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 $14.69B on groceries in January 2025.
Aussies who shop for their household report spending an average of $204 per week, according to Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker.
The food category hit hardest by inflation in January 2025 was fruit 12.3%. The lowest was beef and veal, which decreased 2.8%.
People living in NSW spend the most on groceries at $215 per week, followed by VIC ($212), and WA ($196).
Those in Queensland and South Australia spend the least at $186 per week.
Baby boomers spend the least each week at $170, followed by Gen X at $190, Gen Z at $222, and Gen Y at $227 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 27 out of 30 grocery product categories analysed between September 2023 and 2024. This means you're paying around 9.5% more for fruit, 9.4% more for oils, 9% more for eggs and 8% more for vegetables, but 2% less for cheese. According to Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker, 39% of Aussies say their grocery shopping is causing them financial stress, up from 29% 3 years ago.
Average grocery bill per month for an Australian household
Australians spent $14.69 billion at the supermarket in January 2025, 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 2.5% as of January 2025. 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 January 2024 and January 2025 range from 3% for bread to 12.3% for fruit.
This is a change from past trends, when staples actually got more affordable compared to inflation.
Grocery category
Inflation rate (12 months to October '24)
Eggs
12.1%
Bread
3%
Fish & seafood
-0.2%
Cheese
-0.9%
Coffee, tea & cocoa
2.9%
Pork
3.2%
Fruit
12.3%
Beef & veal
-2.8%
Vegetables
3.3%
Source: Consumer Price Index, ABS, January 2025
"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 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
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
Average cost of groceries by state
So far for February 2025, people in NSW spend the most on groceries, with an average cost of $215 each week based on data from Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker. People in Queensland and South Australia have the lowest average weekly cost of $186.
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
$154
Couple only
2 people
$197
Single parent with children
2-3 people
$204
Couple with children
4 people
$270
Source: Finder Consumer Sentiment Tracker (February, 2025)
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 $227. And Baby Boomers spend the least at $170 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 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 58 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
Jamie Hersch 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.
If you are thinking about moving out of the family house for the first time, you're going to have to look at the cost of your living expenses.
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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.