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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,182 per month in Australia vs $1,808 in Finland, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,216 per month in Australia vs $2,797 in Finland, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,250 per month in Australia vs $3,785 in Finland, rent included.

Australia costs about 21% more than Finland on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and Finland are pricier than the global median – Australia by 63%, Finland by 35%.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,579$2,759) than Finland ($1,442$2,228), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Finland
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.17 A$22.95
$15.98 €13.86
1.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.6 A$112
$91.1 €79.1
-13.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.48 A$13.46
$11.64 €10.10
-18.56%
Cappuccino
$3.56 A$5.05
$4.75 €4.12
-25.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 A$3.68
$2.85 €2.47
-8.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 A$3.14
$2.05 €1.78
7.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.47 A$9.18
$8.03 €6.97
-19.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.19 A$10.21
$7.86 €6.82
-8.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Finland
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 A$2.22
$1.25 €1.09
24.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 A$3.60
$2.62 €2.27
-3.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 A$2.87
$2.68 €2.32
-24.63%
Eggs
$4.47 A$6.34
$3.33 €2.89
34.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.86 A$12.58
$9.19 €7.97
-3.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.38 A$11.90
$14.09 €12.23
-40.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.71 A$19.45
$21.96 €19.05
-37.57%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 A$4.58
$2.56 €2.22
26.17%
Banana (1kg)
$2.84 A$4.03
$2.14 €1.85
32.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.98 A$4.23
$2.54 €2.20
17.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.38 A$6.22
$4.38 €3.80
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.45 A$3.47
$1.30 €1.13
88.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.11 A$3.00
$1.89 €1.64
11.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.16 A$3.07
$2.19 €1.90
-1.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 A$2.25
$1.84 €1.60
-14.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$30.61 A$43.45
$12.01 €10.42
154.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.23 A$20.20
$15.39 €13.35
-7.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.55 A$6.45
$3.41 €2.96
33.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.91 A$6.96
$3.72 €3.23
31.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Finland
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.89 A$4.11
$3.58 €3.10
-19.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$97.5 A$138
$70.6 €61.3
38.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.54 A$5.03
$8.93 €7.75
-60.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 A$2.48
$1.40 €1.21
25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.10 A$54.1
$65.8 €57.1
-42.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 A$1.65
$2.12 €1.84
-45.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K A$40.9K
$34.1K €29.6K
-15.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2K A$32.9K
$35.3K €30.6K
-34.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Finland
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$179 A$254
$144 €125
24.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.75 A$37.97
$30.24 €26.24
-11.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.7 A$76.2
$25.36 €22.00
111.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Finland
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.44 A$68.8
$44.85 €38.91
8.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.88 A$23.96
$28.09 €24.37
-39.91%
Cinema Ticket
$13.61 A$19.32
$17.58 €15.25
-22.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Finland
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,605 A$2,278
$354 €307
352.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$18.1K
$10.2K €8,838
24.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Finland
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.4 A$101
$100 €87.2
-28.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.0 A$71.0
$41.34 €35.87
21.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.8 A$142
$103 €89.0
-2.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 A$155
$137 €119
-20.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Finland
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,385 A$1,966
$885 €767
56.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,076 A$1,528
$708 €615
51.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,284 A$3,242
$1,551 €1,346
47.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,757 A$2,494
$1,158 €1,005
51.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,462 A$10.6K
$5,104 €4,428
46.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,617 A$7,973
$2,941 €2,552
90.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Finland
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,070 A$5,777
$3,035 €2,634
34.08%
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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Finland: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,233 in Australia vs $775 in Finland. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,548 in Canberra and $1,229 in Helsinki.

Average salary: $3,906 in Australia vs $2,979 in Finland. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 59% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 14% more in Finland.

Salaries are 31% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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 18% 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 18% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Australia or 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 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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