For one person, living is cheaper in Germany: $2,080 a month against $2,626 in Australia, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 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 Germany actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,626 per month in Australia vs $2,080 in Germany, rent included.
Australia $2,626
Germany $2,080
A couple spends around $3,810 per month in Australia vs $3,130 in Germany, rent included.
Australia $3,810
Germany $3,130
A family of three spends $4,994 per month in Australia vs $4,180 in Germany, rent included.
Australia $4,994
Germany $4,180
📏
The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,068–$3,303) than in Germany ($1,337–$2,681), so city choice matters more there.
🌍
The cost of living in Australia is about 26% higher than in Germany on average.
📊
Both Australia and Germany are pricier than the global median – Australia by 93%, Germany by 53%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Germany
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.65A$25.10
$16.60€14.88
6.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.2A$121
$71.8€64.4
18.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.09A$15.77
$12.12€10.86
-8.50%
Cappuccino
$3.90A$5.54
$3.96€3.55
-1.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85A$4.05
$3.36€3.01
-15.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31A$3.29
$2.89€2.59
-20.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.53A$10.71
$5.07€4.54
48.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.59A$12.21
$4.50€4.03
90.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Germany
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.76A$2.50
$1.26€1.13
39.68%
White Bread(500g)
$2.81A$3.99
$2.20€1.97
27.73%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24A$3.19
$3.54€3.17
-36.72%
Eggs
$5.02A$7.14
$3.88€3.48
29.38%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.87A$14.03
$14.24€12.76
-30.69%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.32A$13.25
$11.90€10.66
-21.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.86A$21.14
$20.68€18.53
-28.14%
Apples(1kg)
$3.82A$5.43
$3.28€2.94
16.46%
Banana(1kg)
$2.92A$4.16
$2.05€1.83
42.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.13A$4.46
$2.31€2.07
35.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.81A$6.84
$4.29€3.84
12.12%
Potato(1kg)
$2.80A$3.98
$1.53€1.37
83.01%
Onion(1kg)
$2.38A$3.38
$1.50€1.34
58.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.37A$3.37
$1.64€1.47
44.51%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.65A$2.35
$1.02€0.91
61.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$39.13A$55.7
$9.69€8.68
303.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.93A$19.81
$6.01€5.38
131.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.96A$7.05
$1.12€1.01
342.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.17A$7.36
$1.56€1.40
231.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Germany
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.42A$3.44
$3.85€3.45
-37.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$94.6A$135
$69.7€62.5
35.70%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.49A$4.97
$5.34€4.78
-34.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.60A$2.27
$2.81€2.52
-43.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$39.84A$56.7
$38.83€34.80
2.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.39A$1.98
$2.13€1.91
-34.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0KA$42.7K
$32.6K€29.2K
-7.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8KA$36.6K
$37.7K€33.8K
-31.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Germany
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$205A$292
$342€307
-40.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.33A$40.30
$24.87€22.29
13.91%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.8A$83.6
$48.49€43.45
21.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Germany
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.7A$79.2
$39.42€35.32
41.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.57A$27.84
$27.47€24.62
-28.76%
Cinema Ticket
$15.38A$21.87
$14.65€13.13
4.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Germany
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$2,145A$3,051
$611€547
251.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$18.3KA$26.1K
$17.3K€15.5K
6.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Germany
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.3A$111
$89.1€79.8
-12.08%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.3A$80.0
$42.07€37.70
33.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115A$164
$98.3€88.1
17.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123A$175
$131€117
-5.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Germany
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,591A$2,263
$934€837
70.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,293A$1,839
$718€644
79.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,524A$3,591
$1,704€1,527
48.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,005A$2,852
$1,294€1,159
55.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,751A$12.4K
$5,944€5,326
47.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,260A$8,904
$3,958€3,547
58.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Germany
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,984A$5,666
$3,290€2,948
21.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.93
3.96
49.75%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Australia: October 27, 2026
Last update for Germany: October 25, 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
$1.3K 49.2%
Germany
$718 34.6% ↓ 44.4%$574
🛒Groceries & Markets
Australia
$374 14.3%
Germany
$335 16.1% ↓ 10.5%$39
🍽Eating Out
Australia
$297 11.3%
Germany
$276 13.3% ↓ 6.9%$21
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
$292 11.1%
Germany
$415 20% ↑ 42.2%$123
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Australia
$168 6.4%
Germany
$162 7.8% ↓ 3.4%$5.7
🚌Getting Around
Australia
$116 4.4%
Germany
$104 5% ↓ 9.7%$11
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Australia
$86 3.3%
Germany
$69 3.3% ↓ 20.5%$18
🏠Accommodation & Living
Australia
$2K 40.2%
Germany
$1.3K 31% ↓ 35.5%$712
🛒Groceries & Markets
Australia
$848 17%
Germany
$795 19% ↓ 6.3%$53
🍽Eating Out
Australia
$1K 20.4%
Germany
$910 21.8% ↓ 10.7%$109
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
$320 6.4%
Germany
$440 10.5% ↑ 37.4%$120
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Australia
$373 7.5%
Germany
$360 8.6% ↓ 3.4%$13
🚌Getting Around
Australia
$236 4.7%
Germany
$217 5.2% ↓ 8.3%$20
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Australia
$192 3.9%
Germany
$165 4% ↓ 14.3%$27
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $1,383 in Australia vs $812 in Germany. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,749 in Canberra and $1,407 in Berlin.
💰Average salary: $3,874 in Australia vs $3,107 in Germany. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 70% higher in Australia.
⭐Dining out costs 18% more in Australia.
⭐Public transport is 24% 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 Germany: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Germany?
Germany is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 21% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia: a central one-bedroom averages $1,383 versus $812 in Germany.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Germany – part of why living there is about 21% cheaper overall.
Should I move to Australia or to Germany?
Germany is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.