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  • Feb, 2013

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    Changes in cost of living

    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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