Cost of living in Australia
Summary of cost of living in Australia
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: AU$6,690
- Single person estimated monthly costs: AU$3,710
- Cost of living in Australia is more expensive than in 91% of countries in the World (8 out of 76)
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| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | AU$18 | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | AU$12 | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | AU$5.92 | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | AU$1.45 | ||
| 12 eggs, large | AU$5.50 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | AU$4.98 | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | AU$7 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | AU$4.55 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | AU$3.23 | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | AU$5.49 | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | AU$18 | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | AU$2.94 | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | AU$2.49 | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | AU$3,170 | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | AU$2,151 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | AU$293 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | AU$1,947 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | AU$1,500 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | AU$177 | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | AU$60 | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | AU$504 | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | AU$249 | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | AU$13 | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | AU$31 | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | AU$103 | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | AU$68 | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | AU$139 | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | AU$142 | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | AU$27,984 | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | AU$1.40 | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | AU$160 | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | AU$8 | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | AU$19 | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | AU$69 | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | AU$7 | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | AU$4.56 | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | AU$6 | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | AU$3.55 | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | AU$3.58 | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | AU$28 | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | AU$59 | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | AU$36 | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | AU$198 | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | AU$90 | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | AU$17 | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | AU$4.48 | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | AU$9 | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | AU$652 | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | AU$0.51 | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | AU$70 | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | AU$35 | ||
Map of Cost of Living in Australia
This map shows only the top cities in Australia. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Cost of Living Ranking in Australia
(top cities by data quality)
| Ranking | City | Price Index * |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Sydney | 217 |
| 2nd | Perth | 173 |
| 3rd | Canberra | 173 |
| 4th | Melbourne | 171 |
| 5th | Brisbane | 164 |
| 6th | Darwin | 163 |
| 7th | Cairns | 160 |
| 8th | Adelaide | 158 |
| 9th | Newcastle | 153 |
| 10th | Wollongong | 153 |
| 11th | Townsville | 137 |
Price Index:
To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to Australia? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in Australia of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Sydney is 4% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Brisbane is 21% cheaper than in Sydney
- Cost of living in Sydney is about the same as in Washington D.C.
- Cost of living in Melbourne is 22% more expensive than in Barcelona
- Cost of living in Melbourne is 305% more expensive than in San Juan
- Cost of living in Sydney is 122% more expensive than in San Jose, Costa Rica
- Cost of living in Melbourne is 99% more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur
- Cost of living in Sydney is 47% more expensive than in Barcelona
- Cost of living in Melbourne is 6% cheaper than in Singapore
- Cost of living in Melbourne is 21% cheaper than in Sydney
- Cost of living in Melbourne is 108% more expensive than in Tirana
- Cost of living in Melbourne is 12% cheaper than in Paris
- Cost of living in Brisbane is 66% more expensive than in Santiago
- Cost of living in Brisbane is 167% more expensive than in Buenos Aires
- Cost of living in Melbourne is 70% more expensive than in Santiago
- Cost of living in Sydney is 4% more expensive than in Auckland
- Cost of living in Sydney is 9% more expensive than in Los Angeles, California
- Cost of living in Sydney is 236% more expensive than in Buenos Aires
- Cost of living in Sydney is 180% more expensive than in Bogotá
- Cost of living in Sydney is about the same as in Hong Kong
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- 500 ml beer in neighbourhood pub in Perth costs AU$8 (4 days ago)
- Cappuccino in expat area of the city in Perth costs AU$5.00 (4 days ago)
- Nice dinner at an italian restaurant, dinner for two in Perth costs AU$60 (4 days ago)
- 2 tickets to the movies in Perth costs AU$30 (4 days ago)
- Basic dinner out in neighborhood pub, dinner for two in Perth costs AU$50 (4 days ago)
- One-way ticket in public transport in Perth costs AU$4.90 (4 days ago)
- Public transport in Perth costs AU$200 (4 days ago)
- 1 liter of gasoline in Perth costs AU$1.50 (4 days ago)
- Sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) in Perth costs AU$150 (4 days ago)
- Jeans (levis 501 or similar) in Perth costs AU$100 (4 days ago)