We look at the average grocery bill in Australia by demographic and the latest statistics of supermarket spending, including how many people are worried about the cost of groceries impacting their bank account balance.
Quick overview
Australians spent $14.44 billion on groceries in July 2024.
Aussies who shop for their household report spending an average of $190 per week, according to Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker.
The food category hit hardest by inflation in June 2024 was oils and fats at 12.5%. The lowest was lamb and goat, which decreased 8.7%.
People living in NSW spend the most on groceries at $203 per week.
Those in South Australia spend the least at $175 per week.
Baby boomers spend the least each week at $155, followed by Gen Z at $177, Gen X at $198, and Gen Y at $217 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 90% of product categories between June 2023 and 2024. This means you're paying around 1.9% more for bread, 6% more for eggs and 5.2% more for seafood, but 8.7% less for lamb and goat. Inflation and transport costs are also putting pressure on suppliers and supermarkets, pushing prices up more. According to Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker, 38% of Aussies say their grocery shopping is causing them financial stress, up from 21% 3 years ago.
Average grocery bill per month for an Australian household
Australians spent $14.44 billion at the supermarket in July 2024, 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 3.8% as at June 2024. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic being largely over and the supply chain returning to normal, inflation has an impact on almost everything, including food.
If we look at just groceries, price increases between June 2023 and June 2024 range from 1.9% for bread to 6% for eggs. The categories that have gotten slightly cheaper are: lamb & goat, and beef & veal.
This is a change from past trends, when staples actually got more affordable compared to inflation.
Grocery category
Inflation rate (12 months to June '24)
Eggs
6%
Bread
1.9%
Fish & seafood
5.2%
Cheese
1.5%
Coffee, tea & cocoa
0.8%
Pork
4.4%
Fruit
4.2%
Beef & veal
-2.8%
Vegetables
2.9%
Source: Consumer Price Index, ABS, June 2024
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
"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 be 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."
Bonnie Grosvenor
Sydney-based mum of 2
Average cost of groceries by state
So far for September 2024, people in NSW spend the most on groceries, with an average cost of $203 each week based on data from Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker. People in South Australia have the lowest average weekly cost of $175.
The difference in urban and regional areas
The cost of groceries is typically higher in regional and remote areas of Australia, where fewer supermarkets mean there is less competition. Transport to these areas also adds to the cost.
For example, groceries are on average 21% to 62% more expensive in remote and regional areas of the NT compared to district centres like Darwin or Alice Springs.
As another example, the price of eggs is 15.4% more in Alice Springs compared to Sydney according to data from Numbeo.
Hot tip: Shop local to save Sometimes, groceries will be cheaper in a rural area if they're produced there. For example, bananas are 19.2% cheaper in Cairns than they are in Sydney.
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
$142
Couple only
2 people
$182
Single parent with children
2-3 people
$183
Couple with children
4 people
$254
Source: Finder Consumer Sentiment Tracker (August, 2024)
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 $217. And Baby Boomers spend the least at $155 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.
Graham Cooke is the head of consumer research at Finder. He’s a seasoned analyst and data journalist, who has been covering personal finance, the economy, technology and travel at for eight years.
He had taken part in over 500 live TV interviews and appears regularly on ABC News and Radio, 7 and 9 News, Sunrise, Today, Studio 10 and others.
Graham is also a contributing author at Money Magazine and Yahoo Finance. See full bio
Graham's expertise
Graham has written 57 Finder guides across topics including:
Jamie Wise is a PR Specialist at Finder. She has previously represented companies in consumer and non-for-profit industries. Jamie has a Bachelor of Public Communication (Public Relations) from the University of Technology Sydney. See full bio
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.
PatriceJune 6, 2024
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!!
Finder
SarahJune 11, 2024Finder
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!
RichardMarch 10, 2024
What are the average cost of groceries for a family of 4 in Perth?
2 Adults
2 kids at 17 and 22.
Rg
Finder
SarahMarch 15, 2024Finder
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.
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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.