The Burrow
Sep 22, 2026
Access to contraception can have a significant impact on both health outcomes and household budgets for Australian adults, but costs and availability vary widely across the country.
To find out where Australians face the biggest barriers, health insurance comparison experts Compare the Market analysed the affordability of common contraceptive methods, accessibility and policy settings across every state and territory, revealing the best and worst places in the country to access contraception.
| State/territory | Out-of-pocket cost score (out of 100) | Affordability score (out of 100) | Access | Contraception policy (out of 100%) | Index score (out of 100) |
| South Australia | 85.41 | 64.68 | 2.14 | 88.00% | 79.27 |
| Northern Territory | 70.76 | 74.33 | 0.12 | 83.00% | 69.26 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 56.46 | 66.45 | 0.13 | 81.80% | 53.53 |
| Tasmania | 65.41 | 55.77 | 0.05 | 88.00% | 50.69 |
| Queensland | 33.96 | 35.75 | 1.15 | 89.10% | 42.09 |
| Western Australia | 38.97 | 43.97 | 1.25 | 80.10% | 39.24 |
| Victoria | 29.32 | 27.89 | 2.31 | 88.00% | 30.68 |
| New South Wales | 23.24 | 33.25 | 2.50 | 81.80% | 26.39 |
South Australia has been named the best state in Australia for contraception affordability and access, topping our index with a score of 79.27 out of 100.
This ranking is largely driven by South Australia’s low out-of-pocket contraception costs, the lowest in the index. South Australians pay the lowest average price nationally for the oral pill ($21.08), copper IUD insertion ($128.27), and vasectomy procedures ($180). It also has the same lowest laparoscopic tubal sterilisation cost as Tasmania, averaging $500 for the procedure.
While South Australia ranks first for out-of-pocket costs, it ranks third for affordability, with average monthly earnings of $5,633.33, tied for the lowest with Tasmania.
For government policies surrounding contraception, the state scored 88% (alongside Victoria and Tasmania).
| State/territory | Condom | Oral pill | Progestogen pill | Copper IUD | Hormonal IUD | Implant | Vasectomy | Laparoscopic tubal sterilisation |
| Australian Capital Territory | $10.17 | $21.26 | $15.26 | $260.91 | $85.00 | $140.67 | $821.49 | $1,600.00 |
| New South Wales | $13.27 | $22.46 | $16.09 | $274.43 | $225.00 | $146.29 | $622.50 | $860.00 |
| Northern Territory | $10.55 | $21.82 | $14.76 | $291.68 | $90.00 | $107.61 | $550.00 | N/A |
| Queensland | $10.95 | $24.81 | $18.74 | $248.03 | $207.50 | $145.22 | $493.00 | $930.00 |
| South Australia | $10.71 | $21.08 | $15.24 | $128.27 | $132.00 | $130.33 | $180.00 | $500.00 |
| Tasmania | $13.05 | $21.59 | $16.09 | $191.80 | $167.50 | $92.91 | $459.00 | $500.00 |
| Victoria | $10.82 | $25.31 | $18.14 | $352.28 | $185.00 | $225.98 | $405.00 | $540.00 |
| Western Australia | $11.84 | $21.24 | $15.74 | $334.43 | $145.00 | $182.77 | $563.00 | $700.00 |
| Aus Average | $11.42 | $22.45 | $16.26 | $260.23 | $154.63 | $146.47 | $511.75 | $703.75 |
Costs were sourced between 10-12 August 2026 and are accurate as of 13 August 2026. Data collected range in dates from 2023 to 2026. Figures may exclude hospital fees, anaesthetist fees, consultations, private health insurance excesses, and other out-of-pocket expenses. Actual costs may vary by provider, location, and insurance coverage. Source data may pre-date the collection period and should be interpreted accordingly.
| State/territory | Family planning providers | Km Within | Services per KM |
| Australian Capital Territory | 30 | 235 | 0.13 |
| New South Wales | 30 | 12 | 2.50 |
| Northern Territory | 2 | 17 | 0.12 |
| Queensland | 30 | 26 | 1.15 |
| South Australia | 30 | 14 | 2.14 |
| Tasmania | 12 | 238 | 0.05 |
| Victoria | 30 | 13 | 2.31 |
| Western Australia | 30 | 24 | 1.25 |
NSW may offer the best access to family planning services in Australia, but its high costs mean it ranks last in our overall index. While the state places first for access, it ranks last for out-of-pocket costs and second-last for affordability.
The state’s ranking is driven by the highest provider density in the country, with 2.5 services per kilometre, giving residents greater physical access to contraception services than anywhere else in Australia.
However, NSW records some of the highest contraception costs nationally. It has the most expensive average condom price at $13.27 and the highest hormonal IUD insertion cost at $225. The state also reports above-average costs for vasectomy and laparoscopic tubal sterilisation procedures.
Victoria ranks as the least affordable state for contraception, driven by its particularly high costs across numerous common contraceptive methods. The state records the highest average price nationally for the oral contraceptive pill ($25.31), copper IUD insertion ($352.28) and implant insertion ($225.98).
Victoria’s average copper IUD insertion cost is around 35% higher than the Australian average, while implant insertion costs in Victoria are approximately 54% above the national average.
The Northern Territory ranks second in the index, with a score of 69.26 out of 100. While it does not record the lowest out-of-pocket costs nationally, it has the highest affordability score, reflecting that contraception costs account for a smaller share of local incomes than anywhere else in Australia.
The Northern Territory records some comparatively low costs for longer-term contraception options. It has the second-cheapest implant insertion cost nationally at $107.61, well below the Australian average of $146.47. Vasectomy costs average $550, which is close to the national average, while hormonal IUD insertions average just $90, making them among the most affordable in the country.
Tasmania places fourth in the index with a score of 50.69, outperforming larger states including Queensland, WA, Victoria and NSW.
Its main challenge is the availability of family planning providers. The state has the lowest provider density nationally, at just 0.05 services per kilometre, indicating that Tasmanians may need to travel further to access family planning services than residents in other parts of Australia.
However, Tasmania ranks third for out-of-pocket costs and records relatively affordable prices across multiple forms of contraception. Tasmania has the lowest implant insertion cost in Australia, averaging $92.91, which is around 37% below the national average of $146.47. It also shares the lowest laparoscopic tubal sterilisation cost with South Australia, with both states averaging $500 compared to the national average of $703.75.
The state also performs relatively well on affordability, ranking fourth nationally, while its contraception policy score is equal second with South Australia and Victoria at 88%.
Queensland ranks fifth overall with an index score of 42.09, despite recording the strongest contraception policy score in Australia at 89.1%.
Several contraception methods in Queensland are priced above the national average. Residents pay an average of $24.81 for the oral contraceptive pill, compared to the Australian average of $22.45, while progestogen-only pills cost an average of $18.74 versus the national average of $16.26. Hormonal IUD insertion costs are also among the highest in the country at $207.50, substantially above the national average of $154.63.
Queensland performs better when it comes to access to family planning services, recording a provider density of 1.15 services per kilometre. This places it ahead of Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT but behind the more densely serviced eastern states such as New South Wales and Victoria.
The ACT ranks third overall in the index with a score of 53.53 and performs particularly well when it comes to affordability.
The primary driver of this was the ACT recording the highest median monthly earnings of any state analysed ($6,933.33), which reduces the financial burden of contraception costs relative to income.
However, the ACT’s results reveal some of the largest price differences between contraception methods in the country. While ACT residents enjoy the lowest average condom price in Australia at $10.17 and the cheapest hormonal IUD insertion cost at just $85, they also face the highest costs for longer-term contraception procedures.
The average vasectomy cost in the ACT is $821.49, more than 60% above the national average of $511.75 and the highest figure nationally. Laparoscopic tubal sterilisation is even more expensive, averaging $1,600, more than double the Australian average of $703.75 and well above every other state and territory.
While some contraception methods show relatively small price differences between states and territories, others vary by hundreds of dollars.
Long-term contraception procedures recorded the largest national price gaps. Vasectomy costs range from just $180 in South Australia to $821.49 in the ACT, meaning ACT residents pay around 356% more than South Australians for the procedure. The gap is even larger for laparoscopic tubal sterilisation, which costs $500 in both South Australia and Tasmania but rises to $1,600 in the ACT.
By comparison, short-term contraceptive methods have much smaller variations from state to state. Condom prices range from $10.17 in the ACT to $13.27 in NSW, while the oral contraceptive pill ranges from $21.08 in South Australia to $25.31 in Victoria. Progestogen-only pill costs vary from $14.76 in the Northern Territory to $18.74 in Queensland.
Steven Spicer, Executive General Manager of Health at Compare the Market, says, “Access to contraception shouldn’t depend on your postcode, yet our research shows that Australians can face vastly different costs depending on where they live. In some cases, the cost of long-term contraceptive procedures can vary by more than $1,000 between states, creating a significant financial barrier for many Australians.
“Private health insurance is unlikely to reduce the cost of most contraceptives used exclusively for contraception. However, depending on the policy and medical circumstances, cover may be available for some related prescription medicines or procedures undertaken in a private hospital, which can help reduce overall out-of-pocket healthcare costs.
“Comparing health insurance policies can help Australians better understand what reproductive health services, specialist consultations and hospital treatments may be available under their cover. Taking the time to compare options can be a simple way to make sure your policy still meets your needs.”
This index ranks Australia’s eight states and territories based on the cost and accessibility of contraception using four factors. Each factor’s data was collected and normalised to a score between 0 and 10. If data was missing, a score of 0 was given. These scores were then combined to give each state or territory a total score out of 100, and states and territories were ranked from highest to lowest, with higher rankings amounting to better affordability and accessibility of contraception.
The factors used were:
Out-of-pocket cost score: Average out-of-pocket costs for barrier (external condoms), short-acting (combined oral contraceptive pill, progestogen-only pill), long-acting reversible (copper IUD, hormonal IUD, implant, vasectomy) and permanent methods (laparoscopic tubal sterilisation).* Pricing sourced from national health cost finder website, specialist family-planner provider, major pharmacy, or private retailer/clinic.
Weightings for contraception were:
Affordability score: Average cost out-of-pocket relative to average monthly income. Income source is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ ‘Employee Earnings’ data (as at [insert date]). Weekly income was converted into monthly income, and the cost of contraception was divided by one month’s pay. The same weighting used for the out-of-pocket score was used in this factor.
Contraception Provider Density: The number of family planning services was divided by the distance (in kilometres) from the CBD to the furthest service included in the analysis. Higher figures indicate a greater concentration of services closer to the CBD. Sourced from HealthDirect.gov.au
Contraception policy score: Score out of 100 for government policies relating to contraception. Sourced from Global Contraception Policy Atlas.
Factors were weighted as follows:
Indexing rules: Higher is better for all factors.
Source data and pricing information were collected between 10 and 12 August 2026. Data collected ranges in dates from 2023 to 2026. The dataset and resulting rankings were accurate as of 13 August 2026. Rankings reflect these sources but may not capture every real-life detail.
* Due to limited available data, the Northern Territory had a smaller sample size for average costs of copper IUD insertion and implanonNXT insertion.
Sources: