Monthly Household Spending Indicator

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Monthly and quarterly estimates of household spending

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Reference period
September 2025
Released
3/11/2025
  • Next Release 4/12/2025
    Monthly Household Spending Indicator, October 2025
  • Next Release 12/01/2026
    Monthly Household Spending Indicator, November 2025
  • Next Release 9/02/2026
    Monthly Household Spending Indicator, December 2025
  • View all releases
Release date and time
03/11/2025 11:30am AEDT

Key statistics

In September 2025, household spending:

  • Rose 0.2% month-on-month on a current price, seasonally adjusted basis.
  • In volume terms, the seasonally adjusted estimate rose 0.2% in the September quarter 2025.

Total Household Spending

Household spending at current prices
 Sep-25 ($ millions)Aug-2025 to Sep-2025 (% change)Sep-2024 to Sep-2025 (% change)
Seasonally Adjusted77,443.20.25.1
Trend77,495.80.24.7
Household spending in volume terms
 Sep Qtr 2025 ($ millions)Jun Qtr 2025 to Sep Qtr 2025 (% change)Sep Qtr 2024 to Sep Qtr 2025 (% change)
Seasonally Adjusted224,333.00.22.7

Data note: Cigarettes and tobacco spending

The MHSI includes spending on cigarettes and tobacco products in the "Alcoholic beverages and tobacco" category. Monthly and quarterly movements are derived using data on legal sales of cigarettes and tobacco at supermarkets. Sales of illicit tobacco are not included. Further information about the method for estimating cigarettes and tobacco spending can be found in the following article: Interpreting the Monthly Household Spending Indicator.

With the rise of illicit tobacco sales over the past few years, MHSI estimates of cigarettes and tobacco have fallen sharply, detracting from overall growth. The table below shows estimated quarterly MHSI spending growth rates with and without cigarettes and tobacco included, in seasonally adjusted, volume terms. For example, we estimate that household spending volumes rose 0.4% in the September quarter 2025 if cigarettes and tobacco spending was excluded. Over the past 2 years, cigarettes and tobacco spending has detracted around 0.2 percentage points per quarter from total household spending.

MHSI quarterly volume growth rates, seasonally adjusted, including and excluding cigarettes and tobacco spending
QuarterMHSI including cigarettes and tobaccoMHSI excluding cigarettes and tobaccoDifference
Dec-23-0.10.2-0.3
Mar-241.41.6-0.2
Jun-24-0.6-0.5-0.1
Sep-240.10.2-0.1
Dec-241.01.2-0.2
Mar-250.60.8-0.2
Jun-250.91.2-0.3
Sep-250.20.4-0.2

Household Spending by category

In seasonally adjusted, current price terms household spending increased for four of the nine spending categories. The largest increases were in:

  • recreation and culture (+1.1%)
  • health (+0.7%)
  • food (+0.6%).

Goods and services spending

In seasonally adjusted, current price terms, household spending on goods rose 0.4% month-on-month, driven by increased spending on motoring goods, personal effects, and household appliances and tools.

In seasonally adjusted, current price terms, household spending on services stayed relatively unchanged month-on-month. Spending on air passenger and sea transport, accommodation services, and other services decreased, while spending on recreational and cultural services and total health services increased.

Discretionary and non-discretionary spending

In seasonally adjusted, current price terms, household spending on discretionary goods and services stayed relatively unchanged month-on-month. Spending on goods for recreation and culture, recreational and cultural services, and household appliances and tools increased, while spending on purchases of vehicles, air passenger and sea transport, and clothing and footwear decreased.

In seasonally adjusted, current price terms, non-discretionary spending rose 0.6% month-on-month, driven by increased spending on motoring goods, medicines, medical aids and therapeutic appliances, and food.

State and territory spending

In seasonally adjusted, current price terms, household spending increased for four of the eight states and territories. The strongest increases were in:

  • New South Wales (+0.8%)
  • South Australia (+0.6%)
  • Western Australia (+0.5%).

In New South Wales, the household spending categories that drove the rise for the month were:

  • recreation and culture (+1.8%)
  • furnishings and household equipment (+1.1%)
  • health (+0.9%).

In South Australia, the household spending categories that drove the rise for the month were:

  • transport (+1.9%)
  • recreation and culture (+0.9%)
  • furnishings and household equipment (+0.6%).

In Western Australia, the household spending categories that drove the rise for the month were:

  • recreation and culture (+1.9%)
  • miscellaneous goods and services (+1.3%)
  • health (+0.8%).

 

 

State household spending by category, percentage change from previous month, current price, seasonally adjusted (%)
 NSWVic.QldSAWATas.NTACT
Food0.8-0.10.90.50.71.30.42.1
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco0.3-1.8-0.8-1.1-1.4-2.6-0.60.0
Clothing and footwear0.1-1.2-0.7-0.8-0.1-1.9-2.0-2.1
Furnishings and household equipment1.1-0.10.00.60.5-1.7-2.4-0.9
Health0.90.51.30.50.8-3.9-3.61.3
Transport0.7-0.9-1.21.9-0.82.96.5-13.9
Recreation and culture1.80.70.20.91.90.02.63.2
Hotels, cafes and restaurants0.4-0.9-0.90.00.4-0.5-1.7-1.7
Miscellaneous goods and services-0.3-0.90.60.01.30.1-1.0-2.3
Total0.8-0.30.00.60.5-0.10.4-2.4

 

Quarterly household spending volumes

In seasonally adjusted, volume terms household spending rose 0.2% for the quarter. The largest increases were in Health (+1.8%), Miscellaneous goods and services (+1.2%), and Food (+1.1%).

In seasonally adjusted, volume terms the strongest increases were in South Australia (+0.8%), Tasmania (+0.6%), and Victoria (+0.5%).

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Monthly Household Spending Indicator Data Cubes

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Data Explorer datasets

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.

For more information about Data Explorer, see the Data Explorer user guide.

Monthly Household Spending Indicator - Monthly and quarterly percentage changes and household spending estimates

MHSI enhancements

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has collaborated with key data users to enhance the Monthly Household Spending Indicator (MHSI) and better address their needs. Based on user feedback, enhancements to MHSI have been progressively rolled out.  These improvements provide a more comprehensive view of household consumption, including:

  • Moving to a ‘household consumption’ concept bringing MHSI closer to its predominant use. This includes updates to MHSI methods and data sources.
  • Monthly seasonally adjusted estimates by COICOP category and for the four analytical series (Goods, Services, Discretionary and Non-Discretionary), by State/territory.
  • Quarterly chain volume measures for the nine currently published COICOP categories, by State/territory. Seasonally adjusted chain volume measures are available for selected series.
  • Dollar levels for all series.
  • Back-casted estimates for all current price and volumes series.

In March 2025 the ABS released an information paper, which provides guidance on using MHSI data: Interpreting the Monthly Household Spending Indicator.

The ABS ceased the Retail Trade publication on 31 July 2025. We will continue to work with partners and stakeholders to further enhance the MHSI and provide users with suitable timely data to support their needs. More Information about this transition can be found on the Cessation of the Retail Business Survey and Retail Trade Publication webpage or through contacting us at household.spending@abs.gov.au.

Acknowledgement

The ABS would like to acknowledge the ongoing support of the participating banks that have enabled the ABS to produce these statistics.

Methodology

Scope

  • Final consumption of goods and services by Australian households.
  • Guided by the UNSD’s COICOP classification and aligned with National Accounts HFCE categories and concepts.

Geography

Data is available for:

  • Australia Total.
  • States and territories.

Source

Aggregated, de-identified bank card transactions data provided to the ABS from participating banks. Also collected are supermarket transactions and new vehicle sales data.

Collection method

Participating banks send transactions data soon after the end of each calendar month. Supermarkets send weekly transactions files, and VFACTS is received as a monthly delivery from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).

Concepts, sources and methods

Household consumption is categorised to COICOP Divisions. Outputs from 9 COICOPs and all states and territories are published. Data is benchmarked to annual HFCE and adjusted monthly to cover data gaps such as cash spending.

 

History of changes

September 2025: 

  • Back-casted estimates are now available for all chain volume series.
  • The chain volume measures have been re-referenced to the 2023-24 financial year.
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