Australia’s Cost of Living Rises 2.8 Percent in the Year to July, Statistics Says

The cost of housing, food, and non-alcoholic drinks all increased by more than the average rise in the CPI.

A shopper selects fresh produce at a grocery store in Sydney, Australia, on March 25, 2025. Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 2.8 percent in the 12 months to July 2025, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

But some of the items measured had increases above the average, and, in the main, they were things that most people have no choice but to buy: housing went up by 3.6 percent, while food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 3.0 percent, placing them second and third in terms of price increases.