The cost of posting a standard letter within Australia has more than doubled over the last decade, with Australia Post price increases making it less affordable for customers to send parcels domestically and internationally.

Ahead of the holiday season this is a concern for some who rely on the national postal service to send gifts and greetings to loved ones all around the world.

In April there was increase in price for both domestic and international parcels and letters, with the first being a 30-cent price increase on standard letters from $1.20 to $1.50.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) did not object to any of the increases.

Australia Post said an Australian household only receives two letters a week on average, and the price increases address an increased cost in delivery as letters are on the decline.

But while the cost to send a standard sized letter within Australia using a seasonal greeting stamp remains at 65c for the Christmas period, it is the cost of parcels that has customers reaching deep into their pockets.

International university student, AJ Wulandari, said she recently went to send a gift to Indonesia for her brother’s birthday, but once confronted with a cost of over $100 for a 5.5kg package, she decided against it.

She said, “It was too expensive for shipping, and its already hard with the rental crisis and everything being so expensive.”

Price increases across many different areas have Australians feeling the pressure of their spending habits, but Wulandari believes sending gifts to family shouldn’t be something to sacrifice.

“I wish it was cheaper to send letters and gifts to my family and friends back home. I’m away from them for such a long period of time. We have gadgets to communicate, but it is nice to send a cute gift once in a while.”

The price increases have put postal employees in awkward situations as well, as many customers vent their frustrations to counter staff.

Post office employee Edna Lim, who has worked in different locations around the country for close to a decade, said customers complain frequently about the price of postage to her and her co-workers.

She said, “We have customers sending parcels on a daily basis for heaps of reasons like gifts, returns or for their businesses. Some complain, but we can only tell them it isn’t us who set the prices, it’s Australia Post. Whatever that price is, that is the price.”

Australia Post does offer discounts on certain products, such as concession stamps. My Post Concession account holders can purchase booklets of five stamps $1.50 stamps, valued at $7.50, for $3. Though customers are only entitled to 50 stamps a year with this concession.

There are also discounts for My Post Business holders, such as reduced rates for sending. The discount is applied based on how much a customer sends.

Lim said she can understand the frustration and concern from the customers, but also understands why Australia Post increases their pricing.

She said: “We can offer customers all of the postage options, and then they can decide and go from there.”

Customers can calculate the estimated cost of sending a parcel online before going into a post office.

Try it here.