Household spending in Australia rose 0.3% month-on-month in February 2026, matching January’s pace and marking a second straight month of growth. Spending increased for food (1.0% vs 0.1% in January), clothing and footwear (0.1% vs 0.2%), health (0.2% vs 1.7%), recreation and culture (1.1% vs 0.0%), and hotels, cafes and restaurants (0.4% vs -0.7%). In contrast, expenditures declined in alcoholic drinks and tobacco (-0.5% vs -1.8%), furnishings and household equipment (-0.3% vs -0.7%), transport (-0.4% vs 0.2%), and miscellaneous goods and services (-0.3% vs 2.4%). Regionally, spending rose in Queensland (0.5%), Victoria (0.4%), South Australia (0.6%), Western Australia (0.9%), Northern Territory (3.4%), and the Australian Capital Territory (0.2%), while Tasmania (-0.3%) recorded a decline. On an annual basis, household spending increased 4.6%, little changed from January's 4.5%, which had marked the softest growth since May 2025.