Transport costs in Brisbane are among the highest in the country and increased more in the past year than other Australian capital cities.
The latest Australian Automobile Association Transport Affordability Index shows that in the March quarter the typical Australian household’s transport costs rose by 4.5 percent, which was almost four times the quarter’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rise of one percent.
The report also showed that in the 12 months to March 31, household transport costs rose by 10 percent, which was 2.8 times higher than the same period’s CPI increase of 3.6 per cent.
Brisbane registered the biggest average increase in transport costs for a capital city in the past year, with a $1536 hike, meaning a typical household spent $28,890 over the 12 months to March 31.
Only Melbourne households spent more in total ($29,286), but the annual increase was lower at $1509.
When income levels were taken into account to measure transport affordability, Brisbane remained close to the top, with 19.5 percent of household income spent on transport costs.
Only Hobart was ranked higher, with households there needing to spend 19.7 per cent of their income to get around.
AAA Managing Director Michael Bradley said the overall rise in transport costs was largely driven by higher up-front costs for purchasing new vehicles as well as higher car loan repayments and comprehensive insurance premiums.
As well as those indicators, the index also looks at the cost of fuel, registration, CTP, licencing, servicing, tyres, roadside assist, tolls and public transport.
