Q7.12 - If you lost your job tomorrow, how long could you live off your savings for...)
5/1/19	18.0
6/1/19	17.2
7/1/19	17.2
8/1/19	17.2
9/1/19	16.7
10/1/19	16.4
11/1/19	15.7
12/1/19	15.8
1/1/20	16.1
2/1/20	16.4
3/1/20	16.6
4/1/20	16.5
5/1/20	16.5
6/1/20	16.4
7/1/20	16.7
8/1/20	17.8
9/1/20	18.1
10/1/20	18.4
11/1/20	18.0
12/1/20	18.4
1/1/21	17.9
2/1/21	17.3
3/1/21	16.2
4/1/21	16.0
5/1/21	15.8
6/1/21	16.5
7/1/21	16.9
8/1/21	17.7
9/1/21	17.3
10/1/21	17.3
11/1/21	16.4
12/1/21	16.7
1/1/22	16.6
2/1/22	16.0
3/1/22	15.3
4/1/22	14.5
5/1/22	15.0
6/1/22	15.2
7/1/22	15.3
8/1/22	16.2
9/1/22	16.5
10/1/22	16.6
11/1/22	15.1
12/1/22	14.5
1/1/23	14.6
2/1/23	14.9

Inflation by category in the 12 months to January 2023
Category	X
Food and non-alcoholic beverages	8.2
Alcohol and tobacco	4.0
Clothing and footwear	3.1
Housing	9.8
Furnishings, household equipment and services	6.8
Health	5.0
Transport	6.3
Communication	1.3
Recreation and culture	10.2
Education	4.6
Insurance and financial services	5.1

How has the typical household's grocery bill changed?

The price of food and non-alcoholic beverages has risen by 4.3% over the past year, but this rises to 5.3% if we exclude meals out and takeaway services. This equates to a $48 increase in the average household's monthly grocery bill.

Vegetables have experienced the highest inflation of any food category, having increased by 12.7% in the past year. This is closely followed by beef and veal, which have risen in price by 12.1%. Fruit is the only grocery category to have decreased in price (–0.5%).

Food inflation by category in the 12 months to January 2023

Food inflation by category in the 12 months to January 2023
Month - For Trends	Average (Q7.12 - If you lost your job tomorrow, how long could you live off your savings for...)
5/1/19	18.0
6/1/19	17.2
7/1/19	17.2
8/1/19	17.2
9/1/19	16.7
10/1/19	16.4
11/1/19	15.7
12/1/19	15.8
1/1/20	16.1
2/1/20	16.4
3/1/20	16.6
4/1/20	16.5
5/1/20	16.5
6/1/20	16.4
7/1/20	16.7
8/1/20	17.8
9/1/20	18.1
10/1/20	18.4
11/1/20	18.0
12/1/20	18.4
1/1/21	17.9
2/1/21	17.3
3/1/21	16.2
4/1/21	16.0
5/1/21	15.8
6/1/21	16.5
7/1/21	16.9
8/1/21	17.7
9/1/21	17.3
10/1/21	17.3
11/1/21	16.4
12/1/21	16.7
1/1/22	16.6
2/1/22	16.0
3/1/22	15.3
4/1/22	14.5
5/1/22	15.0
6/1/22	15.2
7/1/22	15.3
8/1/22	16.2
9/1/22	16.5
10/1/22	16.6
11/1/22	15.1
12/1/22	14.5
1/1/23	14.6
2/1/23	14.9

Food inflation by category in the 12 months to January 2023
Grocery category	Inflation rate (12 months to January 2023)
Fruit & vegetables	5.10
Dairy and related products	14.50
Non-alcoholic drinks	9.90
Alcohol	4.230
Food products (other)	11.10
Meat and seafood	5.10
Bread and cereals	12.60

Looking for more details on household spending? Check out Australian household spending statistics for more information on how households budget their money.

How are households dealing with the rising cost of living?

Grocery and petrol stress have surged

Amid rising food prices, data from Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker shows grocery stress peaked in April. More than a third of Australians (34%) listed their food bill as one of their most stressful expenses.

Petrol stress also reached a record high of 32% in April, up from just 17% in January.

Housing costs including rent or mortgage repayments are the most stressful expense for Australians, with 34% listing this as 1 of their top 3 most stressful bills.

Bill stress among Australians (June 2021 – May 2022)

Percentage of Australians who ranked an expense in their top 3 most stressful expenses.

Bill stress among Australians (June 2021 – May 2022)
Month - For Trends	Average (Q7.12 - If you lost your job tomorrow, how long could you live off your savings for...)
5/1/19	18.0
6/1/19	17.2
7/1/19	17.2
8/1/19	17.2
9/1/19	16.7
10/1/19	16.4
11/1/19	15.7
12/1/19	15.8
1/1/20	16.1
2/1/20	16.4
3/1/20	16.6
4/1/20	16.5
5/1/20	16.5
6/1/20	16.4
7/1/20	16.7
8/1/20	17.8
9/1/20	18.1
10/1/20	18.4
11/1/20	18.0
12/1/20	18.4
1/1/21	17.9
2/1/21	17.3
3/1/21	16.2
4/1/21	16.0
5/1/21	15.8
6/1/21	16.5
7/1/21	16.9
8/1/21	17.7
9/1/21	17.3
10/1/21	17.3
11/1/21	16.4
12/1/21	16.7
1/1/22	16.6
2/1/22	16.0
3/1/22	15.3
4/1/22	14.5
5/1/22	15.0
6/1/22	15.2
7/1/22	15.3
8/1/22	16.2
9/1/22	16.5
10/1/22	16.6
11/1/22	15.1
12/1/22	14.5
1/1/23	14.6
2/1/23	14.9

Bill stress among Australians (June 2021 – May 2022)
Month	Rent/mortgage	Groceries	Petrol
Jun-21	31.8	24.4	14.2
Jul-21	31.3	19.4	12.4
Aug-21	28.9	21.0	11.0
Sep-21	30.4	21.1	13.2
Oct-21	32.1	18.9	11.8
Nov-21	31.4	22.1	15.6
Dec-21	32.0	21.6	19.3
Jan-22	33.7	24.7	17.4
Feb-22	32.0	27.4	20.8
Mar-22	32.8	27.7	25.9
Apr-22	34.5	34.2	31.7
May-22	34.3	32.6	29.8

1 in 5 people are living week to week

1 in 5 Australians (20%) say their savings would last them 1 week or less if they were to lose their job today. An additional 28% could get by for 2 weeks to a month.

Only 32% could survive off their savings for 3 months or more, which is the recommended baseline of emergency savings for Australians.

How long Australians could live off their savings by household income

How long Australians could live off their savings by household income
Month - For Trends	Average (Q7.12 - If you lost your job tomorrow, how long could you live off your savings for...)
5/1/19	18.0
6/1/19	17.2
7/1/19	17.2
8/1/19	17.2
9/1/19	16.7
10/1/19	16.4
11/1/19	15.7
12/1/19	15.8
1/1/20	16.1
2/1/20	16.4
3/1/20	16.6
4/1/20	16.5
5/1/20	16.5
6/1/20	16.4
7/1/20	16.7
8/1/20	17.8
9/1/20	18.1
10/1/20	18.4
11/1/20	18.0
12/1/20	18.4
1/1/21	17.9
2/1/21	17.3
3/1/21	16.2
4/1/21	16.0
5/1/21	15.8
6/1/21	16.5
7/1/21	16.9
8/1/21	17.7
9/1/21	17.3
10/1/21	17.3
11/1/21	16.4
12/1/21	16.7
1/1/22	16.6
2/1/22	16.0
3/1/22	15.3
4/1/22	14.5
5/1/22	15.0
6/1/22	15.2
7/1/22	15.3
8/1/22	16.2
9/1/22	16.5
10/1/22	16.6
11/1/22	15.1
12/1/22	14.5
1/1/23	14.6
2/1/23	14.9

How long Australians could live off their savings by household income
Q7.12	Less than $50,000	$50,000 – $99,999	$100,000 or more
Less than a week	22.06	14.53	7.19
Around 1 week	10.63	6.95	4.79
Around 2 weeks	11.59	9.48	7.19
Around 3 weeks	5.87	7.04	3.96
Around 1 month	12.54	11.91	13.73
Around 2 months	5.56	9.57	9.31
Around 3 months	7.78	10.65	14.19
4–6 months	6.83	10.47	13.55
6–12 months	4.92	5.96	7.83
Over 1 year	12.22	13.45	18.25

Extreme financial stress is increasing

Just over 1 in 5 Australians (22%) admit they are extremely stressed with their current financial situation. Extreme financial stress has been slowly climbing after falling to 15% in August 2021.

Only 25% of people say they have no money-induced stress.

Extreme financial stress among Australians (June 2021 – May 2022)

Percentage of Australians who report feeling extremely stressed with their financial situation.

Extreme financial stress among Australians (June 2021 – May 2022)
Month - For Trends	Average (Q7.12 - If you lost your job tomorrow, how long could you live off your savings for...)
5/1/19	18.0
6/1/19	17.2
7/1/19	17.2
8/1/19	17.2
9/1/19	16.7
10/1/19	16.4
11/1/19	15.7
12/1/19	15.8
1/1/20	16.1
2/1/20	16.4
3/1/20	16.6
4/1/20	16.5
5/1/20	16.5
6/1/20	16.4
7/1/20	16.7
8/1/20	17.8
9/1/20	18.1
10/1/20	18.4
11/1/20	18.0
12/1/20	18.4
1/1/21	17.9
2/1/21	17.3
3/1/21	16.2
4/1/21	16.0
5/1/21	15.8
6/1/21	16.5
7/1/21	16.9
8/1/21	17.7
9/1/21	17.3
10/1/21	17.3
11/1/21	16.4
12/1/21	16.7
1/1/22	16.6
2/1/22	16.0
3/1/22	15.3
4/1/22	14.5
5/1/22	15.0
6/1/22	15.2
7/1/22	15.3
8/1/22	16.2
9/1/22	16.5
10/1/22	16.6
11/1/22	15.1
12/1/22	14.5
1/1/23	14.6
2/1/23	14.9

Extreme financial stress among Australians (June 2021 – May 2022)
Month - For Trends	Extremely stressed
Jun-21	20.36
Jul-21	18.03
Aug-21	15.49
Sep-21	18.15
Oct-21	18.03
Nov-21	20.59
Dec-21	17.97
Jan-22	18.60
Feb-22	22.38
Mar-22	19.62
Apr-22	21.10
May-22	21.66

Mortgage and rental stress are on the rise

A quarter (25%) of mortgage holders admit they struggle to meet their monthly repayments, according to Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker. For renters, it's more than a third (35%) that struggle to pay their rent.

With rising interest rates increasing the cost of home loan repayments, it is likely that mortgage stress will rise over the coming months.

Want to keep your mortgage repayments low? Compare lenders and refinance to a lower interest rate.

What are Australians doing to combat inflation?

More than half of Australians (52%) say they have taken actions to make their money stretch further over the past 12 months.

Starting a budget (27%) is the most common way households are trimming down their spending.

1 in 7 (14%) say they have switched grocery stores, while 13% have started a side hustle. A further 12% have saved money by cancelling travel plans.

Women (56%) are more likely than men (48%) to be actively making their money stretch further.

Between the generations, gen Z are the most proactive in cutting down their expenses, with three-quarters (74%) doing so. This is compared to just 27% of baby boomers, who are more likely to be on higher incomes and have already paid off their mortgages.

Over the past 12 months, have you taken any actions to make your money stretch further?

Over the past 12 months, have you taken any actions to make your money stretch further?
Month - For Trends	Average (Q7.12 - If you lost your job tomorrow, how long could you live off your savings for...)
5/1/19	18.0
6/1/19	17.2
7/1/19	17.2
8/1/19	17.2
9/1/19	16.7
10/1/19	16.4
11/1/19	15.7
12/1/19	15.8
1/1/20	16.1
2/1/20	16.4
3/1/20	16.6
4/1/20	16.5
5/1/20	16.5
6/1/20	16.4
7/1/20	16.7
8/1/20	17.8
9/1/20	18.1
10/1/20	18.4
11/1/20	18.0
12/1/20	18.4
1/1/21	17.9
2/1/21	17.3
3/1/21	16.2
4/1/21	16.0
5/1/21	15.8
6/1/21	16.5
7/1/21	16.9
8/1/21	17.7
9/1/21	17.3
10/1/21	17.3
11/1/21	16.4
12/1/21	16.7
1/1/22	16.6
2/1/22	16.0
3/1/22	15.3
4/1/22	14.5
5/1/22	15.0
6/1/22	15.2
7/1/22	15.3
8/1/22	16.2
9/1/22	16.5
10/1/22	16.6
11/1/22	15.1
12/1/22	14.5
1/1/23	14.6
2/1/23	14.9

Over the past 12 months, have you taken any actions to make your money stretch further?
Q18_May 2022 Over the past 12 months, have you taken any actions to make your money stretch further?	Count
I haven't done any of these in the past 12 months	48.10
Started a budget	26.85
Switched grocery stores	14.17
Started a side hustle (e.g. delivery driver, renting out a spare room)	13.07
Compared and switched financial products (e.g. insurance, energy provider, mobile provider)	12.67
Cancelled travel plans	12.08
Refinanced my home loan	4.59
Downsized to a smaller house	3.79
Taken my kids out of private school	2.10
Sold my car	2.00
Cancelled/delayed my wedding	1.50

How to fight inflation

Prepare your finances by budgeting. Knowing where your money is coming from and where it's going is the first step to get on top of your finances. Figure out how much the essentials like bills and groceries are costing you and how much you spend on "fun" things like eating out and travelling. There are plenty of budgeting apps like the Finder app that let you see all your money in one place. Once you have a rough idea of your spending habits, you can figure out where there's room to cut back.

Save money on groceries. Making a few simple swaps can shave a decent amount off your weekly shop. Frozen veggies can be a cheaper alternative to fresh ones and you won't need to worry about them going to waste. Canned foods such as beans and tomatoes are a great addition to soups and stews, as are grains like barley and rice. Depending on your supermarket and what you're buying, it might also be cheaper to buy in bulk and stock up your pantry. You can also check out grocery comparison apps like Frugl to compare the cost of products between supermarkets.

Consider investing some of your spare cash. Savings accounts are the safest way to keep your cash, but low savings rates make it near impossible to earn interest on your money. Consider switching to a bonus savings account, which pays extra interest if you meet certain criteria. If you're looking beyond cash, investing in other assets such as shares or cryptocurrency can earn you a higher return on your capital, but keep in mind these do come with additional risk.

Thank you for your feedback!

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Joselle Delos Reyes as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Graham Cooke

Head of Consumer Research

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Graham Cooke is Finder’s Head of Consumer Research, overseeing data analysis on consumer spending and saving habits. He is a passionate advocate for financial literacy and consumer rights, regularly appearing on major TV networks like ABC News and 7 News, and contributing to top outlets like Yahoo Finance and Money Magazine. Graham holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Physics, as well as Tier 1 and Tier 2 certifications (RG 146) that comply with ASIC standards. See full bio

Graham's expertise

Graham has written 57 Finder guides across topics including:

Home loans and the housing market
Credit cards & personal finance
Finder Awards
Retail economics & FMCG
Travel
Finder's RBA Cash Rate Survey, Consumer Sentiment Tracker, Cost of Living Pressure Gauge and Property Investment Index

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Cost of living report 2023

How are Australian households faring among rising inflation and interest rates?

Key cost of living statistics

Food is the main non-housing expense driving increased inflation

Stress around housing, grocery, petrol and energy costs has been steadily increasing

The average Australian has lost almost a month of their perceived savings buffer since the beginning of 2021

Average number of weeks that Australians can live off their savings if they lost their job

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Annual rate of inflation (2012–2022)

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Inflation by category in the 12 months to January 2023

How has the typical household's grocery bill changed?

Food inflation by category in the 12 months to January 2023

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Grocery and petrol stress have surged

Bill stress among Australians (June 2021 – May 2022)

1 in 5 people are living week to week

How long Australians could live off their savings by household income

Extreme financial stress is increasing

Extreme financial stress among Australians (June 2021 – May 2022)

Mortgage and rental stress are on the rise

What are Australians doing to combat inflation?

Over the past 12 months, have you taken any actions to make your money stretch further?

How to fight inflation

Graham Cooke

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Ask a question

Cost of living report 2023

How are Australian households faring among rising inflation and interest rates?

Key cost of living statistics

Food is the main non-housing expense driving increased inflation

Stress around housing, grocery, petrol and energy costs has been steadily increasing

The average Australian has lost almost a month of their perceived savings buffer since the beginning of 2021

Average number of weeks that Australians can live off their savings if they lost their job

2022 report

Graham Cooke

Get rewarded $$ for switching with Finder Rewards

Ask a question

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