The Tasmania Project Place Survey (TTP7) was open between 21 September and 9 October 2022. The survey asked respondents, 1,824 Tasmanians aged over 18, about the impacts of rising costs of living on their lives, including where these impacts were most felt and actions taken to manage rising costs of living. This report examines the impacts of rising costs of living on Tasmanian residents: the types of expenses in which increases are causing the greatest level of impact and the actions taken to manage rising costs.

The report finds that food (fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, and general groceries) and petrol were the expenses in which the highest proportion of respondents reported feeling the greatest impact from cost increases. Housing was divided, with 40% reporting being ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ impacted by increases in their rent and/or mortgage costs, and 27.2% reported being ‘not at all’ impacted. Generally speaking, across all expense categories, younger respondents, those without a university degree, and those with a health condition or disability that limits their mobility, were more likely to report higher levels of impact arising from cost of living increases. Most respondents (88%) had undertaken some sort of action related to food to help manage expenses in 2022, over half (57%) reported driving less to manage expenses, and 43% minimised or avoided using the heater.