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Australia

Melbourne pints priciest, Perth cheapest as beer prices climb nationally

Average pint costs nearly $14 across Australia, up almost $4 since 2020

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources3 outlets
The average price of a pint of beer in Australia has risen from $9.96 to $13.76 since January 2020, with Melbourne drinkers paying the most and Perth drinkers the least for several popular brands, according to exclusive data from payments company Square.

Data provided by Square shows the national average pint price has increased by nearly $1 every 18 months over the past six years. Melbourne topped the list as the most expensive capital city for a range of beers, including Balter XPA ($15.70), Guinness ($15.51), Carlton Draught ($13.91), Carlton Dry ($12.86) and Great Northern Super Crisp ($12.95).

Perth was generally the cheapest capital city for those same beers. Beer expert and The Crafty Pint founder James Smith suggested the lower prices in Western Australia may reflect targeted discounting or efforts to break into the market. "WA as a whole, in terms of hospitality and the beer production industry, has generally held firm longer than other states did," Smith said.

Some pricing information was incomplete for certain beers in some cities. City-level pint comparisons for VB, Asahi, Furphy and Heaps Normal were excluded due to insufficient data. Data for Carlton Dry and Carlton Draught in Brisbane, and Carlton Draught and Balter XPA in Adelaide, was also unavailable.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The steady increase in pint prices adds to cost-of-living pressures for Australian consumers, particularly in Melbourne where several beers are most expensive.
  • Regional price differences highlight how local market conditions and competition shape what drinkers pay. Perth's lower prices may reflect different competitive dynamics.
  • The trend raises questions about the future of pub culture and whether price hikes will accelerate or stabilise.

Background

Beer pricing in Australia has been rising steadily since January 2020, outpacing general inflation in some periods. The national average pint has increased by roughly 38 per cent over that period. Data from Square, a payments and point-of-sale provider, draws on transaction-level information from hospitality venues across capital cities. Some popular beers could not be compared city-to-city due to data gaps.

Key Perspectives

Melbourne drinkers: They are paying the highest average prices for several major brands, including Balter XPA and Guinness. The data offers little explanation for why Melbourne is consistently more expensive. Perth drinkers: They benefit from lower prices on the same beers. James Smith speculated that brewers may be discounting or trying to gain market share in Western Australia. Brewers and hospitality venues: They face rising costs for ingredients, labour and rent. Some may be absorbing costs in certain markets to stay competitive, while passing them on in others.

What to Watch

  • Whether Perth prices rise as the market matures or discounting strategies end.
  • Any further acceleration in the national average pint price if input costs continue climbing.
  • Impact on consumer behaviour: whether higher prices lead to reduced pub visits or a shift to drinking at home.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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