Since the CPI is designed to measure the impact of changing prices on metropolitan private households, information about prices is collected in the kinds of retail outlets or other places where these households normally purchase goods and services. Prices are collected from many sources, including supermarkets, department stores, footwear stores, restaurants, motor vehicle dealers and service stations, dental surgeries, hotels and clubs, schools, hairdressers, telephone carriers, travel agents and airlines, bus operators, electricians and plumbers. Items like rail fares, electricity, gas and water and sewerage charges, and property rates and charges are collected from the authorities concerned. Information on rents is obtained from property management companies and from government housing commissions. In total, around 100,000 separate price quotations are collected each quarter.

The collection of prices in each capital city is carried out by trained ABS field staff.

The prices used in the CPI are those that any member of the public would have to pay to purchase the specified good or service, including any taxes, excise and customs duties, etc. relating to goods and services. Sale prices, discount prices and 'specials' are reflected in the CPI so long as the items concerned are of normal quality (that is, not damaged or shop-soiled), and are offered for sale in reasonable quantities. To ensure that the price movements reflect the buying experience of the bulk of the metropolitan population, the brands and the varieties of the items priced are generally those which sell in greatest volume.