Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and India

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,181 per month in Australia vs $388 in India, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,217 per month in Australia vs $617 in India, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,253 per month in Australia vs $846 in India, rent included.

Australia costs about 462% more than India on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 62% above the global median, while India is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,589$2,818) than India ($269$911), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.55 A$22.84
$2.55 ₹241
549.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.9 A$109
$13.83 ₹1,309
470.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.71 A$13.41
$4.10 ₹388
136.83%
Cappuccino
$3.42 A$4.73
$1.88 ₹178
81.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 A$3.68
$0.44 ₹41.21
506.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 A$2.90
$0.18 ₹16.98
1066.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.37 A$8.79
$1.93 ₹183
230.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.32 A$10.10
$3.46 ₹328
111.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 A$2.07
$0.72 ₹67.8
108.33%
White Bread (500g)
$2.43 A$3.35
$0.51 ₹48.56
376.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.01 A$2.78
$0.67 ₹63.7
200.00%
Eggs
$4.37 A$6.03
$0.98 ₹92.5
345.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.66 A$11.95
$5.22 ₹494
65.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.21 A$11.33
$3.18 ₹301
158.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.01 A$19.33
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.22 A$4.45
$2.19 ₹207
47.03%
Banana (1kg)
$2.72 A$3.75
$0.70 ₹66.3
288.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.88 A$3.97
$1.08 ₹103
166.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.41 A$6.08
$0.53 ₹50.0
732.08%
Potato (1kg)
$2.42 A$3.34
$0.42 ₹40.17
476.19%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 A$2.99
$0.49 ₹46.63
342.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.16 A$2.99
$0.51 ₹47.97
323.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 A$2.15
$0.35 ₹33.45
345.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$30.72 A$42.39
$4.19 ₹396
633.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.47 A$19.97
$7.81 ₹739
85.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.58 A$6.32
$1.91 ₹181
139.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.07 A$7.00
$3.03 ₹286
67.33%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.90 ₹558
-
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.00 A$4.14
$0.37 ₹34.63
710.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.0 A$133
$9.97 ₹944
862.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.57 A$4.92
$0.90 ₹85.4
296.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.77 A$2.45
$0.28 ₹26.29
532.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.53 A$51.8
$1.71 ₹162
2094.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 A$1.61
$1.18 ₹111
-0.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K A$40.5K
$14.0K ₹1.3M
109.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K A$31.8K
$22.4K ₹2.1M
2.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$175 A$242
$39.58 ₹3,747
343.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.30 A$36.30
$3.75 ₹355
601.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.8 A$74.2
$8.01 ₹758
571.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.75 A$64.5
$15.94 ₹1,509
193.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.88 A$23.29
$7.50 ₹710
125.07%
Cinema Ticket
$13.72 A$18.93
$3.47 ₹329
295.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,612 A$2,225
$68.2 ₹6,455
2264.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K A$17.4K
$1,787 ₹169.2K
607.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.3 A$98.4
$25.63 ₹2,426
178.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.90 A$68.9
$26.31 ₹2,491
89.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 A$141
$44.98 ₹4,258
127.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 A$151
$33.75 ₹3,195
223.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,383 A$1,908
$179 ₹17.0K
671.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,088 A$1,502
$112 ₹10.6K
870.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,337 A$3,225
$400 ₹37.8K
484.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,715 A$2,367
$264 ₹25.0K
548.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 A$10.8K
$1,225 ₹116.0K
539.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,720 A$7,893
$622 ₹58.9K
820.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,007 A$5,530
$433 ₹41.0K
826.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.35
9.02
-29.60%

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

Last update for Australia: May 2, 2026

Last update for India: May 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,231 in Australia vs $127 in India. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,583 in Canberra and $241 in Delhi.

Average salary: $3,864 in Australia vs $396 in India. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 869% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 600% more in Australia.

Public transport is 644% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 876% 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 India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than India?
India is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 273% 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 India, contributing to the overall 273% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Australia or India?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in India, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or India?
India 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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