Australian families are being hit with substantial education bill hikes in 2024, according to new data that reveals big increases in tuition fees, uniforms, devices, equipment and even transport.

Average total education costs will rise 5.6 per cent in 2024 across government, catholic and independent schools in metro areas, according to Futurity Investment Group figures published on Wednesday.

Families in regional and remote areas will pay 5.7 per cent more.

Futurity chief Sam Sondhi said rising costs were putting a bigger burden on Australian families.

“Households are already stretched by spiralling cost-of-living and interest-rate pressures,” Sondhi said.

“With less discretionary money to spend, it’s going to be a challenge for many families to pay for the total cost of education, which has jumped 6 per cent in the past year.

“It’s forecast school fees and a host of major school expenses including outside tuition, school camps, transport, uniforms, electronic devices and sports equipment will increase upwards of 14 per cent in the next five years, and by almost 30 per cent in the next decade.”

School costs by state and city

The figures, which canvass the total costs of education rather than just tuition, show huge differences between states when it comes to school costs.

Canberra is the most affordable city for a government education, with total costs of $81,564 over 13 years for a child starting school in 2024, which is up about $4500 on last year.

That’s considerably cheaper than Melbourne ($108,879) and Sydney ($94,819), which are the most expensive cities for public education nationwide according to the Futurity Group index.

Sydney is, however, the most affordable place for a Catholic education, with total costs of $188,759 over a 13-year period for a child starting in 2024 – an increase of $10,281 on 2023.

Parents in Sydney are forecast to spend almost twice as much on outside tuition ($4498) than school fees ($2522) in 2024, with a further $974 spent on electronic devices and $418 on uniforms.

Perth had the most affordable independent education among Australia’s capitals, 29 per cent below the national average at $316,944 over 13 years from 2024, which is considerably less expensive than Sydney ($377,993) and Melbourne ($324,559).

School fees ($6818) are set to be the biggest cost for parents sending kids to independent schools in Perth, followed by tuition ($1873), transport ($793) and musical instruments ($636).

It was one of Australia’s smallest regions, Tasmania, that is estimated to offer the cheapest government education in regional and remote areas, estimated at $72,083 over 13 years.

That’s 10 per cent lower than the national average and far cheaper than costs in regional and remote New South Wales ($87,762) and non-metro South Australia ($86,677).

Parents in Tasmania will spend an estimated 24 times more on outside tuition ($1199) than school fees ($48) in 2024, with electronic devices ($833) and transport ($451) both contributing significantly to total costs.

Queensland, meanwhile, had the most affordable independent school system in regional and remote areas, with non-metro education costing 6 per cent below the national average at $221,501 over 13 years.

Parents in Queensland are set to fork over the most for school fees at independent schools ($3545), more than tuition ($1873), devices ($1143) and sports equipment ($902).