The true cost of living in the Festival State has been laid bare, as new Canstar figures break down the everyday living expenses regular South Australian families are required to stump up just to survive.
And believe it or not, if you’re renting, it’s just $664 less than it you’d be paying to live in Melbourne.
According to its research of the expenses faced by a family of four with two children, mortgage repayments account for $47,811 of the annual household expenditure, and rental payments $32,850.
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This puts SA mortgage costs above that of Geelong, Perth, Hobart and Darwin, and rental costs above both Hobart and Geelong, and just behind Melbourne at $33,006.
The average South Australian family’s weekly grocery shop comes to $11,855 a year, petrol $2086, electricity $2170 and water $799.
And then there’s insurance.
According to the research, car insurance sets the average South Aussie back $2389, contents insurance for renters $373 and home and contents for homeowners comes to $1634.
The cost of living in metro Adelaide has been laid bare in a new report. Picture: Supplied by Colliers
Special treats – or daily essentials if that’s how you see them – like coffee, beer and wine come to $678, $863 and $743 respectively.
The average family of four also spends $480 a year on takeaway.
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This brings a renting family’s total basic expenses to $55,287 a year, and a family with a mortgage’s annual expenses to $71,509.
To put this into perspective, a renting Melbourne family would be paying just $664 more per year – $55,951 – and mortgage-holders just $4247 – $75,156.
The new data puts the cost of living in Adelaide only marginally behind Melbourne. Picture: Sarah Matray
Canstar director of research Sally Tindall said just getting by was getting harder for people.
“Life can be incredibly tough living in an area where cost-of-living pressures place a huge burden on your day-to-day finances,” she said.
“While the cost of housing in some of these areas has been traditionally more affordable, property price rises in some key hot spots has thrown that equation out of kilter.
Canstar director of research Sally Tindall. Picture: supplied. NSW real estate
“Anyone feeling price pressures can try and take matters into their own hands, whether that’s switching their mortgage to a cheaper lender, taking a leap and investing in a longer-term solution such as solar panels, or even being smarter about how, where and when you shop can make a difference in the monthly budget.
“If you’re one financial hiccup away from breaking your budget, take action now before the dam wall breaks.”
South Australian Council of Social Services chief executive Ross Womersley. Picture: Joanna Robinson
South Australian Council of Social Services chief executive officer Ross Womersley said people were doing it tough.
“The real cost burden for most people is the cost of keeping a roof over their head,” he said.
“Our homelessness services are in a position now where there are so many people who are homeless it’s very difficult to find people accommodation and to keep them safe through extended period of homelessness and some of that is evidenced by the number of people sleeping in tents in our parklands or sleeping in cars.
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“There is no doubt in our minds the most problematic part of the cost of living bundle has been the increase in housing costs whether that be rentals or people purchasing.”
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Those on the brink risk losing lifeline
If there’s one person who understands the human toll of current cost of living pressures it’s Kimberley Cepon.
Aside from managing a family budget in a time of increasing costs, the occupational rehabilitation consultant, 39, runs charity Shoe Boxes of Love, and has done so since 2011, providing crisis packages of donated personal care items to those impacted by natural disasters and, most recently, drought.
“Costs have been steadily going up but more recently it feels more dramatic,” she said.
“Fuel prices have gone up, electricity, water and insurances have gone up exponentially for no reason and then you pop on top of that groceries have gone up – wage increases don’t fall in line with inflation rates normally and they certainly haven’t increased on par with what the cost of living has.
Kimberley Cepon at home with husband Marcus, and children, Thomas and Mikaela. Picture: Dean Martin
“As much as we’re conscious of closely watching our family budget, we’re aware we’re still a lot more fortunate than a lot of people out there, some of whom we’ve been able to help with Shoe Boxes.”
Last year Shoe Boxes of Love delivered care packages to about 800 families and Mrs Cepon estimates the group has delivered around 20,000 since its foundation.
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While its normal focus is disaster relief and recovery, the organisation is receiving increasing requests from other organisations, and families directly, for help with hygiene items.
“We’ve heard stories about people who don’t buy new toothbrushes or toothpaste, razors or socks because they just can’t afford it and that makes these items a luxury they have to go without,” she said.
Kimberley Cepon in 2014 with some of the care items going to those who need them most through Shoe Boxes of Love. Picture: Supplied
“There are more and more people who need our support, but the donations haven’t kept pace because when you’re dealing with economic hardship and increased cost of living, there’s less disposable income for people to put into charitable causes.”
However, that welcome relief of receiving a Shoe Box of Love might soon come to an end as the volunteer-run organisation faces potential closure after 14 years.
“The financial donations we’d normally see are just not coming in,” she said.
“The reality is if we don’t get probably $15,000 to $20,000 in the next couple of months we’ll have to seriously look at pulling the pin which is heartbreaking because I know the need for us is there.
“It’s needed more than ever.”
For more information visit shoeboxesoflove.org.au
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