Cost of Living in Australia - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $1,054 (excluding rent), and $2,305 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $2,517 (excluding rent), and $4,491 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.48 A$23.08

$10.55 A$14.77

$30.41 A$42.58

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.8 A$108

$51.2 A$71.7

$128 A$179

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 A$13.29

$8.86 A$12.41

$11.39 A$15.95

Cappuccino

$3.41 A$4.77

$2.53 A$3.55

$4.75 A$6.66

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 A$3.62

$1.93 A$2.70

$3.54 A$4.95

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 A$3.08

$1.85 A$2.60

$3.31 A$4.63

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 A$8.89

$4.44 A$6.22

$9.53 A$13.34

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 A$9.80

$5.09 A$7.13

$9.56 A$13.38

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 A$2.09

$0.95 A$1.33

$2.52 A$3.53

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 A$3.41

$1.41 A$1.97

$3.86 A$5.41

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 A$2.92

$1.19 A$1.67

$3.97 A$5.56

Eggs

$4.31 A$6.04

$2.71 A$3.80

$6.20 A$8.68

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 A$12.58

$5.96 A$8.34

$19.86 A$27.81

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 A$11.85

$5.88 A$8.23

$11.77 A$16.48

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 A$19.19

$7.68 A$10.75

$20.48 A$28.67

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 A$4.41

$1.92 A$2.69

$4.16 A$5.82

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.78

$1.91 A$2.67

$4.45 A$6.23

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.05

$1.38 A$1.93

$5.80 A$8.12

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 A$6.19

$2.13 A$2.98

$6.65 A$9.31

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.51

$1.31 A$1.83

$3.60 A$5.05

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 A$2.93

$1.27 A$1.77

$3.16 A$4.43

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 A$3.19

$1.33 A$1.86

$3.32 A$4.65

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.12

$0.51 A$0.72

$3.20 A$4.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.27 A$43.77

$25.73 A$36.02

$39.08 A$54.7

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 A$20.20

$8.65 A$12.12

$20.20 A$28.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.44 A$6.21

$2.43 A$3.40

$7.69 A$10.77

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 A$7.05

$2.64 A$3.70

$7.93 A$11.11

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 A$4.00

$0.32 A$0.45

$4.44 A$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.7 A$135

$53.8 A$75.3

$148 A$208

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 A$5.14

$2.34 A$3.28

$6.67 A$9.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 A$2.45

$1.21 A$1.70

$3.04 A$4.26

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.40 A$52.4

$30.75 A$43.04

$53.8 A$75.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.63

$1.04 A$1.46

$1.36 A$1.90

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.2K A$40.9K

$26.3K A$36.9K

$29.2K A$40.9K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K A$31.6K

$19.3K A$27.0K

$25.7K A$36.0K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$175 A$245

$96.4 A$135

$328 A$459

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.88 A$36.23

$12.76 A$17.86

$44.65 A$62.5

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 A$73.3

$41.63 A$58.3

$69.8 A$97.8

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.98 A$65.8

$25.70 A$35.98

$82.3 A$115

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.32 A$22.85

$9.58 A$13.42

$22.35 A$31.29

Cinema Ticket

$13.87 A$19.41

$11.23 A$15.72

$17.82 A$24.95

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,587 A$2,221

$782 A$1,094

$2,493 A$3,490

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K A$17.8K

$5,943 A$8,320

$26.4K A$37.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$98.4

$38.67 A$54.1

$96.7 A$135

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.95 A$69.9

$22.34 A$31.27

$89.4 A$125

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$141

$64.4 A$90.1

$142 A$198

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$156

$66.1 A$92.5

$172 A$241

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 A$1,968

$953 A$1,334

$2,204 A$3,085

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 A$1,552

$795 A$1,113

$1,656 A$2,318

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,269 A$3,176

$1,406 A$1,968

$4,332 A$6,065

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 A$2,480

$1,318 A$1,845

$2,689 A$3,764

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,610 A$10.7K

$5,020 A$7,028

$12.9K A$18.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,713 A$7,999

$3,604 A$5,046

$9,010 A$12.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,890 A$5,447

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

5.2

7.05

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: April 12, 2026

By City in Australia

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Adelaide	1245011	116	$1,006	$2,334	$2,545	$4,466	136.56	231.87
2	Albany	31128	111	$957	$2,248	$2,611	$4,212	185.52	178.52
3	Albury	-	91	$1,044	$1,836	$2,408	$3,619	189.8	207.08
4	Alice Springs	24855	91	$907	$1,803	$2,781	$3,478	101.55	172.71
5	Armidale	21312	79	$1,085	$1,609	$2,683	$3,306	74.61	136.85
6	Balga	12685	112	$1,020	$2,202	$2,695	$4,395	186	216.34
7	Ballarat	105348	85	$1,000	$1,661	$2,568	$3,771	58.36	187.44
8	Ballina	-	113	$1,023	$2,291	$2,586	$4,324	74.35	109.17
9	Bardwell Park, NSW	-	112	$1,032	$2,253	$2,597	$4,260	71.89	231.15
10	Bathurst	36230	113	$1,030	$2,244	$2,550	$4,350	74.36	176.11
11	Bega NSW	-	112	$1,017	$2,267	$2,415	$4,348	-	-
12	Belmont, NSW	-	112	$1,055	$2,260	$2,354	$4,312	307.25	232.97
13	Bendigo	100649	82	$866	$1,633	$2,673	$3,254	57.66	181.8
14	Berry	2700	112	$1,096	$2,252	$2,364	$4,385	162.72	134.58
15	Berwick	47674	112	$1,048	$2,224	$2,103	$4,331	63.03	236.06
16	Blacktown	-	109	$976	$2,162	$2,250	$4,271	41.72	231.15
17	Bowral	-	110	$1,071	$2,230	$2,326	$4,273	228.65	132.12
18	Brisbane	2287896	117	$950	$2,348	$2,326	$4,374	139.8	232.97
19	Broken Hill	17456	112	$1,124	$2,274	$2,232	$4,409	205.28	114.9
20	Brookvale	-	114	$1,069	$2,317	$2,751	$4,298	64.76	231.15
21	Broome, WA	14660	107	$1,193	$2,169	$2,988	$5,150	75.52	102.4
22	Buderim	-	112	$1,084	$2,246	$2,346	$4,300	65.49	145.47
23	Bunbury	75196	99	$872	$1,974	$2,377	$4,132	256.68	195.74
24	Bundaberg	52370	97	$934	$1,947	$2,368	$3,942	19.74	156.99
25	Burnie	20267	82	$958	$1,663	$2,584	$3,349	20.8	215.09
26	Busselton	27233	109	$938	$2,174	$2,707	$4,161	39.76	118.61
27	Byron Bay	10538	105	$793	$2,103	$2,160	$3,868	14.02	96.24
28	Caboolture	29534	91	$692	$1,781	$2,069	$3,478	143.31	232.97
29	Cairns	153181	114	$1,032	$2,284	$2,510	$4,532	92.67	199.44
30	Campbelltown	-	112	$806	$2,258	$1,931	$4,013	174.04	231.15
31	Canberra	466566	124	$1,108	$2,472	$2,734	$4,599	53.18	189.13
32	Canterbury-Bankstown	350983	115	$1,105	$2,296	$2,691	$4,439	216.48	231.15
33	Cape Tribulation	-	112	$929	$2,234	$2,312	$4,284	7.2	117.9
34	Carlton	19001	108	$1,035	$2,142	$2,574	$3,910	130.4	236.06
35	Casino, NSW	10000	110	$874	$2,221	$2,339	$4,297	14.42	127.19
36	Castle Hill	-	111	$966	$2,202	$2,278	$4,185	34.4	231.15
37	Charleville	3300	112	$1,064	$2,240	$2,153	$4,393	254.21	114.48
38	Coffs Harbour	-	117	$1,098	$2,372	$2,562	$4,494	27.62	146.08
39	Collie	7000	112	$951	$2,255	$2,511	$4,275	129.33	163.45
40	Cranbourne	-	109	$900	$2,145	$2,488	$4,101	159.52	236.06
41	Dandenong	30127	108	$898	$2,151	$2,238	$3,878	265.13	236.06
42	Darwin	122207	132	$1,083	$2,584	$2,649	$5,243	28.53	212.46
43	Deniliquin NSW	-	113	$1,036	$2,233	$2,883	$4,415	-	-
44	Denver	-	112	$1,085	$2,222	$2,778	$4,290	17.62	116.93
45	Derby	3300	112	$1,014	$2,283	$2,746	$4,335	97.24	160.58
46	Devonport	24591	120	$1,088	$2,424	$2,345	$4,587	132.24	122.98
47	Double Bay	-	114	$1,021	$2,277	$2,121	$4,420	150.05	231.15
48	Dubbo	38808	115	$918	$2,309	$2,918	$4,482	156.75	159.41
49	Eden NSW	-	112	$973	$2,206	$2,257	$4,372	-	-
50	Epping	-	110	$913	$2,223	$2,144	$4,925	100.47	231.15

Australia Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Australia - Frequently Asked Questions

Australia offers a high quality of life with varied value across cities and regions. The Cost of Living in Australia varies by location, with capital cities tending to be pricier than regional hubs. Travelers, expats, and digital nomads who stay flexible about neighborhood and length of stay often find the best balance in mid-size cities and coastal towns, where housing and dining can be more affordable without sacrificing amenities. Seasonal demand, such as holiday periods or major events, can affect costs temporarily. A practical approach is to compare neighborhoods by commute, access to co-working spaces, and proximity to groceries or markets. Tip: Start with a two-week baseline in your top two areas to see where you feel most at home.

Daily life for Australia living cost awareness aside, your day-to-day will hinge on where you stay and how you move. Start with housing search by budgeting for a few types: a shared apartment near a transit hub, a studio with reliable internet, or longer-term leases in neighborhoods with markets and parks. Food options range from local grocers and cheap eateries to mid-range cafés; cooking at home often saves more than occasional dining out. Transport can be economical with monthly passes, bike lanes, and walkable streets. For remote work, a solid internet plan and a nearby co-working or café can sustain momentum. Tip: Plan backups for high season and keep a flexible schedule.

Quality of life in Australia includes outdoor access, safety, healthcare, and vibrant communities. Build a budgeting framework that separates fixed costs (rent, utilities) from discretionary spending (eating out, entertainment). Look for neighborhoods that match your work style – co-working spots, fast Wi-Fi, and safe, walkable streets. Consider the seasons: in many cities, summer heat or rains change commute and leisure timing. Shortlist two or three areas and test them with a live-in trial if possible. Use tools to compare utilities, internet, and transport options before signing a lease. Tip: choose a neighborhood that supports your work rhythm and social life.