How Does Your Spending Compare?
Enter as much or as little as you want. The more you add, the more personalised the benchmark.
Not sure what you spend? PocketSmith connects to your bank accounts and automatically categorises your transactions — making it easy to find your actual household expenditure by category.
Your household?All fields optional. Every field you fill in makes the benchmark more accurate.
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Enter any spending amount to see how it compares to households like yours.
Benchmarks are derived from the ABS Household Expenditure Survey 2022-23 (cat. 6530.0), inflated to FY2025-26. Figures are averages and approximations — actual spending for your household may reasonably differ. Benchmarks are updated annually as new ABS data becomes available. General information only — not financial advice. Consult a licensed financial adviser for personal guidance.
Frequently asked questions
How are the spending benchmarks calculated?
Benchmarks are drawn from the ABS Household Expenditure Survey 2022-23 (the most recent comprehensive Australian household spending survey), inflated to FY2025-26 using CPI data. The base figures are for a 2-adult metropolitan household at median income — then adjusted using ABS equivalence scales for household size, state cost-of-living indices, metro vs regional location data, and income quintile spending ratios from the same survey.
What does the spending score mean?
The score (0–100+) compares your entered spending to the benchmark for a household like yours. A score of 100 means you're spending exactly at the benchmark across entered categories. Above 100 means you're below benchmark (good for saving). Below 100 means you're above benchmark in some areas. Importantly, the score only reflects categories you've entered — leaving categories blank doesn't penalise your score.
Should I be worried if I'm above benchmark?
Not necessarily. Spending benchmarks describe what's average — not what's right. If you earn more than average, spend more consciously and your net worth is growing, spending above average in some categories may be a deliberate lifestyle choice. The tool is most useful for identifying whether a specific category is significantly out of proportion — for example, if dining out is 3× the typical spend while housing is normal, that's worth being aware of.
Does income quintile change the results a lot?
Yes, significantly for discretionary categories. A household earning $250k+ (Q5) typically spends 2-3× the median on dining out, recreation, and clothing — and 1.7× on housing. If you're a high earner comparing to the median benchmark, categories like dining and entertainment will almost always show red, which isn't meaningful. Selecting your income quintile gives a much more accurate comparison.