Brisbane named most anxious Australian city over household bills in new study

Brisbane has been named the most anxious Australian city for household bill stress in a new national study, highlighting how persistent cost-of-living pressures are stretching household budgets to breaking point. According to research commissioned by appliance brand Electrolux, the Queensland capital claimed the top spot on the national anxiety index as rising everyday prices collide with mid-range wages. The findings arrive as Australian families grapple with compounding financial strain across groceries, utilities, housing, and healthcare, prompting widespread shifts in consumer behaviour and placing intense pressure on frontline community services.

The study evaluated eight major Australian cities to generate a Worry Score out of 100, incorporating online search volumes for bill-related terms, average salaries, and inflation figures recorded since February 2025. Brisbane topped the national rankings with a score of 78.30, recording 803.03 bill-related searches per 100,000 residents each month alongside a 4.3 per cent rise in everyday prices and an average salary of $73,000. Electrolux Australia marketing expert Anders Lofgren explained that the city's position stems from the heavy volume of searches relative to population size combined with wage growth failing to keep pace with inflation.

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"Brisbane stands out not only for the huge volume of bill-related searches relative to its population but also for the combination of rising inflation and mid-range wages that leaves many residents facing anxiety and pressure to meet rising costs when their income is not increasing at a similar rate"

Anders Lofgren, Electrolux Australia marketing expert, via News24

Perth residents made 555.41 bill-related searches per 100,000 people each month. Canberra ranked fourth with a score of 44.60, followed by Darwin on 42.00. Sydney placed sixth with a more relaxed 41.10. The NSW capital also had the highest average salary in the study at $80,000. Hobart ranked seventh on 31.90, while Melbourne recorded the lowest level of anxiety, with a score of 24.90.

Broader economic data tracked by The Guardian illustrates that inflation has climbed 23 per cent since the end of 2021, driven by pandemic recovery pressures and subsequent global energy shocks. Household electricity bills have surged by 35 per cent, gas prices have jumped 49 per cent, and insurance premiums have climbed 46 per cent over nearly five years. Supermarket staples such as cooking oil and eggs have increased by more than 40 per cent, while bread, milk, and fruit prices are up over 30 per cent. Conversely, non-essential items including electrical goods, toasters, and certain clothing categories have seen minimal price increases or declines, with public transport fees falling 5 per cent.

The compounding cost-of-living squeeze is hitting the housing and homelessness sector with severe intensity. According to a University of NSW report prepared for the federal government and cited by The Sydney Morning Herald, almost two-thirds of homelessness providers are turning away desperate Australians they would once have assisted. Ninety-one per cent of frontline services reported increased demand over the prior two years. Homelessness Australia chief executive Kate Colvin warned that the system is operating under extreme pressure, noting that official figures show just 3.9 per cent of clients who needed long-term housing received it in the 2024–25 period. Frontline workers report handing out tents instead of accommodation, and asking women fleeing domestic violence whether their cars have locks so they can sleep in them safely. Homelessness Australia is calling for 34,000 new social homes annually and income support increases, while a spokeswoman for Housing Minister Clare O'Neil pointed to $1.2 billion invested to support 50,000 vulnerable Australians and create new crisis accommodation places.

What happens next depends heavily on upcoming fiscal policy updates and central bank decisions. Households await the Reserve Bank's monetary policy meetings regarding interest rate adjustments, while welfare advocates and homelessness services press the federal government for increased funding and structural housing commitments ahead of the upcoming Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook.