Monthly Consumer Price Index Indicator

Latest release

The monthly CPI indicator is a measure of inflation and includes statistics about prices for categories of households expenditure

Reference period
September 2024
Released
30/10/2024
  • Next Release 27/11/2024
    Monthly Consumer Price Index Indicator, October 2024
  • Next Release 8/01/2025
    Monthly Consumer Price Index Indicator, November 2024
  • Next Release 29/01/2025
    Monthly Consumer Price Index Indicator, December 2024
  • View all releases

Key statistics

  • The monthly CPI indicator rose 2.1% in the 12 months to September.
  • The most significant price rises at the Group level were Food and non-alcoholic beverages (+3.3%), Alcohol and tobacco (+6.3%), and Housing (+1.6%).  Partly offsetting the annual increases in other Groups was Transport (-3.8%).

Main features

Weighted average of eight capital cities, annual movement
 Jul 23 to Jul 24 % changeAug 23 to Aug 24 % changeSep 23 to Sep 24 % change
All groups monthly CPI3.52.72.1
Food and non-alcoholic beverages3.83.43.3
 Bread and cereal products4.42.51.8
 Meat and seafood0.20.20.9
 Dairy and related products-0.2-0.2-0.2
 Fruit and vegetables7.59.69.1
 Food products n.e.c.4.34.24.1
 Non-alcoholic beverages4.95.13.9
Alcohol and tobacco7.26.66.3
 Alcohol3.73.03.0
 Tobacco13.913.412.9
Clothing and footwear1.91.71.8
 Garments3.12.72.7
Housing4.02.61.6
 Rents6.96.86.6
 New dwelling purchases by owner-occupiers5.05.14.3
 Electricity-5.1-17.9-24.1
 Gas and other household fuels2.73.23.1
Furnishings, household equipment and services-0.9-0.90.6
Health5.35.34.8
Transport3.4-1.1-3.8
 Automotive fuel4.0-7.6-14
Communications1.9-0.2-0.8
Recreation and culture1.12.52.4
 Holiday travel and accommodation0.22.82.5
Education5.65.46.4
Insurance and financial services6.46.26.1
CPI analytical series   
 Seasonally adjusted3.62.72.2
 CPI excluding volatile items* and holiday travel3.73.02.7
 Annual Trimmed mean3.83.43.2

* = Volatile items are Fruit and vegetables and Automotive fuel

Monthly overview

The monthly CPI indicator rose 2.1% in the 12 months to September down from a 2.7% rise in the 12 months to August.

The annual movement for the monthly CPI indicator excluding volatile items and holiday travel was 2.7% in September down from 3.0% in August. This series excludes Automotive fuel, Fruit and vegetables and Holiday travel and accommodation.

The Trimmed mean is an alternative measure of underlying inflation that reduces the impact of irregular or temporary price changes. Annual Trimmed mean inflation which excluded both the falls in Automotive fuel and Electricity, alongside other large price rises and falls, was 3.2% in September, down from 3.4% in August.

*Volatile items are Fruit and vegetables and Automotive fuel

Food and non-alcoholic beverages

Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices rose 3.3% in the 12 months to September, down from a rise of 3.4% in August. Fruit and vegetables prices rose 9.1% in the 12 months to September; however, this month saw the first monthly fall (-3.6%) since October 2024 (-0.1%).

This fall in Fruit and vegetables (-3.6%) was due to price falls for in-season produce including berries, broccoli and cucumbers, and was the main driver for the September month fall in Food and non-alcoholic beverages (-0.5%).

In monthly terms, Food products n.e.c. recorded a partially offsetting rise (+0.4%), due to higher prices for snacks and confectionary, and eggs. 

New dwellings and Rents

New dwelling prices, which capture new builds and major renovations, rose 4.3% in the 12 months to September. Annual price growth has eased slightly after remaining around 5.0% since August 2023, with builders passing on higher costs for labour and materials. In monthly terms, new dwelling prices fell 0.1% in September with builders increasing promotional offers due to subdued new demand. 

Rental prices increased 6.6% in the 12 months to September, down from the 6.8% increase in August, amid low vacancy rates and tight rental markets in most capital cities. In monthly terms, Rent prices rose 0.1%, down from 0.6% in August. The increase in rents this month was moderated by changes to Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA). From 20 September, the maximum rate available for rent assistance increased by 10% on top of the usual biannual indexation. 

While the changes to CRA applied for only part of the September month, it reduced the overall increase in rents. Excluding the changes to CRA, Rent prices would have increased 0.5% in September 2024. The remaining impact from the CRA changes will flow through to next month’s Rents index. 

Electricity

Electricity prices fell 24.1% in the 12 months to September, down from a 17.9% annual fall in August. This is the largest annual fall for the monthly Electricity series on record. 

The combined impact of Commonwealth Energy Bill Relief Fund (EBRF) rebates in all States and Territories and State Government rebates in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania drove the annual fall in electricity prices.

Households in Queensland and Western Australia received the first instalment of Commonwealth EBRF rebate in July 2024. Households in the remaining States and Territories received their first instalment in August 2024. In New South Wales and Victoria, households received the rebate part way through August 2024, however the rebates were available to all households billed in September 2024. In addition to the Commonwealth rebates, households in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania continued to receive their respective State government rebates.  

 
Commonwealth $300 rebate
WA $400 State rebateQLD $1,000 State rebateTAS $250 State rebate (Renewable Energy Dividend)
Rebate methodApplied directly to electricity bills as four equal $75 quarterly instalments in the 2024-25 FY (a)Applied directly to electricity bills as two equal $200 instalments from July and December 2024Applied directly to electricity bills as a one-off $1,000 rebateApplied directly to electricity bills as a one-off $250 rebate
TimingFrom July 2024 for WA (b) and QLD. For all remaining States and Territories, from August 2024. (c) and (d)From July 2024 (b) From July 2024From July 2024
  1. This applies to all States and Territories, except WA, where rebates will be applied directly to electricity bills as two equal $150 instalments from July 2024 and December 2024.
  2. In Western Australia, the first instalment of both Energy Bill Relief Fund 2024-25 and $400 Electricity Credit has been paid from 20 July 2024. The remaining proportion of households whose billing cycle is in July 2024 will receive their first instalment in October 2024.
  3. For States and Territories receiving rebates from August, the households whose billing cycle is in July 2024 will receive two instalments in October 2024.
  4. In New South Wales and Victoria, the first instalment of Energy Bill Relief Fund 2024-25 has been paid from part way through August 2024. The remaining proportion of households whose billing cycle is in August will receive their first instalment in November 2024.

The following graph shows the Electricity series including and excluding government electricity rebates. The EBRF rebates were first introduced in July 2023 and were extended and expanded to all households in July 2024. These rebates have had the effect of reducing electricity costs for households. Including government electricity rebates, electricity costs for households have fallen by 20% since June 2023. Excluding these rebates, electricity costs for households would have increased 16.1% since June 2023.

June 2023, index = 100

a) Introduction of the second instalment of Energy Bill Relief Fund for concession household in VIC

b) Introduction of the second instalment of the Energy Bill Relief Fund for concession and newly eligible households in TAS

c) Introduction of the first instalment of 2024-25 Commonwealth rebates for all households in QLD and WA, and State rebates in QLD, WA and TAS

d) Introduction of the first instalment of 2024-25 Commonwealth rebates for all households in NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, NT and ACT

Automotive fuel

Automotive fuel prices were 14.0% lower compared to September 2023, down from an annual fall of 7.6% in August. Fuel prices have fallen in four of the past five months due to lower global demand which pushed down the global price of oil. Base effects are also impacting the annual fall, with the rise of 3.3% in the month of September 2023 no longer contributing to the annual movement in September 2024. 

Urban transport fares

Urban transport fares fell 2.5% in the 12 months to September 2024, following cheaper or free public transport in Brisbane, Hobart, Darwin, and Canberra.

In monthly terms, Urban transport fares fell 1.0% in September. The fall was driven by the introduction of a fare-free travel period on buses and light rail services in Canberra due to the transition from the old smartcard ticketing system MyWay to MyWay+. 

Holiday travel and accommodation

Holiday travel and accommodation prices rose 2.5% in the 12 months to September, following a rise of 2.8% in the 12 months to August. 

In monthly terms, Holiday travel and accommodation prices rose 4.0% in September. The main contributor to the rise was Domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+4.1%) as demand increased during the school holiday period. 

 

Data downloads

Time Series Spreadsheets

Data files

Create your own tables and visualisations with Data Explorer

Caution: Data in Data Explorer is currently released after the 11:30am release on the ABS website. Please check the reference period when using Data Explorer.

Data explorer for the monthly CPI indicator.

For information on Data Explorer and how it works, see the Data Explorer user guide.

Detailed monthly data

Monthly Expenditure class data

About the monthly CPI indicator

What is the monthly CPI Indicator?

Introducing monthly indicators of underlying inflation

Articles

Measuring Rents in the CPI 

Using price indexes

Price indexes published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) provide summary measures of the movements in various categories of prices over time. They are published primarily for use in Government economic analysis. 

Consistent with existing policy, the ABS does not comment on the use (or otherwise) of the price indexes we publish. However, it should be noted that the monthly CPI indicator may be routinely subject to revision, in contrast to the quarterly CPI which is only revised in exceptional circumstances.

Use of Price Indexes in Contracts sets out a range of issues that should be taken into account by parties considering including an Indexation Clause in a contract using an ABS published price index.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) specific to the monthly CPI indicator can be found in the Information paper: Introducing a monthly CPI indicator for Australia FAQs 

In addition, the Frequently Asked Questions page has answers to a number of common questions to do with price indexes and the quarterly Consumer Price Index in particular.

Methodology

Scope

The monthly CPI indicator is a general measure of price change for goods and services purchased by Australian households.

Geography

Monthly data is published at the national level, derived as a weighted average of the eight capital cities.

Source

Prices are collected for a range of goods and services (the CPI basket) from a variety of retailers across the eight capital cities.

Collection method

Prices are collected in a range of frequencies including monthly, quarterly, and annually using: 

  • web-scraping
  • online and telephone collections from retailers
  • administrative data, including supermarket scanner data.

Concepts, sources and methods

Information about the data sources and methods used to compile the CPI is contained in the Consumer Price Index: Concepts, Sources and Methods.

History of changes

  • Annual update of CPI weights January 2024. 
  • Partial update of CPI weights July 2023.
  • Monthly Gas series included June 2023.
  • Annual trimmed mean included April 2023.
  • Monthly Electricity included February 2023.
View full methodology
Back to top of the page