Faster information on rising costs for Australians from the ABS
From November 26, 2025, Australians will no longer need to wait three months to learn about changing prices. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is releasing a full Monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) providing a more complete, quicker picture of inflation and cost-of-living changes.
Up to now, only the quarterly CPI, which tracks the increase in prices of goods and services over time, has been available. There has been a smaller monthly version, but it tracked only two-thirds of common items. That is going to change.
A Move Towards More Timely, Transparent Data
The new monthly CPI will cover a wider range of household costs, from fuel and food to electricity and rent. Although some prices, such as school charges or insurance premiums, rise only every one or two years, the monthly release will nevertheless provide a clearer, more immediate picture of how inflation is influencing people.
This change also brings Australia in line with other big economies, such as the United States and United Kingdom, which already publish full monthly inflation figures. For ordinary Australians, it means improved information, more regularly — something that’s particularly handy when prices are increasing rapidly or individuals are having to budget more frugally.
Behind the Scenes: What’s Changing at the ABS
To achieve this change, the ABS has upgraded its systems over the past two years. Staff have been taking prices more often and relocating the CPI processing to a safer and more efficient cloud-based system. This activity has been funded by the federal government through a program with an emphasis on harnessing big data for better public decision-making.
While the existing monthly CPI gauge will itself be phased out, the new full monthly CPI is set to be a more valuable resource for policymakers and the community alike. It’s a significant shift — and one that has the potential to enable Australians to make better financial decisions during an uncertain economic environment.
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