Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Canada Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Canada

Name: Canada
Address: CA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,538 per month in Australia vs $2,214 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,664 per month in Australia vs $3,247 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,789 per month in Australia vs $4,279 in Canada, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 15% higher than in Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and Canada are pricier than the global median – Australia by 85%, Canada by 61%.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($891–$3,752) than in Australia ($1,207–$3,344), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.15 A$25.32

$17.99 CA$24.90

0.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.3 A$122

$71.3 CA$98.7

22.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 A$15.41

$10.91 CA$15.10

1.19%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.59

$3.88 CA$5.37

3.35%

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

$2.97 A$4.15

$2.17 CA$3.01

36.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 A$3.33

$1.67 CA$2.32

42.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 A$11.03

$5.80 CA$8.03

36.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 A$11.11

$5.81 CA$8.05

37.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 A$2.55

$2.19 CA$3.04

-16.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 A$4.02

$2.75 CA$3.81

4.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.34

$3.69 CA$5.11

-35.23%

Eggs

$5.19 A$7.24

$3.68 CA$5.09

41.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 A$13.88

$10.83 CA$15.00

-8.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 A$12.76

$12.20 CA$16.89

-25.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 A$21.32

$15.58 CA$21.58

-1.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 A$5.11

$4.18 CA$5.79

-12.44%

Banana (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.29

$1.42 CA$1.96

116.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.52

$4.02 CA$5.57

-19.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 A$6.55

$4.17 CA$5.78

12.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.04

$2.73 CA$3.78

6.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.43

$2.54 CA$3.52

-3.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 A$3.48

$2.57 CA$3.55

-2.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 A$2.46

$1.72 CA$2.38

2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.84 A$54.2

$14.43 CA$19.98

169.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.24

$13.62 CA$18.86

6.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.92 A$6.87

$2.90 CA$4.01

69.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 A$7.14

$3.26 CA$4.52

57.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 A$4.12

$2.48 CA$3.43

18.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.9 A$132

$74.9 CA$104

26.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 A$5.10

$3.11 CA$4.31

17.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.48 CA$2.05

8.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.79 A$56.9

$27.37 CA$37.90

49.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 A$1.81

$1.17 CA$1.63

11.11%

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

$28.2K A$39.4K

$28.1K CA$38.9K

0.28%

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

$29.5K A$41.2K

$20.0K CA$27.7K

47.71%

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

$204 A$284

$154 CA$214

31.93%

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

$29.50 A$41.17

$43.31 CA$60.0

-31.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 A$81.9

$60.3 CA$83.5

-2.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 A$80.0

$41.22 CA$57.1

39.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.45 A$27.15

$20.08 CA$27.80

-3.14%

Cinema Ticket

$15.70 A$21.91

$11.64 CA$16.12

34.88%

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

$2,139 A$2,985

$782 CA$1,083

173.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K A$25.7K

$14.8K CA$20.5K

24.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.7 A$113

$54.9 CA$76.1

46.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 A$80.2

$39.73 CA$55.0

44.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 A$163

$90.3 CA$125

29.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 A$178

$107 CA$148

19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,635 A$2,281

$1,317 CA$1,824

24.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 A$1,799

$1,136 CA$1,572

13.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 A$3,453

$2,089 CA$2,892

18.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 A$2,736

$1,809 CA$2,505

8.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,452 A$11.8K

$4,846 CA$6,710

74.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,152 A$8,585

$3,928 CA$5,439

56.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,067 A$5,675

$2,998 CA$4,151

35.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

4.86

21.81%

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

Last update for Australia: August 31, 2026

Last update for Canada: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,423 in Australia vs $1,225 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,824 in Canberra and $1,501 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $3,932 in Australia vs $2,968 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 16% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 29% more in Australia.

Public transport is 36% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 32% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Australia vs Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 2% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Australia, contributing to the overall 2% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Australia, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Australia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.