AU: Indicator of Monthly Household Expenditure, February 2026

Household Spending Trends in February 2026

During February 2026, household expenditure experienced a 0.3% rise from the previous month when adjusted for seasonal variations and measured at current prices. Compared to February 2025, spending was up by 4.6%.

• Data Table
• Charts

Seasonally adjusted figures show that spending increased in five out of nine major categories. The most notable growth was seen in:

• Recreation and culture (up 1.1%)
• Food (up 1.0%)
• Hotels, cafes, and restaurants (up 0.4%)

Chart

Looking specifically at goods, household spending edged up by 0.1% month-on-month. This was mainly due to higher outlays on food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and therapeutic products, as well as other goods.