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Changes in cost of living

5 Feb 2013

Q. Compared to two or three years ago is your household paying more or less for the following –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paying a lot more

 

Paying a lot more

Paying a little more

Paying about the same

Paying a little less

Paying a lot less

Don’t know

Own home outright

Own home with mortgage

Renting

Petrol

50%

33%

11%

2%

1%

4%

44%

49%

55%

Fresh food – fruit, vegetables, meat

36%

43%

16%

4%

*

2%

33%

35%

41%

Packaged food

28%

39%

24%

4%

*

4%

26%

27%

33%

Electricity and gas

70%

22%

4%

1%

1%

2%

69%

73%

71%

Housing – mortgage or rent

24%

22%

29%

10%

3%

12%

10%

21%

40%

Insurance

43%

36%

14%

1%

1%

5%

48%

47%

35%

Water

47%

32%

14%

1%

1%

6%

48%

54%

38%

Clothing

21%

30%

37%

9%

1%

2%

17%

21%

25%

Education

24%

20%

27%

3%

3%

23%

15%

28%

26%

Medical, dental

33%

33%

27%

2%

*

3%

33%

35%

34%

Items which respondents said they were “paying a lot more” for were electricity and gas (70%), petrol (50%), water (47%) and insurance (43%).

Homeowners had similar responses to the total sample, but the main things renters were paying a lot more for were electricity and gas (71%), petrol (55%), fresh food (41%) and housing (40%).

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