Real interest rate in Australia
Australia: Real interest rate was 1.6% in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Real interest rate in Australia, 1961–2019
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2019, real interest rate in Australia stood at 1.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 53.2% on the previous year and up 60.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, real interest rate in Australia peaked at 10.1% in 1991 and was at its lowest, -6.0%, in 1974.
Australia ranks 110th of 148 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.5% | 0.5% | 5.6% | 9 |
| 1970s | -1.2% | -6.0% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.5% | -0.0% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.7% | 5.5% | 10.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.2% | 1.0% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.2% | 1.4% | 6.3% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More financial sector data for Australia
- Domestic credit to private sector 133.8% (2025)
- Net domestic credit 5.96 trillion current LCU (2025)
- Total reserves in months of imports 1.58 (2025)
- Net foreign assets -136.13 billion current LCU (2025)
- Domestic credit to private sector by banks 133.8% (2025)
- Claims on central government, etc. 8.0% (2025)
- Monetary Sector credit to private sector 133.8% (2025)
- Broad money 133.1% (2025)
- Official exchange rate 1.55 LCU per US$, period average (2025)
- Net migration 137,109 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is real interest rate in Australia?
- Real interest rate in Australia was 1.6% in 2019, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest real interest rate recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.1% in 1991.
- What is the lowest real interest rate recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was -6.0% in 1974.
- How does Australia rank for real interest rate?
- Australia ranks 110th out of 148 countries with data for 2019.
- Is real interest rate rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Real interest rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
An interest rate is the amount charged, expressed as a percentage of the principal over a period of time, by the owners of certain kinds of financial assets for putting the financial assets at the disposal of another institutional unit. The real interest rate is the lending interest rate adjusted for inflation as measured by the GDP deflator. The terms and conditions attached to lending rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability. This indicator is expressed as a percentage (a÷b)*100.