If you reckon swapping a Saturday night out on the town for a Netflix and UberEats sesh is saving you money, prepare to be shocked. A soon-to-be-released report by Tyro Payments (the nifty team behind payment systems for small businesses) shows that one in five Aussies say it costs them an average of $91 every week to stay in. Yep, maybe it is worth popping out for a cheeky drink after all.
So what are people spending their hard-earned cash on? That'd be multiple streaming services, takeaway, booze, heating and electricity bills. Not to mention the cost of filling the fridge. (And with Melbourne’s top restaurants, bars and pubs offering fab happy hour deals, there's truly never been a better time to eat out.)
Interestingly, Tyro's data also shows that cost-of-living pressures haven’t impacted Melburnians' spending at restaurants and cafés – diners are still spending about the same on average per visit at restaurants, with $33.50 in the 2023/24 financial year, compared to $32.76 in 2022/23.
In Sydney, it’s much the same, with the average spend per restaurant visit currently around $32.28, compared to $31.62 in 2022/23. Tyro’s hospitality report also reveals that one in three Aussies are willing to pay more for a meal due to increased costs for business owners.
Tyro’s head of partnerships, Tyrone Ho, said Tyro’s data highlights that it's not much more expensive to turn off the power at home and hit up your favourite local pub or Thai restaurant.
“Electricity, home delivery, a bottle of wine, those four streaming services you pay for – it all adds up,” he says. “Many local restaurants or pubs have menu options for $20, or even less.
“With cost-of-living pressures, most people are probably of the mindset that they should cut back on eating out and order in instead, but the reality is that it’s still costing you to stay in. Ducking out to the local for a meal could actually be cheaper or not necessarily more expensive.
“It’s worth checking out what your local has on offer each week; there are some cracking deals out there. This is a time when your local needs your support.”
Here at Time Out Melbourne, we’re all about encouraging people to get out and explore our city. Our team of writers and editors are dedicated to bringing you the very best recommendations and in-the-know tips (including lava-hot offers) on how to live big for less. Here's our guide to cheap meal specials (for under $25) for every night of the week.
(N.B. Tyro is an Australian payments company that helps more than 71,000 small businesses accept payments and manage cashflow.)
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