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 $2,185 per month in Australia vs $2,319 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,220 per month in Australia vs $3,378 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,254 per month in Australia vs $4,437 in Canada, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is roughly 6% lower 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 64%, Canada by 74%.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($1,332–$3,143) than in Australia ($1,575–$2,824), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 A$23.17

$18.63 CA$26.11

-13.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 A$110

$74.0 CA$104

4.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 A$13.56

$10.92 CA$15.31

-13.28%

Cappuccino

$3.46 A$4.95

$3.76 CA$5.28

-7.98%

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

$2.68 A$3.84

$2.19 CA$3.07

22.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 A$3.13

$1.74 CA$2.43

25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.61 A$9.46

$5.93 CA$8.31

11.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$10.17

$5.95 CA$8.35

19.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 A$2.22

$2.28 CA$3.20

-32.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 A$3.54

$2.67 CA$3.74

-7.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 A$3.00

$3.78 CA$5.30

-44.44%

Eggs

$4.24 A$6.07

$3.50 CA$4.90

21.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 A$12.27

$11.70 CA$16.40

-26.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.60 A$12.31

$12.30 CA$17.24

-30.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 A$19.78

$15.44 CA$21.65

-10.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.55

$4.28 CA$6.00

-25.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.89

$1.45 CA$2.04

87.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.24

$4.01 CA$5.62

-26.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 A$6.17

$4.27 CA$5.98

0.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.53

$2.69 CA$3.77

-8.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$3.00

$2.65 CA$3.71

-20.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$2.64 CA$3.70

-17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 A$2.19

$1.89 CA$2.65

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.29 A$44.80

$14.77 CA$20.71

111.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.94 A$19.96

$13.32 CA$18.67

4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.39

$2.96 CA$4.15

50.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 A$7.17

$3.28 CA$4.59

52.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 A$4.30

$2.62 CA$3.67

14.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.0 A$137

$78.1 CA$110

22.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$3.42 CA$4.79

4.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 A$2.50

$1.50 CA$2.10

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.88 A$54.2

$29.07 CA$40.76

30.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.65

$1.20 CA$1.68

-4.17%

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

$29.4K A$42.0K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

15.27%

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

$23.1K A$33.0K

$20.6K CA$28.8K

12.26%

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

$174 A$248

$152 CA$212

14.51%

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

$26.88 A$38.49

$46.70 CA$65.5

-42.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 A$75.5

$61.8 CA$86.7

-14.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.69 A$68.3

$43.36 CA$60.8

9.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.51 A$23.64

$18.05 CA$25.31

-8.53%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 A$19.66

$11.51 CA$16.13

19.29%

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

$1,555 A$2,226

$806 CA$1,130

92.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K A$18.1K

$12.1K CA$17.0K

4.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 A$99.6

$55.4 CA$77.6

25.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 A$73.4

$41.80 CA$58.6

22.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$145

$89.7 CA$126

13.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$161

$106 CA$149

5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 A$1,946

$1,329 CA$1,864

2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 A$1,546

$1,207 CA$1,692

-10.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,300 A$3,294

$2,112 CA$2,961

8.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 A$2,507

$1,833 CA$2,570

-4.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,618 A$10.9K

$4,639 CA$6,503

64.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,762 A$8,249

$3,849 CA$5,396

49.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,023 A$5,760

$2,948 CA$4,133

36.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

6.33

0.32%

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

Last update for Australia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Canada: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,231 in Australia vs $1,281 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,549 in Canberra and $1,481 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $3,775 in Australia vs $2,904 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 13% more in Australia.

Salaries are 30% 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.