Exclusive: Australians say the soaring cost of living, including groceries, schooling and housing, is holding them back from having a second child or starting a family at all.

The national median house price is $1.28 million, median rent is $650 per week, and the price of groceries, food, energy and insurance is through the roof.

Casey Gardiner, a 36-year-old who owns a home in Queensland, tells nine.com.au that she and her partner can't afford children.

READ MORE: 'Australians aren't choosing careers over children, they're choosing financial survival'

Both work odd hours that most childcare doesn't cover, so they'd have to fork out thousands for private childcare services in their child's first few years.

That's on top of a mortgage, bills and groceries.

"The maths didn't work," Gardiner told nine.com.au.

"I'm sure we could have made it work, like so many people have done before, but that's a lot to ask without a village."

Have you got a story? Contact reporter Maddison Leach at our breaking newsletter here