2026 Cost of Living Report: Taking stock of the 2020s: A decade of inflationary pain
3 June 2026
The 2026 Cost of Living Report tracks changes in the cost of living for low-income households in the Australian Capital Territory. The report looks at changes over the past 12 months and the past 5 years.
“The last five years have pushed more Canberrans into poverty and financial precarity. The 2026 cost of living report is delivered in the shadow of a global fuel shortage. Without continued active government management, this could threaten the financial security of middle to low-income Australians. As with every economic shock, these negative effects are felt most keenly by those in our community who have the least – people already on the margins for whom minor increases in costs may be a tipping point towards crisis.”
Dr Devin Bowles, CEO, ACTCOSS
The Report shows that from 2020 to 2025 the cost of essentials has skyrocketed in the ACT. Essential goods and services have climbed well above inflationary levels with major increases in the cost of automative fuel (+48.6%), education (34.7%), medical and hospital services (+25.6%), utilities (+23.5%) and food (+22.2%).
You can download the full report below.
