SACOSS Cost of Living Biannual Update

ISSN 1836-5248 (Print)
ISSN 1836-5256 (Online)

No. 1, July 2009

No. 2, December 2009

No. 3 Summary Report, August 2010

The SACOSS Cost of Living Biannual Update is a six-monthly series of papers exploring the real cost of living in South Australia.

Each Update includes an explanation of our methodology for the analysis of the core essentials, and exploration of some income sources. By showing the ways in which core expenses can be calculated, it provides a template for future work in these areas. Most of all, through research and data analysis, the Updates show that it is the ‘big four’ expenses of housing, food, energy and transport, that shape the ability or inability of individuals, families and households to participate fully in society.

The Updates show that in order to correctly gauge rises in the cost of living, a number of key expense areas need to be viewed in conjunction with the traditional Consumer Price Index-focussed approach. By using the ‘All Groups CPI’ we get an average figure across both essential and discretionary items that can mask the true increases in essentials that low income households experience.