Dr Simone McCarthy asked more than 500 Australian women aged 18 to 40 about how the cost-of-living crisis affects them. The results should be a wakeup call to policymakers, with women reporting they’re struggling to afford basic essentials as well as medication and doctor appointments.
If we want to understand how deeply the cost-of-living crisis has infiltrated everyday life in Australia, we need to listen to what people are telling us about their health, their households, and the impossible trade-offs they are being forced to make. A recent UN Women report described that women experience significant economic strain and are the ‘shock absorbers’ during times of financial crisis.
In our new research at Deakin University, we asked more than 500 younger Australian women aged 18 to 40 to share their own experiences of the cost-of-living crisis.
Women told us that they experienced significant financial and emotional strain in trying to afford daily necessities. Some told us they could “barely afford to eat”, “struggle(d) to buy food for the week”, use “tissues or toilet paper instead of sanitary items” so they could afford food, had “given up hopes of finding a rental”, and “can’t afford medication or doctors appointments”. Increasing student debt added to the precarious financial situation that women felt in their day to day lives.
Working hard and falling behind.
It’s no wonder some women said they felt that the pressure of daily life in Australia was “pushing people to the edge”. Just surviving was becoming the new normal for many of those who responded to our survey.
Financial precarity shaped daily routines and narrowed choices, particularly for those managing insecure or casualised work, study commitments, or caring responsibilities. Some women were working more hours than usual or taking second jobs to make ends meet. Income went straight to rent, bills, and groceries, leaving little room for savings or unexpected expenses.
Food insecurity emerged as a key concern. Women cut back on groceries, reducing the quality of what they ate, or limiting meals to make budgets stretch further. Many talked about sacrificing their own needs, including skipping meals to “make sure my family eats”.
Safe and secure housing also felt increasingly out of reach, and was a major source of worry, pushing them further away from family and places of employment. Many women told us that the precarious nature of the rental market, and constant rent increases made it difficult to feel safe and settled in their home. Many had completely given up on the dream of owning their own home:
“Even if you do [find affordable housing] you’re worried about the rent being hiked up in the near future and how that will impact you. The place that I live in is cheaper because it’s further out from the city but it has black mould…” —29 years old, Victoria.
Financial stress undermines women’s health
Stress about meeting basic needs contributed to anxiety, exhaustion, and a sense of being constantly on edge. For some, financial strain also reduced social participation and connection, making it harder to maintain the relationships and routines that protect wellbeing.
Many women also described delaying or avoiding healthcare because of cost. This included GP appointments and preventive health checks (which were seen as a luxury) which became out of reach due to out-of-pocket expenses. Dental care was particularly impacted – with some stating they were living in pain because they could not access treatments.
“My family has not been to the dentist in years.” —30 years old, Western Australia.
Others described rationing essential medications:
“I spread out my anti-anxiety medications so they last longer, some weeks I brush my teeth with water as I didn’t buy toothpaste so I can purchase food. It’s overwhelming some days.” —35 years old, New South Wales.
These decisions matter. When women delay health screening and care, they risk worsening health problems and prolonging distress. Over time, reduced access to healthcare can compound inequalities, particularly for women already managing chronic conditions, mental health concerns, or caregiving responsibilities.
This is a gendered crisis – and women want action
What became clear from this study was that many of the burdens that women experienced were the result of structural issues rather than individual choices that were making their lives hard. Women pointed to persistent gendered inequalities, including lower pay, unpaid care, and precarious employment, that they felt governments had failed to adequately address.
When wages are lower, work is insecure, and care responsibilities are high, there is less flexibility to absorb rising costs. For younger women, these pressures often intersect with life stages where stability is still being built, including completing education, entering the workforce, renting independently, and raising children.
Women were clear about what they wanted governments to do in response. They called for stronger housing protections, fairer pricing (especially related to perceived supermarket price gouging), and affordable access to healthcare:
“Please help young women to survive during this time. Help with lowering the cost of essential items.” —37 years old, New South Wales
Women are already doing everything they can to manage rising costs. What they are asking for is meaningful structural change that reduces harm and supports the wellbeing of themselves and their households.
They are telling us, clearly, what the cost-of-living crisis feels like and the policy reforms that need to change. Their message to the Prime Minister was clear:
“Value us. We aren’t just a way to create population. We are workers, contributors, innovators and people in our own right. Policy still hasn’t looked at us as equals, neither does society.” — 32 years old, Western Australia.
The next step is ensuring that governments respond with the urgency, and gender-responsive action, that women’s health and wellbeing demands.
Dr Simone McCarthy is a postdoctoral research fellow at Deakin University working in the areas of women’s health and how this intersects with the commercial determinants of health.
The research referred to in this article was recently published in Health Promotion International.