Tobacco and travel bump up Adelaide cost of living
Tobacco and holidays at home and abroad have helped slightly bump up the cost of living in Adelaide.
While many lifestyle items increased, everyday products, such as fuel and fruit, recorded a drop. Although alcohol prices went up nationally, wine prices fell in Adelaide.
Latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed the consumer price index climbed 0.4 per cent in the December quarter after rising 0.5 per cent in the previous September quarter.
The CPI rose 1.7 per cent through the year to the December quarter 2015 after it rose 1.5 per cent through the year to the September quarter 2015.
The CPI rose 0.2 per cent for Adelaide during the December quarter and increased in all capital cities.
The ABS found tobacco (+6.7 per cent) and holidays home (+4.7) and abroad (+1.8) were the main contributors to Adelaide’s slight increase.
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The hikes were offset by the 4.3 per cent fall in fuel along with a 2.4 per cent drop in phone items.
An oversupply of grapes leading to an increased supply of wine saw prices fall 3.6 per cent for the December quarter.
The data for all Australian capital cities shows the alcohol and tobacco group had the biggest national jump of 2.7 per cent, followed by clothing and footwear group and recreation and culture group (both 1.6).
Nationally, tobacco (+7.4 per cent), domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+5.9) and international holiday travel and accommodation (+2.4) recorded the most significant price rises for the quarter.
Transport fell by 1.4 per cent, mostly due to the 5.7 per cent drop in fuel for the quarter.
Fuel prices dropped 2 per cent in October, 0.8 per cent in November and 2.1 per cent in December, influenced by falling world oil prices.
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All fuels, except LPG, recorded price decreases for the quarter.
However, this drop in fuel prices was offset by maintenance and vehicle repair price increases of 1.7 per cent.
The rises were offset by a drop in fuel (–5.7 per cent), telecommunication equipment, services (–2.4 per cent) and fruit (–2.6 per cent).
Average daily prices for unleaded petrol in capital cities.
There was no movement nationally in education.
The housing market movement of 0.1 per cent was slowest recorded in almost 20 years with subdued activity in the rental and home-buying sector not seen since 1998.
Rent prices for the quarter increased 0.2 per cent and new homes by owner-occupiers rose 0.1 per cent, the weakest owner-occupier activity since the March quarter 2014.
