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What is the average mobile phone bill?

Our mobile phones are as much an essential part of our monthly expenses as any other utility. However, not all phone plans are created equal. You might be wondering if you’re paying a little ‘too much’ for your phone bill, although price doesn’t always equal value when it comes to phone plans.

So, if you’re wondering what the average Aussie pays for their phone bill — whether you’re looking for a new plan or you’re setting a household budget — in this guide we’ll take a look at prepaid, postpaid and phone on a plan options and how much Aussies pay on average and by state/territory, plus which data allowances are most popular. This guide uses research conducted by Canstar Blue, taken from our customer satisfaction ratings for prepaid and postpaid SIM plans, and phone on a plan, published in 2023.

Prepaid phone plan offers you might like

The following table shows a selection of sponsored SIM Only plans on Canstar Blue’s database with links to referral partners.

Average phone bill: Prepaid phone plans

In 2023, the average Australian prepaid phone bill is $30 per month, which works out to be $360 each year — up from $28 per month in 2022, and $29 per month in 2021. Customers in the Australian Capital Territory paid the most for their prepaid plan at $34, followed by Aussies in Tasmania paying $32 per month. Customers in South Australia got the best deal with an average of $27 per month. Let’s take a look at the average prepaid bills by state and territory:

  • Queensland: $30
  • New South Wales: $30
  • Victoria: $30
  • South Australia: $27
  • Western Australia: $30
  • Tasmania: $32
  • Australian Capital Territory: $34

The same research report found that 17% of respondents have 20GB to 49.99GB of data included, 14% have 10GB to 19.99GB of data included, 11% have 5GB to 9.99GB data included and 13% have 1GB to 4.99GB included per recharge. 6% claim to not have any data included and 17% are unsure of their data inclusions.

Keep in mind with prepaid that plans run on different expiry periods — usually 28 or 30 days. There are also short-term plans such as seven days, or long-term plans that can run over 12 months.

If you want to compare prepaid phone plans, the following table includes a selection of prepaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database costing $40 or less, listed in order of standard cost, lowest to highest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our comparison tool to see a wide range of plans from other providers. This table includes products with links to referral partners.

Average phone bill: Postpaid phone plans

Customers who choose a SIM-only postpaid plan tend to pay more a month, on average, than those with a prepaid plan. The average postpaid phone plan in Australia is $41 per month in 2023 — that’s $492 per year, up from $37 per month in 2022 and $35 per month in 2021. Customers in Queensland and Victoria are paying less than the average each month for postpaid, while those in Tasmania are paying more. Here is a breakdown of the average postpaid phone bill by state and territory:

  • Queensland: $40
  • New South Wales: $42
  • Victoria: $40
  • South Australia: $42
  • Western Australia: $42
  • Tasmania: $43

Of those surveyed, 22% had 20GB to 49.99GB of data, 8% had 10GB to 19.99GB of data, 10% had 5GB to 9.99GB and 15% had 1GB to 4.99GB included per month. 15% were unsure how much data they had on their plan and 2% claimed to have no data.

The following table includes a selection of postpaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database for $60 or less, listed in order of standard cost, lowest to highest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our comparison tool to see a wide range of plans from other providers. This table includes products with links to referral partners.

Average phone bill: Phone on a plan

When it comes to phone on a plan, naturally the average bill for customers on this option is more expensive as you’re paying for a phone plan (usually postpaid) and the price of your phone on the one bill. The average phone bill for customers with phone-on-a-plan in 2023 is $90 per month, up from the average of $87 per month in 2022, and the average of $81 per month in 2021. This equals a massive $1,080 over a year. Customers in the New South Wales and Western Australia pay the most on average for their plan, while those in South Australia pay the least. Here is a break down of the average bill for phone on a plan, from each state and territory:

  • Queensland: $90
  • New South Wales: $93
  • Victoria: $88
  • South Australia: $82
  • Western Australia: $93
  • Tasmania: $86
  • Australian Capital Territory: $87

These costs are hardly surprising as the most premium smartphones can easily add $50 or more on to your plan costs each month. Also, considering that there are only a small number of telcos offering phone on a plan, there are less options for cheaper plans to bundle with, and plans from the big three providers start at $45 per month for Vodafone, $49 per month for Optus and $62 per month for Telstra.

The same survey found that 17% of respondents had 50GB to 99.99GB of data included in their plan, 23% had 20GB to 49.99GB of data included, 8% had 10GB to 19.99GB of data included, 5% had 5GB to 9.99 GB included and 5% had 1GB to 4.99GB included each month. 13% had 100GB or more of data and 15% were unsure how much data they had.

Just 39% of survey respondents said they could comfortably afford the monthly costs of their phone plan, down from 46% in our 2022 survey. It shows that the cost of living pressures have really taken a toll on Aussies with more than half of Australians potentially struggling to keep up with the costs of rising telco bills.

Want to compare a range of popular Apple and Samsung devices? The below tables showcase devices from two of the most popular manufacturers.

The following table shows a selection of 24-month 128GB iPhone 15 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.

The following table shows a selection of 24-month 256GB Samsung Galaxy S24 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.

The following table shows a selection of 24-month 128GB Google Pixel 8 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.

Am I paying too much for my phone bill?

If you’ve seen any of the above averages and worried that you’re paying too much for your phone bill, there’s a lot to consider when it comes to choosing a phone plan. If you’re currently happy with your plan’s price, inclusions and service, you might be happy to stick with the same plan, or look at similar plans from other providers to see if you can get a better deal.

Otherwise if you feel like you are paying too much for your phone bill and want to switch plans, you’ll need to compare phone plans from a range of telcos. Your first step is making sure you know what sort of inclusions you want, especially how much mobile data you need. Consider how much data you use on average with your current plan and go from there. While we’ve already shared a range of phone plans in this guide, there are plenty of other plans and providers that you can compare with our free phone plan comparison tool. Remember that before you sign up to any plan, you should check the information and details of that plan so you’re aware of any fees, setup costs and what you’re signing up for.

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