Table 5.
Cost of current and recommended diets and components, and diet affordability, by remoteness
| Major Cities | Outer Regional | Very Remote | ||||||||||
| Total diet and food group costs for the reference household per fortnight | ||||||||||||
| Food/food groups | Current diet | Recommended diet | Current diet | Recommended diet | Current diet | Recommended diet | ||||||
| Mean cost ± SD (A$) | Proportion of total cost (%) | Mean cost ± SD (A$) | Proportion of total cost (%) | Mean cost ± SD (A$) | Proportion of total cost (%) | Mean cost ± SD (A$) | Proportion of total cost (%) | Mean cost ± SD (A$) | Proportion of total cost (%) | Mean cost ± SD (A$) | Proportion of total cost (%) | |
| Water, bottled | $20.35 ± 1.64 | 3% | $20.35 ± 1.64 | 3% | $15.58 ± 3.76 | 2% | $15.58 ± 3.76 | 2% | $13.46 ± 4.63 | 1% | $13.46 ± 4.63 | 2% |
| Fruit | $53.38 ± 4.08 | 7% | $72.81 ± 7.97 | 12% | $56.14 ± 1.83 | 7% | $83.42 ± 5.57 | 13% | $69.21 ± 4.34 | 7% | $104.53 ± 8.62 | 13% |
| Vegetables (& legumes) | $43.59 ± 1.88 | 6% | $110.36 ± 5.38 | 18% | $41.17 ± 3.64 | 5% | $108.90 ± 6.54 | 17% | $50.82 ± 2.18 | 5% | $126.44 ± 7.97 | 16% |
| Grain (cereal) foods | $44.34 ± 1.98 | 6% | $109.99 ± 2.36 | 18% | $43.05 ± 4.62 | 6% | $106.24 ± 7.12 | 17% | $57.59 ± 5.11 | 5% | $143.29 ± 9.09 | 18% |
| Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds & alternatives | $96.45 ± 3.63 | 12% | $184.52 ± 8.71 | 30% | $97.95 ± 5.67 | 13% | $192.07 ± 9.74 | 31% | $125.84 ± 8.47 | 12% | $253.20 ± 22.25 | 31% |
| Milk, yoghurt, cheese & alternatives | $47.93 ± 2.75 | 6% | $112.59 ± 8.35 | 18% | $48.96 ± 2.01 | 6% | $113.03 ± 3.88 | 18% | $67.13 ± 8.97 | 6% | $160.13 ± 23.70 | 20% |
| Unsaturated oils and spreads | $1.27 ± 0.06 | < 1% | $8.42 ± 0.38 | 1% | $1.15 ± 0.12 | < 1% | $7.86 ± 0.75 | 1% | $1.65 ± 0.10 | < 1% | $12.13 ± 0.97 | 1% |
| Artificially sweetened beverages | $5.64 ± 10.21 | 1% | – | – | $5.64 ± 14.02 | 1% | – | – | $8.85 ± 12.57 | 1% | – | – |
| Sugar sweetened beverages | $31.14 ± 1.57 | 4% | – | – | $28.19 ± 3.11 | 4% | – | – | $45.43 ± 6.37 | 4% | – | – |
| Takeaway foods | $149.31 ± 6.05 | 19% | – | – | $156.40 ± 2.36 | 20% | – | – | $225.57 ± 10.16 | 21% | – | – |
| Alcoholic beverages | $96.36 ± 8.50 | 12% | – | – | $99.74 ± 51.60 | 13% | – | – | $89.62 ± 34.49 | 8% | – | – |
| All other discretionary choices | $182.42 ± 9.50 | 24% | – | – | $178.80 ± 15.87 | 23% | – | – | $304.41 ± 12.10 | 29% | – | – |
| Total diet | $772.20 ± 14.18 | 100% | $619.04 ± 22.66 | 100% | $772.68 ± 66.04 | 100% | $627.10 ± 21.12 | 100% | $1059.57 ± 36.90 | 100% | $813.18 ± 0.00 | 100% |
| Healthy foods and drinks | $312.96 ± 10.21 | 41% | $619.04 ± 22.66 | 100% | $309.54 ± 14.02 | 40% | $627.10 ± 21.12 | 100% | $394.54 ± 12.57 | 37% | $813.18 ± 0.00 | 100% |
| Discretionary foods and drinks | $459.24 ± 7.54 | 59% | – | – | $463.14 ± 49.74 | 60% | – | – | $665.03 ± 24.33 | 63% | – | – |
| Income and diet affordability | ||||||||||||
| Income categories | Income (A$) | Current diet affordability (% of income) | Recommended diet affordability (% of income) | Income (A$) | Current diet affordability (% of income) | Recommended diet affordability (% of income) | Income (A$) | Current diet affordability (% of income) | Recommended diet affordability (% of income) | |||
| Median gross household incomea | $3188.09 | 24% | 19% | $2900.56 | 27% | 22% | $2406.35 | 44% | 34% | |||
| Indicative low disposable household income | $2358.33 | 33% | 26% | $2358.33 | 33% | 27% | $2358.33 | 45% | 34% | |||
| Indicative low disposable household income including government supplements due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic | $3336.02 | 23% | 19% | $3336.02 | 23% | 19% | $3336.02 | 32% | 24% | |||
aMean of the median gross household income of all SA2 locations within the relevant classifications included