Cost-of-living pressure 'entrenching disadvantage' in the NT

The median rental price for a house would leave many people in Darwin on a low-income facing "housing stress". (ABC News: Hamish Harty )

A report by the peak body representing social services in the NT says Territorians are being hit harder than most by increasing cost-of-living pressures.

The report by NTCOSS has flagged high rent, travel costs and power affordability as the major stressors for NT households.

NTCOSS has made several recommendations to territory and federal governments to ease cost-of-living pressure.

The portion of income Northern Territory families are spending to cover housing costs has risen more than anywhere else in the country, with the territory's social services peak body warning cost-of-living pressures are "entrenching disadvantage".

A new report by the NT Council of Social Services (NTCOSS) has revealed households in the NT are among the hardest hit by rising cost-of-living pressures.

"Cost of living has increased for everybody across the Territory but it's those Territorians who are on a low income who are impacted the most," interim chief executive of NTCOSS, Claire Pirrett, said.

Claire Pirrett says low income Territorians are being hit the hardest by the rising cost of living. (ABC News: Olivana Lathouris)

"People who are already struggling are now experiencing a rapid rise in cost of living," she said.

The report flagged rental affordability, fuel and travel costs, and power prices as major pressure points.

At the end of 2025, the NT had the second highest average rent in the country behind NSW.

The average rent for a three-bedroom house in the NT was $710 per week — $60 above the national average of $650 per week.

The NTCOSS report also showed Territory families are paying 26.1 per cent of their weekly income to cover housing costs.

The Northern Territory has the second highest average rent in the country. (Supplied: Tourism NT)

Ms Pirrett said one of the biggest indicators of cost-of-living stress in the NT are the rates of homelessness, which are the highest in Australia.

"We know the cost of living is extremely high — so high it is driving people to be homeless," Ms Pirrett said.

Darwin, Australia's smallest capital city, has been ranked the country's second-most-expensive place to rent a house, along with Canberra.

Ms Pirrett said another indicator of families struggling to manage cost of living was the increase in the number of households being disconnected from power after failing to top up their smart meters.

Most households in remote Aboriginal communities, and some urban public houses, use pre