Anglicare Australia has released the Living Costs Index, an analysis which compares the incomes for three household types against essential living costs such as rent, food, and transport. This edition covers households on the minimum wage.
The Living Costs Index shows that:
- A full-time minimum wage worker has just $57 left after essential weekly expenses
- A family of four, with two full-time minimum wage workers, has just $73 left after expenses
- A single parent on the minimum wage cannot afford essentials, falling short by $180
- Housing is the biggest living cost facing households, with average rents rising by more than 30% over the last three years.