More than one in three Australians carry unpaid credit card debt each month, according to new data from Roy Morgan, with mortgage holders and renters tending to owe more than homeowners.
Based on a survey of over 60,000 Australians, Roy Morgan’s Single Source report (released on 5 November 2025) found that 36% of credit card users leave part of their balance unpaid each month, with the median debt sitting at A$1,037.
Debt levels are highest among those with heavier living costs — mortgage payers owe an average of A$1,342 and renters A$911, compared to A$787 for those who own their homes outright.
Roy Morgan’s general manager of financial services, Suela Qemal, noted that an estimated 423,000 Australians carry over A$5,000 in unpaid credit card debt monthly — equal to 2% of all adults and 6% of cardholders.
“These figures highlight how cost-of-living pressures, particularly high rents and mortgage repayments, are pushing many Australians to depend on credit to get by,” Qemal said.
Additionally, 14% of credit card holders have used buy now, pay later (BNPL) services, with uptake highest among renters (22%) and mortgage payers (16%), compared with 10% of homeowners.
Click here for more on Business
