Research revealing the real toll petrol prices take on suburban residents comes as experts predict petrol will average about $1.26 a litre next year.

Home ownership is being pushed out of reach for those on the urban fringe hit by a triple whammy of long journeys to work, scarce public transport and dearer petrol.

A study by Dr Jago Dodson and Dr Neil Snipe of Griffith University's Urban Research program, released this month, reveals petrol costs have pushed 350,000 Melburnians into financial stress.

And unlike Brisbane and Sydney, in Melbourne it is now more expensive to run a car than to maintain a house.

The average cost of running a small car has risen to $147.54 a week -- almost $7700 a year.