Regional incomes and the cost of living

The variation in average income levels between Australia’s major regions is well measured and recognized. However, consideration of variations in the cost of living have tended to focus on differences in the cost of housing, particularly the high cost of housing in the major cities. This paper seeks to extend this analysis beyond housing to also include a simple regional comparison of the costs of several other major essentials. Anglicare’s research has found that low income earners in Tasmania consistently identify the cost of items such as electricity and food as key causes of household financial crisis.