New data shows the daily cost of living for the average Australian in November 2022 increased by only 1% over the month to $60.48. This represents an increase from $59.78 in October 2022 and from $60.23 in November 2021.

The figures are drawn from the Beforepay Cost of Living Index, which summarises the spending of more than 300,000 Australians across several household expense categories including utilities, groceries, food and drink, shopping, petrol and fitness and health. 

Despite economic uncertainties prompting earlier bargain hunting, massive sales events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday continued to entice consumers to spend more in the lead up to the holiday season. The biggest increase month-on-month was the 7% jump in average daily spend in the shopping  category to $7.74 in November 2022, up from $7.24 in October and a 2.7% increase in durable shopping for larger items like furniture and car parts. Forecasts predict that 25% of Australians were set to finish their Christmas shopping during Black Friday sales.

The Beforepay Cost of Living Index for November 2022 is $60.48.

Below is a full month-by-month breakdown over the last 12 months. See sub-category descriptions here. 

Key Spending Insights for November 2022

Daily spending on food and entertainment was stable with a 0.5% increase for groceries and a 0.5% decrease for restaurants and dining out, showing that for this month, a larger focus was on shopping rather than food.

Petrol and utilities have continued to experience increases due to global factors such as the cost of transportation. Petrol has increased by 3% from $8.10 to $8.34 since October, likely due to the continued effect of the removal of the fuel tax exemption last month.

An increase of 16.9% year-on-year was seen in daily spending on utilities from $4.98 in November 2021 to $5.82 in November 2022. The cost of importing resources and energy production remains high with global conflicts and the Australian dollar.

Cost Of Living Sub-Category Descriptions

Below are brief descriptions that outline the type of expenses applicable to each spending category.  

Groceries

Grocery stores where raw vegetables and meat are sold. 

Food & Drink

Any restaurant, pub or vendor that sells food that is not prepared or processed, i.e. not groceries.

Petrol & Auto

Any spending on petrol, car maintenance and car accessories.

Shopping

Spending on non-edible, non-durable goods, i.e. clothing, shoes, consumer packaged goods. 

Utilities

Spending on electricity, gas (home) and phone. 

Entertainment & Leisure

Movie streaming, tickets, mobile and console gaming, hobbies, bookshops and other recreation expenses.

Durable Shopping

Spending on long lasting products, such as white goods.

Fitness & Health

Any expenses on gyms, health insurance and chemists

Have questions? Reach out to mediaenquiries@beforepay.com.au for more information.

About the Beforepay Cost of Living Index

The Beforepay Cost of Living Index shows the average daily spend of Beforepay registered users across multiple household expense categories. This article contains selected summary information only and is provided for general information purposes only. The Cost of Living Index data is derived from a Beforepay user’s average daily spend in selected household expense categories per person. The data may vary depending on the main bank account linked with Beforepay. The numbers have not been adjusted for seasonality. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Beforepay and the related bodies corporate of Beforepay, make no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness or reliability of the contents of this article. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Beforepay does not accept any liability for any loss whatsoever arising from the use of this article or its contents or otherwise arising in connection with it.