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 monthly 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 2024.
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Prepaid 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.
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $17.50) SIM Only Prepaid
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50GB Data/month |
$17.50 Cost/month |
Go to site |
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $17.50) SIM Only Prepaid
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50GB Data/month |
$17.50 Cost/month |
Go to site |
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $20) SIM Only Prepaid
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UnlimitedGB Data/month |
$20.00 Cost/month |
Go to site |
The average phone bill per month: Prepaid phone plans
In 2024, the average Australian prepaid phone bill is $25 per month, which works out to be $300 each year — down from $30 per month in 2023, $28 per month in 2022 and $29 per month in 2021.
Customers in the Tasmania paid the most for their prepaid plan at $29, followed by those in NSW, Victoria, WA and the ACT paying $25 per month. Customers in Queensland and South Australia got the best deal with an average of $24 per month. Let’s take a look at the average monthly prepaid bills by state and territory:
- Queensland: $24
- New South Wales: $25
- Victoria: $25
- South Australia: $24
- Western Australia: $25
- Tasmania: $29
- Australian Capital Territory: $25
The same research report found that in terms of data inclusions, 17% of respondents have 20GB to 49.99GB of data, 16% have 10GB to 19.99GB of data included, 11% have 5GB to 9.99GB data included and 12% had less than 5GB included per recharge. 7% claim to not have unlimited data 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.
The average phone bill per month: 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 $42 per month — that’s $504 per year, up from $41 per month in 2023, $37 per month in 2022 and $35 per month in 2021.
Customers in Tasmania are paying less than the average each month for postpaid, while those in WA are paying more. Here is a breakdown of the average postpaid phone bill per month by state and territory:
- Queensland: $42
- New South Wales: $42
- Victoria: $42
- South Australia: $42
- Western Australia: $44
- Tasmania: $40
Of those surveyed, 20% had 20GB to 49.99GB of data, 9% had 10GB to 19.99GB of data, 10% had 5GB to 9.99GB and 12% had less than 5GB included per month. 16% were unsure how much data they had on their plan and 11% claimed to have unlimited 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.
The average phone bill per month: Phone on a plan
The average bill for customers on a bundled phone plan is much more expensive that for SIM-only plans, as you’re paying for both your mobile service and the price of your phone on the one bill. On average, customers with a phone on a plan pay $78 per month, or $936 per year. This is down from the average of $90 per month in 2023, $87 per month in 2022 and $81 per month in 2021.
Customers in Western Australia pay the most on average for their plan, while those in Tasmania pay the least. Here is a break down of the average bill for phone on a plan, from each state and territory:
- Queensland: $79
- New South Wales: $78
- Victoria: $76
- South Australia: $77
- Western Australia: $84
- Tasmania: $75
These costs are hardly surprising, as the most premium smartphones can easily add $50 or more on to your bill each month. There are also only a small number of telcos offering phones on plans, so your choices are generally limited to Telstra, Optus or Vodafone. These three telcos tend to be pricier than smaller competitors, with postpaid plans beginning at around $50 per month.
Canstar Blue’s 2024 survey also found that phone on a plan users tended to have higher data inclusions. 16% of respondents had 50GB to 99.99GB of monthly data included in their plan, while 23% had 20GB to 49.99GB of data included. 14% had 100GB or more of data and 17% were unsure how much data they had. However, just 36% of survey respondents said they could comfortably afford the monthly costs of their phone plan, down from 46% in our 2022 survey.
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 compares a selection of 24-month 128GB iPhone 16 plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of 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 published 24-month plans for the 128GB Google Pixel 9 on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our mobile phone comparison tool to see plans from a range of providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
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 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, you should check the information and details of that plan so you’re aware of any fees, setup costs or surprise charges.
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