Household spending rose 6.0% over the year. Here is what moved.

Australian household spending rose 0.8% in June on a current-price, seasonally adjusted basis. Compared with June 2025, spending was 6.0% higher.

That does not mean every household spent 6.0% more. The result combines price changes, the amount people bought and changes in where money was spent. It is useful as a national direction, then your own statements show what changed for you.

What drove the June increase?

Transport spending rose 3.0% over the month, the largest increase among the nine categories. Recreation and culture rose 1.4%, while spending on alcoholic beverages and tobacco rose 1.0%.

Food spending rose 0.3% in June. In volume terms, total household spending increased 0.7% in the June quarter, so the national increase was not only a price effect.

Which prices were rising fastest?

The June Consumer Price Index was 3.8% higher than a year earlier. Housing prices rose 6.8%, the largest annual contributor. Food and non-alcoholic beverages rose 3.3%, while insurance and financial services rose 3.2%.

Transport prices were only 0.1% higher over the year even though transport spending jumped in June. Spending and inflation answer different questions.

What can you check in your own accounts?

Choose one category that has increased nationally and compare it with your own recent history. Keep the comparison like for like.

1. For petrol, compare litres and price per litre as well as the total transaction.
2. For insurance, compare the same policy and cover level at renewal.
3. For groceries, compare unit prices rather than pack prices.
4. For utilities, separate usage changes from changes in rates and fixed charges.

If a bill has become difficult to pay, contact the provider before it is due and ask about an extension, instalments or hardship support.

Sources and limits

Household spending figures are from the ABS Monthly Household Spending Indicator for June 2026, released 4 August 2026. CPI figures are from the ABS June 2026 release, published 29 July 2026. Sources were checked on 17 August 2026.

This article provides general information only. It is not financial advice and does not take your circumstances into account.