Inflation Australia 1981
Average inflation: 9.4%
Current Inflation
Inflation is very high at 9.4%, far above the ECB target.
Peak and Trough
The highest inflation was in November at 11.0%. The lowest inflation was in May at 8.4%.
- Highest month
- November: 11.0%
- Lowest month
- May: 8.4%
- Difference
- 2.6 percentage points
- Months with data
- 4 of 12
Historical Context
Current inflation is around the 5-year average of 9.8%.
- 5-year average
- 9.8%
- 10-year average
- 10.8%
- All-time high (1974)
- 15.4%
- All-time low (1962)
- -0.3%
Trend
Inflation has remained relatively stable. Compared to 1980, the difference is minimal (-0.7 percentage point).
- Change vs. previous year
- -0.7 percentage points
- Largest monthly swing
- May: -2.6 percentage points
ECB Target
Inflation is 7.4% above the ECB target of 2.0%. This means purchasing power is declining faster than intended.
Purchasing Power
At this high inflation rate, purchasing power rapidly decreases. This has a major impact on households, especially without adequate salary increases.
What you could buy for €100 this year will cost approximately €109.40 next year at this inflation rate.
Multi-year trend
Monthly figures 1981
Month overview
| Month | Inflation | Difference vs. 1980 |
|---|---|---|
| February | 9.4% | -1.0 |
| May | 8.4% | -2.6 |
| August | 9.0% | -0.9 |
| November | 11.0% | +1.8 |
| Average | 9.4% |
Data source
Data from OECD. Last updated: 24/11/2025.Not all months available yet.