Australia’s Cash Rate Is Now 4.6% — Where Will Households Feel It Most?
Australia’s cash rate is now 4.60% , but for many households the more useful question is not simply how high the rate has gone. It is where the extra cost will begin showing up in the household budget from October . The Reserve Bank of Australia raised the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points at its September meeting, taking it from 4.35% to 4.60%. The new cash rate took effect on 30 September 2026. For mortgage holders, however, the impact does not necessarily begin on the same day as the RBA change. Australia’s Big Four banks have announced a 0.25 percentage point increase to variable home loan rates from 9 October 2026 . In this article Why Did Australia’s Cash Rate Rise to 4.6%? When Will the Latest Rate Rise Hit Home Loans? How Much Could a 0.25% Rate Rise Add to a Mortgage? Why Does 4.6% Feel Harder Than It Did in 2011? What About Renters and Households Without a Mortgage? What Should Australian Households Check Now? ...