This paper presents an exploratory, first empirical examination of the nexus between cost-of-living pressures, neighbourhood perceptions, transport-related behaviours, and wellbeing. This study uniquely positions cost-of-living concern as a potential upstream influence shaping how individuals experience and engage with urban environments and mobility systems. Using survey data from Greater Sydney, we develop a multidimensional measure of perceived cost-of-living pressure, capturing concerns related to housing, energy, fuel, and essential goods. We identify distinct segments of concern and explore how these relate to neighbourhood perceptions, physical activity, and subjective wellbeing. The results confirm that cost-of-living stress extends beyond traditional housing measures, with consumables-related pressures associated with the highest overall stress levels. Notably, concern about fuel costs is as prominent as housing-related concern, underscoring a direct connection between financial pressure and transport systems. Findings suggest that cost-of-living pressures may influence transport behaviour more than we know. Overall, this study provides early evidence that cost-of-living pressures are an underexamined factor shaping transport behaviour, built environment interactions, and wellbeing, and highlights the need for transport research to better account for these dynamics.
Beck et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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