Australia's CPI Climbs 2.4% by April 2025

The monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) indicator rose 2.4 per cent in the 12 months to April 2025, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Michelle Marquardt, ABS head of prices statistics, said: 'Annual CPI inflation has been steady at 2.4 per cent for the past three months.'

The largest contributors to the annual movement were Food and non-alcoholic beverages (+3.1 per cent), Housing (+2.2 per cent), and Recreation and culture (+3.6 per cent).

When prices for some items change significantly, measures of underlying inflation (like the annual trimmed mean and CPI excluding volatile items and holiday travel) can give more insights into how inflation is trending.

'Annual trimmed mean inflation was 2.8 per cent in April 2025. This was up slightly from the 2.7 per cent inflation in March and has remained relatively stable for the past five months,' Ms Marquardt said.

'The CPI excluding volatile items and holiday travel measure rose 2.8 per cent in the 12 months to April, compared to a 2.6 per cent rise in the 12 months to March.'

*Volatile items are Fruit and vegetables and Automotive fuel

Annual inflation for Food and non-alcoholic beverages was 3.1 per cent in April compared to 3.4 per cent in March. This reflects slowing annual inflation, mainly for Fruit and vegetables and Meat and seafoods.

'While annual inflation eased for most food categories in April, egg prices were up by 18.6 per cent in the past 12 months. This comes as supply has been affected by bird flu outbreaks,' Ms Marquardt said.

Annual Housing inflation was 2.2 per cent in April, up from 1.8 per cent in March.

New dwelling prices rose 1.2 per in the 12 months to April, a slight uptick from a 1.0 per cent rise in the 12 months to March. This is, however, the second lowest annual increase since April 2021. Annual growth for new dwelling prices was low as project home builders offered discounts and promotional offers to entice business.

Rents rose 5.0 per cent in the 12 months to April, following a 5.2 per cent rise in the 12 months to March. This is the lowest annual growth in rental prices since February 2023, consistent with rising vacancy rates across most capital cities.

Electricity prices fell 6.5 per cent in the 12 months to April, compared to a 9.6 per cent fall in the 12 months to March.

Electricity rebates lower the price of electricity for households. In Queensland, most households have now used up the Queensland Government's one-off electricity rebate of $1,000. All Western Australian households have used up the second instalment of both the State government and Commonwealth Energy Bill Relief Fund rebates.

'Electricity fell 6.5 per cent in the 12 months to April. Without all the Commonwealth and State government rebates, electricity prices would have risen 1.5 per cent in the 12 months to April,' Ms Marquardt said.

Automotive fuel prices fell 12.0 per cent in the 12 months to April, following a 7.6 per cent fall in the 12 months to March. In monthly terms, fuel prices fell 2.6 per cent in April.