Cost of Living in Australia - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $1,049 (excluding rent), and $2,325 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $2,563 (excluding rent), and $4,414 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.40 A$23.12

$10.50 A$14.81

$30.26 A$42.67

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.2 A$110

$52.1 A$73.5

$130 A$184

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 A$13.43

$8.89 A$12.53

$11.43 A$16.11

Cappuccino

$3.57 A$5.03

$2.65 A$3.74

$4.98 A$7.02

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

$2.55 A$3.59

$1.90 A$2.67

$3.48 A$4.91

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.12

$1.86 A$2.63

$3.33 A$4.69

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 A$9.04

$4.49 A$6.32

$9.62 A$13.57

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.22 A$10.17

$5.25 A$7.40

$9.85 A$13.89

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 A$2.20

$0.99 A$1.40

$2.63 A$3.71

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 A$3.50

$1.43 A$2.02

$3.94 A$5.55

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 A$2.82

$1.14 A$1.61

$3.81 A$5.37

Eggs

$4.28 A$6.03

$2.69 A$3.79

$6.15 A$8.67

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 A$12.13

$5.70 A$8.03

$19.00 A$26.80

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.56 A$12.07

$5.95 A$8.38

$11.90 A$16.78

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 A$19.33

$7.68 A$10.82

$20.48 A$28.88

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.55

$1.96 A$2.77

$4.26 A$6.01

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.84

$1.92 A$2.71

$4.49 A$6.33

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.15

$1.40 A$1.97

$5.89 A$8.31

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 A$6.04

$2.06 A$2.91

$6.44 A$9.09

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.53

$1.31 A$1.85

$3.60 A$5.08

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.97

$1.28 A$1.80

$3.19 A$4.50

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.12

$1.29 A$1.82

$3.23 A$4.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 A$2.16

$0.52 A$0.73

$3.23 A$4.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.35 A$44.21

$25.80 A$36.38

$39.18 A$55.3

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 A$19.86

$8.45 A$11.92

$19.73 A$27.82

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.43 A$6.24

$2.42 A$3.41

$7.68 A$10.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 A$7.15

$2.66 A$3.76

$7.99 A$11.27

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.90 A$4.09

$0.33 A$0.46

$4.51 A$6.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 A$138

$54.3 A$76.6

$150 A$211

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 A$5.01

$2.26 A$3.19

$6.45 A$9.10

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.60

$1.28 A$1.80

$3.20 A$4.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.44 A$52.8

$30.78 A$43.40

$53.9 A$75.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.62

$1.03 A$1.46

$1.35 A$1.90

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

$29.2K A$41.2K

$26.3K A$37.1K

$29.2K A$41.2K

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

$23.0K A$32.4K

$19.7K A$27.7K

$26.2K A$37.0K

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

$180 A$254

$99.2 A$140

$337 A$476

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

$25.91 A$36.53

$12.77 A$18.01

$44.70 A$63.0

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 A$74.0

$41.74 A$58.9

$70.0 A$98.7

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.04 A$67.7

$26.28 A$37.06

$84.1 A$119

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 A$23.49

$9.78 A$13.79

$22.81 A$32.17

Cinema Ticket

$13.87 A$19.56

$11.23 A$15.84

$17.83 A$25.15

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

$1,559 A$2,199

$768 A$1,083

$2,450 A$3,454

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K A$17.6K

$5,865 A$8,270

$26.1K A$36.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 A$99.0

$38.63 A$54.5

$96.6 A$136

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 A$72.5

$22.99 A$32.42

$92.0 A$130

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$142

$64.4 A$90.8

$142 A$200

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$158

$66.1 A$93.2

$172 A$242

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 A$1,919

$923 A$1,301

$2,133 A$3,008

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 A$1,527

$776 A$1,095

$1,618 A$2,281

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,332 A$3,287

$1,445 A$2,038

$4,452 A$6,278

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,718 A$2,422

$1,278 A$1,802

$2,607 A$3,676

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,612 A$10.7K

$4,987 A$7,031

$12.8K A$18.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,588 A$7,879

$3,512 A$4,952

$8,780 A$12.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,928 A$5,539

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: March 3, 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	$1,017	$2,277	$2,532	$4,428	208.97	230.32
2	Albany	31128	111	$1,104	$2,259	$2,356	$4,321	155.68	157.78
3	Albury	-	91	$976	$1,852	$2,630	$3,672	257.78	215.5
4	Alice Springs	24855	91	$1,108	$1,820	$2,947	$3,407	98.46	191.33
5	Armidale	21312	79	$1,001	$1,579	$2,666	$3,273	42.76	141.01
6	Balga	12685	112	$1,029	$2,230	$2,630	$4,340	115.19	228.76
7	Ballarat	105348	85	$878	$1,673	$2,232	$3,805	128.92	209.09
8	Ballina	-	113	$882	$2,263	$2,553	$4,427	202.31	123.47
9	Bardwell Park, NSW	-	112	$907	$2,283	$2,666	$4,297	125.9	235.26
10	Bathurst	36230	113	$851	$2,247	$2,610	$4,398	29.57	143.07
11	Bega NSW	-	112	$1,047	$2,207	$2,607	$4,277	-	-
12	Belmont, NSW	-	112	$914	$2,229	$2,641	$4,397	259.45	229.48
13	Bendigo	100649	82	$1,026	$1,637	$2,337	$3,172	95.51	200.5
14	Berry	2700	112	$1,062	$2,280	$2,182	$4,466	108.64	133.78
15	Berwick	47674	112	$979	$2,211	$2,300	$4,383	11.32	238.99
16	Blacktown	-	109	$803	$2,194	$2,144	$4,222	103.58	235.26
17	Bowral	-	110	$904	$2,198	$2,258	$4,269	34.62	131.93
18	Brisbane	2287896	117	$936	$2,321	$2,293	$4,424	28.08	229.48
19	Broken Hill	17456	112	$939	$2,233	$2,354	$4,325	287.03	142.01
20	Brookvale	-	114	$997	$2,229	$2,264	$4,315	84.94	235.26
21	Broome, WA	14660	107	$978	$2,136	$2,989	$5,045	14.81	69.3
22	Buderim	-	112	$1,098	$2,262	$2,804	$4,299	143.17	140.61
23	Bunbury	75196	99	$936	$1,985	$2,379	$4,149	163.14	187.66
24	Bundaberg	52370	97	$951	$1,960	$2,862	$4,022	275.09	172.67
25	Burnie	20267	82	$1,037	$1,614	$2,585	$3,332	43.69	162.83
26	Busselton	27233	109	$1,041	$2,150	$2,592	$4,221	63.34	133.61
27	Byron Bay	10538	105	$953	$2,082	$1,940	$3,912	125.63	88.63
28	Caboolture	29534	91	$883	$1,784	$1,837	$3,399	194.8	229.48
29	Cairns	153181	114	$1,036	$2,316	$2,563	$4,521	37.08	195.32
30	Campbelltown	-	112	$936	$2,190	$2,134	$4,000	157.04	235.26
31	Canberra	466566	124	$1,093	$2,458	$2,776	$4,598	114.35	184.08
32	Canterbury-Bankstown	350983	115	$946	$2,290	$2,690	$4,517	25.13	235.26
33	Cape Tribulation	-	112	$917	$2,262	$2,873	$4,416	111.3	87.89
34	Carlton	19001	108	$958	$2,178	$2,439	$4,016	78.99	238.99
35	Casino, NSW	10000	110	$931	$2,204	$2,698	$4,297	89.69	140.69
36	Castle Hill	-	111	$1,006	$2,209	$2,048	$4,140	34.85	235.26
37	Charleville	3300	112	$1,023	$2,263	$2,431	$4,299	109.02	134.41
38	Coffs Harbour	-	117	$1,117	$2,348	$2,887	$4,506	38.83	144.84
39	Collie	7000	112	$1,073	$2,189	$2,325	$4,384	229.35	114.85
40	Cranbourne	-	109	$816	$2,203	$2,395	$4,139	94.67	238.99
41	Dandenong	30127	108	$1,069	$2,136	$2,140	$4,013	49.71	238.99
42	Darwin	122207	132	$1,085	$2,587	$2,587	$5,220	229.33	198.04
43	Deniliquin NSW	-	113	$1,137	$2,285	$2,838	$4,339	-	-
44	Denver	-	112	$1,126	$2,280	$2,723	$4,386	71.75	115.14
45	Derby	3300	112	$1,132	$2,202	$2,559	$4,385	134.9	119.01
46	Devonport	24591	120	$1,195	$2,359	$2,992	$4,601	114.44	136.85
47	Double Bay	-	114	$882	$2,296	$2,323	$4,450	141.88	235.26
48	Dubbo	38808	115	$1,010	$2,333	$2,454	$4,334	130.5	148.19
49	Eden NSW	-	112	$1,111	$2,274	$2,634	$4,402	-	-
50	Epping	-	110	$1,119	$2,192	$2,506	$4,804	122.82	235.26

Australia Median Internet Speeds (Updated January 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.