Compare the Market has unveiled its 2025 Household Budget Barometer report, marking the third iteration of this annual analysis.
The report sheds light on the financial challenges faced by Australians as everyday expenses continue to rise. It offers insights into how households are managing these pressures.
Several indices are included in the report, such as the General Insurance Index, EV Index, Fuel Tracker, and Annual Grocery Haul. The General Insurance Index reveals a significant increase in insurance premiums, with home insurance premiums rising by nearly 23% and car insurance premiums increasing by almost 18% over the 12 months leading to September 2025.
The EV Index offers a comparison of the running costs for petrol, hybrid, and electric vehicles. It notes that while electric vehicles have lower running costs, their insurance costs are higher. Meanwhile, the Fuel Tracker identifies Brisbane as the most expensive city for Unleaded 91 fuel, with an average price of $1.85 per litre.
The Annual Grocery Haul highlights a potential cost reduction of nearly 50% when consumers switch from brand-name products to generic alternatives.
The report, which includes comprehensive cost-of-living research, features contributions from Compare the Market’s experts, including Economic Director David Koch and property expert Andrew Winter. It aims to provide valuable information to journalists, politicians, and policymakers to better understand pricing practices.
David Koch, Economic Director at Compare the Market, commented on the report’s findings, stating, “Compare the Market’s Household Budget Barometer has really laid bare the state of our household finances.” He further elaborated, “We know it’s been a tough few years for Aussies and this research is so important, digging into the ‘why’ and ‘how’, so we can hopefully start to turn the tide on the financial pressures we’re all facing.”
Koch emphasised the importance of the report’s insights, saying, “Compare the Market monitors spending trends, tracks insurance quote prices and drills into personal goals and habits to understand the biggest pressures on household budgets. But even more valuable are the firsthand accounts from everyday Australians.”
The report draws on the experiences of Australians across the country. “Australians from all walks of life participated in the 2025 research. They’ve told us exactly where they’re hurting, how they’re coping and the types of support they need to improve their financial situation,” Koch stated.
He also highlighted some of the coping mechanisms reported by participants: “This year we heard from Aussies using credit cards to afford medical bills; people skipping meals to avoid spiralling further into debt; families who are comparing more and looking for better deals and discounts.”
The data from the report will be disseminated through Compare the Market’s social media channels and customer communications over the coming year. Compare the Market functions as a comparison service for insurance, energy, and home loans, providing tools to assist consumers in finding suitable products.
Based in New York, Stephen Freeman is a Senior Editor at Trending Insurance News. Previously he has worked for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Steven is a graduate of Risk Management at the University of New York.