Registration, servicing and roadside assistance are just a few expenses drivers have to account for to keep their vehicles on the road. We’ve compiled the data to find out just how much Australians are spending on running their cars, and here are some key takeaways:
Car loan repayments and fuel make up the majority of weekly transport costs.
Capital cities typically have higher weekly car running costs than regional cities.
Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane have significantly higher annual transport costs than the other capital cities.
Australians paid an average of $431 on car running costs and road transport each week in September 2023.1
Car loan repayments (43.7%) and fuel (23.6%) combine for more than two thirds of the average weekly costs. Among other average car running expenses, car insurance, servicing and tyres and registration fees each cost Australians over $30 per week.
| Category | Average weekly cost | Percentage of weekly transport costs |
| Car loan payments | $188.86 | 43.7% |
| Fuel | $101.77 | 23.6% |
| Car insurance | $39.10 | 9.1% |
| Servicing and tyres | $33.61 | 7.8% |
| Registration, CTP and licensing | $30.98 | 7.2% |
| Public transport | $21.72 | 5.0% |
| Tolls | $13.57 | 3.1% |
| Roadside assist | $2.33 | 0.5% |
| Total average | $431.94 | 100% |
| Source: National average of weekly car/transport costs from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | ||
The weekly car running cost in capital cities is slightly higher than the national average. While the breakdown of these costs is similar Australia-wide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane residents also had to account for tolls, where averages ranged from $59.40 to $83.02 per week as of September 2023.
| Capital city | Car loan repayment | Fuel | Servicing and tyres | Car insurance | Registration, CTP and licensing | Tolls | Roadside assistance | Total |
| Sydney | $190.26 | $102.88 | $34.78 | $44.50 | $25.35 | $83.02 | $2.48 | $483.27 |
| Melbourne | $189.22 | $100.71 | $35.58 | $56.93 | $34.58 | $59.40 | $2.48 | $478.90 |
| Brisbane | $187.68 | $101.70 | $28.53 | $49.80 | $32.03 | $61.20 | $2.23 | $463.17 |
| Canberra | $189.06 | $101.00 | $45.51 | $37.76 | $41.82 | N/A | $2.48 | $417.63 |
| Darwin | $187.76 | $99.35 | $34.73 | $48.64 | $32.70 | N/A | $1.96 | $405.14 |
| Perth | $191.09 | $97.79 | $35.66 | $27.53 | $35.65 | N/A | $2.29 | $390.01 |
| Adelaide | $188.44 | $97.48 | $28.39 | $43.96 | $27.57 | N/A | $2.29 | $388.13 |
| Hobart | $187.45 | $101.40 | $33.13 | $32.26 | $23.77 | N/A | $2.54 | $380.55 |
| Source: Average weekly car/transport costs by capital city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | ||||||||
Drivers in regional cities encountered average weekly car running costs of $392.39 in September 2023. Alice Springs and Geelong were the most expensive regional cities, while residents of Wagga Wagga and Townsville had the lowest overall car expenses on average.
| Regional city | Car loan repayment | Fuel | Servicing and tyres | Car insurance | Registration, CTP and licensing | Roadside Assistance | Total |
| Alice Springs | $187.76 | $108.73 | $38.32 | $47.66 | $32.70 | $1.96 | $417.13 |
| Geelong | $189.22 | $120.98 | $34.08 | $36.28 | $32.42 | $2.48 | $415.46 |
| Bunbury | $191.09 | $123.22 | $38.48 | $22.94 | $35.65 | $2.29 | $413.67 |
| Mount Gambier | $188.44 | $109.90 | $28.51 | $37.35 | $23.09 | $2.29 | $389.58 |
| Launceston | $187.45 | $115.47 | $26.79 | $27.15 | $23.77 | $2.54 | $383.17 |
| Townsville | $187.68 | $77.90 | $29.08 | $41.06 | $32.03 | $2.23 | $369.98 |
| Wagga Wagga | $190.26 | $68.05 | $32.63 | $32.69 | $31.64 | $2.48 | $357.75 |
| Source: Average weekly car costs by regional city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |||||||
The average weekly car loan repayments in September 2023 for capital ($188.87) and regional ($188.84) cities were only three cents apart. Australians in the same state or territory typically have identical car loan costs, regardless of whether they live in a capital or regional city. For example, Western Australians in Perth and Bunbury top both lists, paying an average of $191.09. Tasmanians, on the other hand, paid the least at $187.45 per week.
| Capital city | Average car loan cost |
| Perth | $191.09 |
| Sydney | $190.26 |
| Melbourne | $189.22 |
| Canberra | $189.06 |
| Adelaide | $188.44 |
| Darwin | $187.76 |
| Brisbane | $187.68 |
| Hobart | $187.45 |
| Weekly capital average | $188.87 |
Source: Average weekly car loan repayment costs by capital city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
| Regional city | Average car loan cost |
| Bunbury | $191.09 |
| Wagga Wagga | $190.26 |
| Geelong | $189.22 |
| Mount Gambier | $188.44 |
| Alice Springs | $187.76 |
| Townsville | $187.68 |
| Launceston | $187.45 |
| Weekly regional average | $188.84 |
Source: Average weekly car loan repayment costs by regional city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
In September 2023, Australians typically paid more for fuel in regional cities with an average weekly cost of $103.46, compared to the capital city average of $100.29. Bunbury ($123.22), Geelong ($120.98), Launceston ($115.47), Mount Gambier ($109.90) and Alice Springs ($108.73) all exceeded a weekly average of $100.
| Capital city | Average fuel cost |
| Sydney | $102.88 |
| Brisbane | $101.70 |
| Hobart | $101.40 |
| Canberra | $101.00 |
| Melbourne | $100.71 |
| Darwin | $99.35 |
| Perth | $97.79 |
| Adelaide | $97.48 |
| Weekly capital average | $100.29 |
| Source: Average weekly fuel costs by capital city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
| Regional city | Average fuel cost |
| Bunbury | $123.22 |
| Geelong | $120.98 |
| Launceston | $115.47 |
| Mount Gambier | $109.90 |
| Alice Springs | $108.73 |
| Townsville | $77.90 |
| Wagga Wagga | $68.05 |
| Weekly regional average | $103.46 |
| Source: Average weekly fuel costs by regional city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
On average, capital city residents ($42.67) paid more for comprehensive car insurance than their regional city counterparts ($35.02) per week as of September 2023. Sydney experienced the highest increase in car insurance costs over this period, paying $5.79 more per week.
| Capital city | Average car insurance cost |
| Melbourne | $56.93 |
| Brisbane | $49.80 |
| Darwin | $48.64 |
| Sydney | $44.50 |
| Adelaide | $43.96 |
| Canberra | $37.76 |
| Hobart | $32.26 |
| Perth | $27.53 |
| Weekly capital average | $42.67 |
| Source: Average weekly car insurance costs by capital city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
| Regional city | Average car insurance cost |
| Alice Springs | $47.66 |
| Townsville | $41.06 |
| Mount Gambier | $37.35 |
| Geelong | $36.28 |
| Wagga Wagga | $32.69 |
| Launceston | $27.15 |
| Bunbury | $22.94 |
| Weekly regional average | $35.02 |
| Source: Average weekly car insurance costs by regional city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
The average weekly capital public transport spend in September 2023 was $40.72, with Brisbane residents ($59.67) paying significantly more than the rest of the state capitals. Sydney ($50), Melbourne ($50), Perth ($45.90) and Adelaide ($42.50) also paid above the national capital average. Canberra ($29.72), Hobart ($28) and Darwin ($20), on the other hand, were all paying less.
| Capital city | Average public transport cost |
| Brisbane | $59.67 |
| Melbourne | $50 |
| Sydney | $50 |
| Perth | $45.90 |
| Adelaide | $42.50 |
| Canberra | $29.72 |
| Hobart | $28 |
| Darwin | $20 |
| Weekly capital average | $40.72 |
| Source: Average weekly public transport costs by capital city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. Public transport costs for regional cities were not recorded. | |
In September 2023, Australians in capital cities paid slightly more ($1.98) for servicing and tyres than regional cities residents. Canberra ($45.51) and Bunbury ($38.48) top their respective city categories, while Adelaide ($28.39) and Launceston ($26.79) are paying the least on average for servicing and tyres.
| Capital city | Average servicing and tyres cost |
| Canberra | $45.51 |
| Perth | $35.66 |
| Melbourne | $35.58 |
| Sydney | $34.78 |
| Darwin | $34.73 |
| Hobart | $33.13 |
| Brisbane | $28.53 |
| Adelaide | $28.39 |
| Weekly capital average | $34.54 |
Source: Average weekly servicing and tyres costs by capital city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
| Regional city | Average servicing and tyres cost |
| Bunbury | $38.48 |
| Alice Springs | $38.32 |
| Geelong | $34.08 |
| Wagga Wagga | $32.63 |
| Townsville | $29.08 |
| Mount Gambier | $28.51 |
| Launceston | $26.79 |
| Weekly regional average | $32.56 |
Source: Average weekly servicing and tyres costs by regional city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
Average car registration, Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance and driver’s licence costs increased across most capital and regional cities in September 2023. Canberra saw the highest increase of the quarter, with their expenses increasing by $1.81 from June to September 2023.
| Capital city | Average car registration, CTP and driver’s licence renewal costs |
| Canberra | $41.82 |
| Perth | $35.65 |
| Melbourne | $34.58 |
| Darwin | $32.70 |
| Brisbane | $32.03 |
| Adelaide | $27.57 |
| Sydney | $25.35 |
| Hobart | $23.77 |
| Weekly capital average | $31.68 |
| Source: Average weekly vehicle registration, CTP and driver’s licence renewal costs by capital city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
| Regional city | Average car registration, CTP and driver’s licence renewal costs |
| Bunbury | $35.65 |
| Alice Springs | $32.70 |
| Geelong | $32.42 |
| Townsville | $32.03 |
| Wagga Wagga | $31.64 |
| Launceston | $23.77 |
| Mount Gambier | $23.09 |
| Weekly regional average | $30.19 |
| Source: Average weekly vehicle registration, CTP and driver’s licence renewal costs by regional city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are the only cities in Australia that use toll roads. All three cities had increases in toll payments from June 2023 to September 2023, with Brisbane seeing the steepest increase of $4.20 per week.
| Capital city | Average weekly toll costs |
| Sydney | $83.02 |
| Brisbane | $61.20 |
| Melbourne | $59.40 |
| Weekly capital average | $67.87 |
| Source: Average weekly toll costs by capital city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
Based on the costs of basic/standard cover, roadside assistance on average cost Australians $2.34 per week in September 2023. Unlike some other expenses, there wasn’t a lot of difference between the states and territories. Less than 60 cents per week separated the most expensive state (Tasmania) and the least expensive territory (Northern Territory).
| State/Territory | Average roadside assistance cost |
| Tasmania | $2.54 |
| New South Wales | $2.48 |
| ACT | $2.48 |
| Victoria | $2.48 |
| Western Australia | $2.29 |
| South Australia | $2.29 |
| Queensland | $2.23 |
| Northern Territory | $1.96 |
| Weekly capital average | $2.34 |
| Source: Average weekly roadside assistance costs by state/territory from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
The average annual car running cost for those in Australia’s capital cities is $24,253.13, but this number is somewhat skewed by the three most populated cities; Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane have similar annual running costs and pay significantly more than the rest of the capitals. In fact, every city outside these three pays less than the annual capital city average.
| Regional city | Total transport costs (annual) |
| Sydney | $27,730 |
| Melbourne | $27,503 |
| Brisbane | $27,118 |
| Canberra | $23,262 |
| Perth | $22,667 |
| Adelaide | $22,393 |
| Darwin | $22,107 |
| Hobart | $21,245 |
| Annual capital average | $24,253.13 |
| Source: Average annual car/transport costs by capital city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
Generally speaking, Australians living in regional cities pay less than their capital city counterparts, averaging $20,404.43. However, residents in Alice Springs, Geelong and Bunbury all pay more on average than the lowest cost capital city, Hobart.
| Regional city | Total transport costs (annual) |
| Alice Springs | $21,691 |
| Geelong | $21,604 |
| Bunbury | $21,511 |
| Mount Gambier | $20,258 |
| Launceston | $19,925 |
| Townsville | $19,239 |
| Wagga Wagga | $18,603 |
| Annual regional average | $20,404.43 |
| Source: Average annual car costs by regional city from Australian Automobile Association (AAA) Transport Affordability Index as of Q3 2023. | |
1 Australian Automobile Association (AAA). Transport Affordability Index: September Quarter 2023. Accessed December 2023
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Written by Kenneth Young
