Sleep spending Australia — Australians spent more than $4.6 billion on mattresses, bedding, sleep accessories and bedroom furniture in the most recent financial year. Hannah on our team has been tracking the numbers for years; here are the figures that frame how the country actually spends on sleep.
The headline figures
- $4.6 billion — Australian retail spend on mattresses + bedding + bedroom furniture in the last financial year (IBISWorld, ABS).
- $1.5 billion of that on mattresses alone.
- ~1.6 million mattresses sold to Australian households each year.
- $880 — average price paid for a queen mattress in 2025 (online channel).
- $1,580 — average for the same in physical retail.
What we actually buy
| Category | Annual spend | Average per household |
|---|---|---|
| Mattresses | $1.5b | $520 (every 8 yrs) |
| Bedding (sheets, doonas, pillows) | $1.1b | $140/yr |
| Pillows | $280m | $30/yr |
| Bed frames + bases | $680m | $130/yr |
| Sleep gadgets (apps, masks, white noise) | $120m | $15/yr |
| Sleep aids (supplements, OTC) | $210m | $25/yr |
How spending splits by channel
- Online mattress brands (Koala, Eva, Ecosa, Sleeping Duck, Onebed, Emma) now hold roughly 38% of mattress sales by unit and rising. Five years ago they were under 15%.
- Specialty bedding retail (Snooze, Forty Winks, Domayne) holds about 34%.
- Department stores and Big W / Target / Kmart account for the remainder.
By state
NSW spends the most on bedroom furnishings per household ($890/yr average), followed by Victoria ($820), then WA ($770). Tasmania and SA spend least ($590 and $610). Reasons are mostly population mix and median income, not preferences.
What’s rising fastest
- Premium mattresses ($2,000+): up 23% YoY as consumers replace once and keep longer.
- Cooling bedding: bamboo and TENCEL sheet sales up 18% YoY.
- Weighted blankets: still growing modestly post-pandemic peak.
- Sleep tracking subscriptions: $48m in 2025, up from $11m in 2021 — see our pick of sleep apps.
What’s falling
- Traditional innerspring sales by ~6% YoY as hybrids dominate.
- Polyester / microfibre sheet sets, replaced by cotton long-staple and bamboo.
How long Australians keep a mattress
Average mattress replacement cycle is 8.4 years. The Sleep Health Foundation recommends 8 for foam, 10 for spring/hybrid — so most households are about right, though 30% are sleeping on a mattress over 10 years old.
The cost of sleeping badly
Inadequate sleep costs Australia roughly $66.3 billion a year in healthcare and lost productivity (Deloitte Access Economics for the Sleep Health Foundation). For perspective, that’s 14× more than the entire mattress + bedding retail market combined.
What this means for buyers
Spending more on a mattress that lasts a decade is one of the highest-return purchases an Australian household makes. James on our team’s short take: spend $1,500 once every 8 years rather than $700 every 4 — the per-night cost is lower and the sleep quality is significantly better.
For independent buying advice, see our overall best mattress round-up, best cheap mattresses under $1,000, and 16 sleep statistics Australians need to know. External reference: Sleep Health Foundation.
Sources: ABS Retail Trade, IBISWorld Mattress Manufacturing in Australia, Sleep Health Foundation, Deloitte Access Economics “Asleep on the Job” report.
