WACOSS has produced The Rising Cost of Living in WA paper since 2006. The paper’s intent is to track changes in typical living expenses against increases in the WACOSS Household Model income. It endeavours to use the most current, up to date data available, from a variety of sources.
WACOSS has in the past also produced a Cost of Essential Services paper, which similarly tracks increases in the cost of utilities – water, gas and electricity. In 2010 the Cost of Essential Services paper was fully amalgamated into The Rising Cost of Living in WA paper.
The paper provides indicative data to demonstrate annual changes in living costs in WA. When considered with previous papers, it serves as a useful resource in analysing trends in the rising cost of living over a number of years.