For one person, living is cheaper in Finland: $1,935 a month against $2,539 in Australia, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Australia and in Finland actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,539 per month in Australia vs $1,935 in Finland, rent included.
Australia $2,539
Finland $1,935
A couple spends around $3,716 per month in Australia vs $3,030 in Finland, rent included.
Australia $3,716
Finland $3,030
A family of three spends $4,892 per month in Australia vs $4,125 in Finland, rent included.
Australia $4,892
Finland $4,125
📏
The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,635–$3,245) than in Finland ($981–$2,192), so city choice matters more there.
🌍
The cost of living in Australia is about 31% higher than in Finland on average.
📊
Both Australia and Finland are pricier than the global median – Australia by 87%, Finland by 43%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Finland
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.35A$24.65
$16.53€14.76
4.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.5A$120
$89.0€79.4
-4.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.98A$15.60
$12.21€10.90
-10.07%
Cappuccino
$3.84A$5.46
$4.81€4.29
-20.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89A$4.11
$3.11€2.78
-7.07%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29A$3.25
$2.31€2.06
-0.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.79A$11.07
$8.52€7.60
-8.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.42A$11.96
$8.78€7.84
-4.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Finland
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.75A$2.49
$1.35€1.21
29.63%
White Bread(500g)
$2.78A$3.94
$2.72€2.43
2.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.31A$3.28
$2.64€2.36
-12.50%
Eggs
$4.89A$6.95
$3.49€3.12
40.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.95A$14.14
$8.85€7.89
12.43%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.06A$12.87
$13.39€11.95
-32.34%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.92A$21.19
$22.42€20.01
-33.45%
Apples(1kg)
$3.65A$5.19
$2.67€2.39
36.70%
Banana(1kg)
$3.03A$4.31
$2.10€1.87
44.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.24A$4.60
$2.44€2.18
32.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.69A$6.67
$4.32€3.86
8.56%
Potato(1kg)
$2.85A$4.06
$1.29€1.15
120.93%
Onion(1kg)
$2.32A$3.30
$1.72€1.53
34.88%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.43A$3.45
$2.22€1.98
9.46%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.66A$2.36
$1.87€1.67
-11.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$38.47A$54.7
$13.30€11.87
189.25%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.84A$19.67
$14.47€12.92
-4.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.87A$6.92
$3.57€3.19
36.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.28A$7.50
$3.67€3.27
43.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Finland
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.71A$3.85
$3.48€3.11
-22.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$94.0A$134
$70.3€62.8
33.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.57A$5.07
$8.93€7.97
-60.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.63A$2.32
$1.38€1.24
18.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$40.04A$56.9
$66.0€58.9
-39.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33A$1.88
$2.24€2.00
-40.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1KA$41.4K
$37.4K€33.4K
-22.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7KA$36.5K
$37.9K€33.9K
-32.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Finland
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$205A$292
$141€126
45.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.24A$40.12
$27.22€24.29
3.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.0A$80.9
$25.45€22.72
123.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Finland
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.4A$78.7
$43.82€39.11
26.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.46A$27.65
$30.04€26.81
-35.22%
Cinema Ticket
$15.06A$21.39
$17.93€16.00
-16.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Finland
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$2,097A$2,979
$387€345
442.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$18.0KA$25.6K
$13.1K€11.7K
37.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Finland
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.0A$111
$97.2€86.7
-19.71%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.3A$78.6
$40.09€35.78
38.01%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$112A$159
$100.0€89.2
11.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122A$173
$147€131
-17.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Finland
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,559A$2,216
$851€759
83.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,215A$1,726
$704€628
72.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,435A$3,460
$1,561€1,393
56.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,924A$2,734
$1,211€1,081
58.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,175A$11.6K
$4,938€4,407
65.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,060A$8,611
$2,932€2,617
106.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Finland
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,038A$5,738
$3,033€2,707
33.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.94
3.87
53.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Australia: October 19, 2026
Last update for Finland: October 17, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Australia
$1.2K 47.8%
Finland
$704 36.4% ↓ 42%$511
🛒Groceries & Markets
Australia
$372 14.7%
Finland
$376 19.4% ↑ 1%$3.8
🍽Eating Out
Australia
$294 11.6%
Finland
$308 15.9% ↑ 4.8%$14
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
$291 11.4%
Finland
$194 10% ↓ 33.4%$97
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Australia
$165 6.5%
Finland
$173 8.9% ↑ 4.6%$7.7
🚌Getting Around
Australia
$117 4.6%
Finland
$100 5.2% ↓ 14.1%$16
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Australia
$85 3.4%
Finland
$80 4.1% ↓ 6.8%$5.8
🏠Accommodation & Living
Australia
$1.9K 39.3%
Finland
$1.2K 29.4% ↓ 37.1%$713
🛒Groceries & Markets
Australia
$844 17.3%
Finland
$858 20.8% ↑ 1.7%$14
🍽Eating Out
Australia
$1K 20.6%
Finland
$1.1K 25.6% ↑ 4.5%$46
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
$319 6.5%
Finland
$221 5.4% ↓ 30.7%$98
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Australia
$367 7.5%
Finland
$384 9.3% ↑ 4.6%$17
🚌Getting Around
Australia
$239 4.9%
Finland
$207 5% ↓ 13.2%$31
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Australia
$190 3.9%
Finland
$189 4.6% ↓ 0.5%$1
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $1,364 in Australia vs $791 in Finland. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,719 in Canberra and $1,225 in Helsinki.
💰Average salary: $3,853 in Australia vs $2,891 in Finland. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 72% higher in Australia.
⭐Public transport is 23% more expensive in Australia.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 24% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia: a central one-bedroom averages $1,364 versus $791 in Finland.
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. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.