The prices and wages section compares the difference between the rate of inflation and the average household income, and how this affects the cost of living in the Northern Territory (NT). Analysis is provided on Darwin's consumer price index (CPI), the NT’s wage price index (WPI) and average weekly earnings (AWE). CPI reports on the changes in price of categories such as housing, food and non-alcoholic beverages, recreation and culture, alcohol and tobacco, transportation, furnishings, household equipment and services, financial and insurance services, health, communication, clothing and footwear, and education. WPI measures changes in the price that employers pay for labour, arising from market factors by both the private and public sectors of employment. AWE measures the level of average earnings in the NT.
Key facts | Consumer price index | Wage price index | Median weekly employee earnings | Average weekly earnings | Explanatory notes
Prices and wages statistics are based on data reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). For the latest available data and analysis, see the Department of Treasury and Finance’s Consumer price index, Wage price index and Average weekly full-time earnings economic brief. For further analysis on house prices and fuel prices, please go to the relevant webpages.
Key facts
Consumer price index
The ABS has transitioned from quarterly to monthly CPI reporting since the October 2025 data release. The monthly data series is inherently more volatile than the previous quarterly series and is too short for reliable seasonal adjustment. The ABS publishes a quarterly series which reduces this volatility.
In the March quarter 2026, the Darwin CPI:
- increased by 0.9%, the lowest result of the capital cities.
- increased by 3.6% in year-ended terms (Chart 1). This is the lowest result of the capital cities, which otherwise ranged from an increase of 3.7% in Canberra to an increase of 4.9% in Perth.
In the month of March 2026, the Darwin CPI:
- increased by 1.2%, the fourth lowest result of the capital cities.
- increased by 4.2% in year-ended terms, the second lowest result of the capital cities.
- year-ended growth was largely driven by transportation (up by 8.5% contributing 1.02 ppt), housing (up by 5.5% contributing 0.97 ppt), and food and non-alcoholic beverages (up by 2.9% contributing 0.56 ppt) (Table 1).
Wage price index
In the December quarter 2025:
- NT WPI grew by 2.2% in year-ended terms, with private sector wage growth of 2.8% and public sector wage growth of 1.4% (Chart 2)
- Nationally, the WPI grew by 3.4% over the same period, with public sector wage growth of 3.9% and private sector wage growth of 3.3%.
In August 2025, the NT median weekly employee earnings:
- was around $1,510, compared with $1,500 in the previous year
- was less for females ($1,500) than for males ($1,600)
- was higher than the national median of $1,425 (Chart 3).
Average weekly earnings
In the year-ended November 2025:
- NT average weekly full-time earnings (AWFTE) increased by 3.2% to $2,050, the third lowest increase of the jurisdictions, which ranged from 2.9% in Western Australia to 4.8% in South Australia.
- NT recorded the third lowest level of AWFTE of the jurisdictions, which ranged from $1,888 in Tasmania to $2,300 in Western Australia.
- the AWFTE for males in the NT increased by 1.6% to $2,179 and the AWFTE for females increased by 3.8% to $1,896 (Chart 3)
- nationally, the AWFTE increased by 4.0%, with male AWFTE increasing by 4.0% and female AWFTE increasing by 4.1%.
Explanatory notes
- Prices and wages statistics are based on data reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
- Inflation is a key economic indicator that measures the change in the general level of consumer prices over a given period of time. ABS measures inflation in the economy through changes in CPI.
- CPI measures the price of a representative basket of goods and services in each Australian capital city. Each group in CPI is given a weighting depending on its relative importance to household expenditure, which is outlined in Table 1.
- The ABS introduced the 17th series of weighting pattern of the CPI series due to incorporating the results from the Household Expenditure Survey 2015-16. The introduction of the new CPI series has resulted in a break in the time series regarding components percentage point contributions to the CPI growth rates.
- The ABS WPI measures the influence of market factors on the price employers pay for a standard unit of labour. To establish a standard unit of labour for the index, the ABS holds the quantity and quality of labour services constant by excluding changes in the composition of the labour force, hours worked and changes in characteristics of employees (such as productivity) from the index. The lump sum payments delivered to eligible employees under the Northern Territory Public Service 2021-2025 Enterprise Agreement were not captured in the ABS’ methodology for the headline WPI.
- The ABS average weekly earnings (AWE) survey is designed to measure the level of average earnings in Australia at a point in time. Movements in average weekly earnings can be affected not only by changes in the level of earnings of employees but also changes in the overall composition of the labour force. This relates to variations in the occupational distribution within and across industries, distribution of employment between industries and proportion of male and female employees.
- AWE are not comparable with those for the WPI. They have different purposes and concepts and use different sample selection and estimation methodology. The WPI is a price index to measure changes over time in the price of wages and salaries and it is unaffected by changes in the quality and quantity of labour services. AWE measures the level of average earnings and, in addition to changes in the price of labour, is affected by changes in hours worked and by compositional changes. For further detail on the methodology, concepts and sources please go to the ABS website.