Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Finland Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Finland

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,186 per month in Australia vs $1,805 in Finland, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,219 per month in Australia vs $2,796 in Finland, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,252 per month in Australia vs $3,786 in Finland, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 21% higher than in Finland on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and Finland are pricier than the global median – Australia by 64%, Finland by 35%.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,580$2,807) than in Finland ($1,427$2,250), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Finland
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.37 A$23.44
$16.11 €14.16
1.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.7 A$111
$94.0 €82.6
-17.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.59 A$13.74
$11.67 €10.26
-17.82%
Cappuccino
$3.45 A$4.94
$4.91 €4.31
-29.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 A$3.77
$2.79 €2.45
-5.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 A$3.06
$2.07 €1.82
3.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.34 A$9.08
$8.19 €7.20
-22.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.03 A$10.07
$7.95 €6.99
-11.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Finland
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 A$2.18
$1.27 €1.12
19.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.50 A$3.58
$2.69 €2.36
-7.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.06 A$2.95
$2.73 €2.40
-24.54%
Eggs
$4.22 A$6.04
$3.39 €2.98
24.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.96 A$12.83
$9.21 €8.10
-2.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.35 A$11.96
$14.05 €12.35
-40.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.74 A$19.67
$22.29 €19.60
-38.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 A$4.50
$2.65 €2.33
18.49%
Banana (1kg)
$2.73 A$3.91
$2.14 €1.88
27.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.93 A$4.20
$2.48 €2.18
18.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.43 A$6.34
$4.42 €3.89
0.23%
Potato (1kg)
$2.56 A$3.67
$1.34 €1.18
91.04%
Onion (1kg)
$2.12 A$3.04
$1.87 €1.65
13.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.18 A$3.12
$2.20 €1.93
-0.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.57 A$2.24
$1.86 €1.64
-15.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$30.82 A$44.14
$12.29 €10.80
150.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.17 A$20.29
$14.87 €13.07
-4.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.60 A$6.58
$3.31 €2.91
38.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87 A$6.98
$3.85 €3.38
26.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Finland
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.99 A$4.28
$3.50 €3.07
-14.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.7 A$138
$70.2 €61.8
37.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.53 A$5.05
$8.75 €7.69
-59.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.81 A$2.60
$1.41 €1.24
28.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.32 A$53.5
$67.0 €58.9
-44.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 A$1.66
$2.11 €1.85
-45.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K A$42.2K
$35.3K €31.1K
-16.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.6K A$32.3K
$35.7K €31.4K
-36.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Finland
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 A$252
$142 €125
23.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.75 A$38.30
$30.05 €26.42
-10.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.9 A$77.1
$25.37 €22.30
112.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Finland
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.11 A$67.5
$46.14 €40.56
2.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.57 A$23.73
$28.88 €25.39
-42.62%
Cinema Ticket
$13.42 A$19.22
$17.44 €15.33
-23.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Finland
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,572 A$2,251
$363 €319
333.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$18.2K
$10.1K €8,844
26.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Finland
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.8 A$101
$99.4 €87.3
-28.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.0 A$71.6
$42.19 €37.09
18.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 A$145
$101 €88.7
0.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 A$159
$137 €121
-18.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Finland
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,372 A$1,965
$892 €785
53.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,077 A$1,542
$723 €635
48.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,353 A$3,370
$1,559 €1,371
50.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,747 A$2,502
$1,170 €1,029
49.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,882 A$11.3K
$5,155 €4,532
52.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,906 A$8,457
$3,037 €2,670
94.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Finland
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,960 A$5,671
$2,977 €2,617
33.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.35
3.81
66.67%

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

Last update for Australia: July 22, 2026

Last update for Finland: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,230 in Australia vs $777 in Finland. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,556 in Canberra and $1,201 in Helsinki.

Average salary: $3,824 in Australia vs $2,929 in Finland. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 58% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 13% more in Finland.

Salaries are 31% 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 Finland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Finland?
Finland is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 19% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Finland, contributing to the overall 19% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Australia or in Finland?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Finland, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or to Finland?
Finland 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.

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