Consumer Price Index, Australia

Latest release

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures household inflation and includes statistics about price change for categories of household expenditure.

Reference period
January 2026
Released
25/02/2026
  • Next Release 25/03/2026
    Consumer Price Index, Australia, February 2026
  • Next Release 29/04/2026
    Consumer Price Index, Australia, March 2026
  • Next Release 27/05/2026
    Consumer Price Index, Australia, April 2026
  • View all releases
Release date and time
25/02/2026 11:30am AEDT

Key statistics

In the 12 months to January 2026:

  • The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.8%, unchanged from 3.8% in the 12 months to December 2025.
  • The largest contributors to annual inflation were Housing (+6.8%), Food and non-alcoholic beverages (+3.1%) and Recreation and culture (+3.7%).
  • Trimmed mean inflation was 3.4%, up from 3.3% in the 12 months to December 2025.

In the month of January, the CPI rose 0.4% in original terms and rose 0.5% in seasonally adjusted terms.

Selected tables republished

This updated release re-publishes the January 2026 data in tables 4, 5, 6, 14 and 15. The commentary graph titled: CPI Groups, contribution to annual CPI movement (percentage points) and the commentary table titled: Weighted average of eight capital cities have also been re-published.

None of the headline CPI figures are affected. This includes the headline measure of inflation, trimmed mean, indexes and index movements. 

For more details refer to Post-release changes and the media statement Background CPI tables to be republished. 

What's new this month

Postponing the annual CPI weight update

Since 2018, the ABS has updated the CPI weights annually. The updated weights are usually implemented in the CPI for the month of January and March quarters. With the introduction of the complete Monthly CPI in late 2025, the ABS has decided to postpone the next CPI weight update to January 2027. The ABS will monitor household spending patterns throughout 2026 and consider a mid-year weight update if needed. The ABS will advise users in advance if a mid-year weight update is going to occur. Information on the 2025 weight update is available in Annual weight update of the CPI.

Quarterly data available

Quarterly CPI data can be found in tables 17 and 18. From December 2025, the quarterly CPI data is calculated as the average of the three relevant monthly indexes. Data for the most recent quarter will be added to tables 17 and 18 when the monthly CPI is published for the months of March, June, September and December.

Re-referencing the quarterly CPI data

The previously published quarterly data has been re-referenced and aligned to the new monthly CPI series. September 2025 serves as the link period where the index equals 100.00. While the level of the quarterly indexes has changed due to re-referencing, the percentage movements of the index have not been revised.

Conversion factors and examples of how to use them are available in the Quarterly CPI - September 2025 Conversion Factors spreadsheet in the Data downloads. These factors enable users to convert the re-referenced indexes to the previous reference period of 2011-12 = 100.0.

More information on re-referencing is available in Re-referencing the quarterly Consumer Price Index

Main features

 

Weighted average of eight capital cities
  OriginalSeasonally adjusted
Weighted average of eight capital citiesDec 25 to Jan 26
(% change)
Jan 25 to Jan 26
(% change)
Dec 25 to Jan 26
(% change)
Jan 25 to Jan 26
(% change)
All groups CPI0.43.80.53.8
 Food and non-alcoholic beverages0.53.10.23.1
 Alcohol and tobacco0.95.00.65.0
 Clothing and footwear2.95.62.15.3
 Housing2.26.81.66.7
 Furnishings, household equipment and services-0.41.40.01.4
 Health2.73.20.03.2
 Transport-0.71.1-0.91.1
 Communication-0.11.40.11.4
 Recreation and culture-3.43.70.63.6
 Education0.05.40.35.4
 Insurance and financial services0.32.40.52.4
CPI analytical series 
 All groups CPI, seasonally adjustedn/an/a0.53.8
 Trimmed meann/an/a0.33.4
 Weighted mediann/an/a0.33.6

This chart shows the annual contributions of the individual components summing to the total CPI annual movement. Any differences in the sum of the individual components and the total are due to rounding.

  1. 'Other' includes Clothing and footwear, Furnishings, household equipment and services, Communication and Insurance and financial services

The following table shows the weight, annual movement and contribution of each category to the All groups CPI annual movement. The contribution is a combination of the category’s weight and annual movement. The sum of all the category contributions equals the CPI annual movement.

Weighted average of eight capital cities
Weighted average of eight capital cities

Weight

(%)

January 2026 annual movement

(% Change)

January 2026 contribution to total CPI

(percentage points)

All groups CPI1003.83.8
Food and non-alcoholic beverages17.43.10.5442
Alcohol and tobacco6.55.00.3281
Clothing and footwear3.25.60.1798
Housing21.46.81.4572
Furnishings, household equipment and services7.91.40.1086
Health6.73.20.2232
Transport11.51.10.1252
Communication2.11.40.0288
Recreation and culture13.13.70.4639
Education4.75.40.2490
Insurance and financial services5.62.40.1329

Overview

Annual inflation increased for the Trimmed mean in January

CPI annual inflation was 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to January 2026, unchanged from 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to December 2025.

Trimmed mean inflation was 3.4 per cent in the 12 months to January 2026, up from 3.3 per cent in the 12 months to December 2025.

  1. Annual movements prior to April 2025 are calculated by comparing each quarter to the same quarter in the previous year.  From April 2025 these movements are calculated by comparing each month to the same month in the previous year.

Annual inflation for Goods and Services similar in January

Annual Goods inflation was 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to January 2026, up from 3.4 per cent to December 2025. The main contributor was Electricity, which rose 32.2 per cent in the 12 months to January 2026.

Annual Services inflation was 3.9 per cent in the 12 months to January 2026, down from 4.1 per cent to December 2025. The main contributors were Rents (+3.9 per cent) and Medical and hospital services (+4.2 per cent). 

  1. Annual movements prior to April 2025 are calculated by comparing each quarter to the same quarter in the previous year.  From April 2025 these movements are calculated by comparing each month to the same month in the previous year

Annual inflation for Non-tradables higher than Tradables in January

The Tradables and Non-tradables series measures the contribution of goods and services that are highly exposed to international trade influences (tradables), and those that are mostly influenced by domestic factors (non-tradables), to overall household inflation. Examples of tradables include automotive fuel, most food items, and clothing and footwear. Examples of non-tradables include housing and education.

Annual Non-tradables inflation was 4.9 per cent in the 12 months to January 2026, up from 4.6 per cent to December 2025. The main contributors were Electricity (+32.2 per cent), New dwellings (+3.5 per cent) and Rents (+3.9 per cent).

Annual Tradables inflation was 1.9 per cent in the 12 months to January 2026, down from 2.1 per cent to December 2025. The main contributors were Audio, visual and computing media and services (+10.1 per cent), Accessories (+12.0 per cent) and International holiday travel and accommodation (+2.0 per cent). 

  1. Annual movements prior to April 2025 are calculated by comparing each quarter to the same quarter in the previous year.  From April 2025 these movements are calculated by comparing each month to the same month in the previous year

CPI groups

Food and non-alcoholic beverages group (+3.1%)

Alcohol and tobacco group (+5.0%)

Clothing and footwear group (+5.6%)

Housing group (+6.8%)

Furnishings, household equipment and services group (+1.4%)

Health group (+3.2%)

Transport group (+1.1%)

Communication group (+1.4%)

Recreation and culture group (+3.7%)

Education group (+5.4%)

Insurance and financial services group (+2.4%)

Analytical series

Analytical series

 

Dec 25 to Jan 26

(% change)

Jan 25 to Jan 26

(% change)

Trimmed mean 0.33.4
Weighted median0.33.6
CPI excluding volatile items*0.54.1
CPI excluding volatile items* and holiday travel1.14.1
Tradables-1.21.9
Non-tradables1.24.9
Goods1.33.8
Services-0.73.9
Discretionary-0.53.5
Non-discretionary1.04.1
All groups CPI, seasonally adjusted0.53.8

*Volatile items are Fruit and vegetables and Automotive fuel 

Capital cities comparison

All groups CPI

All groups CPI, index numbers and percentage changes
 Index number(a)Percentage change (%)
 Jan 2026Dec 2025 
to Jan 2026
Jan 2025 
to Jan 2026 
Sydney101.610.43.9
Melbourne101.450.53.3
Brisbane101.080.14.3
Adelaide101.270.33.5
Perth100.570.34.9
Hobart101.280.13.6
Darwin100.830.13.1
Canberra101.460.53.6
Weighted average of eight capital cities101.330.43.8
  1. Index reference period: September 2025 = 100.0.
Group by capital city, annual percentage change
GroupSydneyMelbourneBrisbaneAdelaidePerthHobartDarwinCanberraWeighted average of eight capital cities
All groups3.93.34.33.54.93.63.13.63.8
Food & non-alcoholic beverages3.43.12.82.52.93.82.72.73.1
Alcohol & tobacco4.24.86.06.85.07.33.94.85.0
Clothing & footwear6.34.86.65.65.55.44.52.95.6
Housing7.04.47.45.813.56.05.15.76.8
Furnishings, household equipment and services1.40.62.51.91.31.91.22.01.4
Health3.42.73.33.53.82.51.33.73.2
Transport0.81.12.5-0.91.1-1.70.82.21.1
Communication1.41.41.31.31.31.41.31.51.4
Recreation & culture3.63.53.83.64.14.14.73.13.7
Education5.55.64.84.45.64.55.26.25.4
Insurance & financial services2.43.02.61.40.84.31.92.42.4

Data downloads

Tables 4, 5, 6, 14 and 15 have been updated on 27 February 2026. For more details refer to Post-release changes.

Data files

Capital Cities

Data files
Data files
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 Consumer Price Index, Australia.

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

Article archive

CPI feature articles

Using price indexes

Price indexes in contracts

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. Price indexes are also often used in contracts by businesses and government to adjust payments and/or charges to take account of changes in categories of prices (Indexation Clauses).

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

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

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 6401.0.

Post-release changes

27 February 2026

Five supporting tables from our analytical series have been updated to correct the weights used to calculate the ‘Contribution to percentage change’ estimates. 

None of the headline CPI figures are affected. This includes the headline measure of inflation, trimmed mean, indexes and index movements. 

The following tables and graph were updated: 

  • Table 4. CPI: Group, Sub-group and Expenditure Class Contribution to All Groups Annual percentage change, Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities
  • Table 5. CPI: Group, Sub-group and Expenditure Class Contribution to All Groups Monthly percentage change, Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities
  • Table 6. CPI: Analytical Series, Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities
  • Table 14. CPI: Group, Sub-group and Expenditure Class, Contribution to All Groups Annual percentage change, by Capital City
  • Table 15. CPI: Group, Sub-group and Expenditure Class, Contribution to All Groups Monthly percentage change, by Capital City
  • The commentary graph titled: CPI Groups, contribution to annual CPI movement (percentage points)
  • The commentary table titled: Weighted average of eight capital cities

Methodology

Scope

The CPI 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 monthly 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

View full methodology
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