Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and India

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $391 a month against $2,542 in Australia, rent and utilities included – about $25,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

🇦🇺 Australia
$2,542
/mo nomad
🇮🇳 India
$391
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Australia and in India

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 India actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,542 per month in Australia vs $391 in India, rent included.

  • Australia $2,542
  • India $391

A couple spends around $3,717 per month in Australia vs $620 in India, rent included.

  • Australia $3,717
  • India $620

A family of three spends $4,893 per month in Australia vs $849 in India, rent included.

  • Australia $4,893
  • India $849

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,646–$3,152) than in India ($228–$812), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Australia is about 551% higher than in India on average.

Australia sits 88% above the global median, while India is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.16 A$24.69
$2.14 ₹203
701.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.9 A$121
$10.52 ₹999
697.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.20 A$16.12
$3.58 ₹340
212.85%
Cappuccino
$3.92 A$5.64
$1.67 ₹158
134.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 A$4.07
$0.37 ₹35.48
664.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 A$3.31
$0.15 ₹14.18
1433.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.68 A$11.06
$1.84 ₹175
317.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.25 A$11.87
$3.07 ₹292
168.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.76 A$2.53
$0.62 ₹58.8
183.87%
White Bread (500g)
$2.77 A$3.99
$0.49 ₹46.72
465.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 A$3.16
$0.63 ₹60.1
247.62%
Eggs
$4.99 A$7.18
$0.96 ₹90.7
419.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.94 A$14.31
$4.71 ₹447
111.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.03 A$12.99
$2.92 ₹277
209.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.25 A$21.94
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.67 A$5.28
$1.98 ₹188
85.35%
Banana (1kg)
$3.05 A$4.39
$0.68 ₹64.3
348.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.12 A$4.50
$1.02 ₹97.2
205.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.56 A$6.56
$0.46 ₹43.78
891.30%
Potato (1kg)
$2.81 A$4.04
$0.34 ₹32.20
726.47%
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 A$3.44
$0.41 ₹38.99
482.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.35 A$3.39
$0.43 ₹40.66
446.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 A$2.36
$0.31 ₹29.73
429.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$38.42 A$55.3
$4.89 ₹464
685.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.77 A$19.82
$7.25 ₹688
89.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.69 A$6.75
$1.71 ₹162
174.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.08 A$7.31
$2.74 ₹260
85.40%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.25 ₹499
-
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.72 A$3.91
$0.27 ₹25.86
907.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.8 A$138
$8.39 ₹797
1042.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.54 A$5.10
$1.03 ₹97.8
243.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 A$2.23
$0.25 ₹23.49
520.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.00 A$57.6
$1.60 ₹152
2400.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 A$1.87
$1.13 ₹107
15.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K A$40.5K
$12.6K ₹1.2M
122.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.5K A$40.9K
$20.1K ₹1.9M
41.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$198 A$285
$37.55 ₹3,566
427.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.75 A$41.37
$3.47 ₹330
728.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.6 A$84.4
$7.15 ₹679
720.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.7 A$81.6
$14.58 ₹1,385
289.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.08 A$27.46
$7.21 ₹684
164.63%
Cinema Ticket
$15.02 A$21.62
$3.18 ₹302
372.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,154 A$3,099
$56.8 ₹5,390
3693.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.9K A$25.8K
$1,651 ₹156.7K
985.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.0 A$112
$22.55 ₹2,141
245.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.8 A$78.8
$24.54 ₹2,330
123.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 A$161
$39.69 ₹3,768
182.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 A$179
$29.84 ₹2,833
316.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,540 A$2,215
$141 ₹13.4K
991.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 A$1,758
$89.7 ₹8,514
1262.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,478 A$3,566
$325 ₹30.9K
662.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,930 A$2,778
$207 ₹19.7K
830.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,153 A$11.7K
$1,214 ₹115.3K
571.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,053 A$8,711
$638 ₹60.6K
848.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,944 A$5,676
$434 ₹41.2K
809.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.93
8.92
-33.52%

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

Last update for Australia: October 13, 2026

Last update for India: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Australia
$1.2K
India
$90 92.7% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Australia
$370
India
$102 72.4% $268
Eating Out
Australia
$293
India
$65 77.7% $228
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
$286
India
$48 83.1% $237
Clothing & Footwear
Australia
$166
India
$52 68.4% $114
Getting Around
Australia
$118
India
$12 90% $106
Sport & Entertainment
Australia
$87
India
$21 75.9% $66

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,366 in Australia vs $119 in India. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,716 in Canberra and $267 in Delhi.

Average salary: $3,849 in Australia vs $411 in India. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1048% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 720% more in Australia.

Public transport is 971% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 836% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Australia
🇮🇳 India
🕒 Local time
19:56 7:56 PM
14:26 2:26 PM
5 h 30 min behind Australia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,473,055
1,326,093,247
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 94.95 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Australia India 10,350 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Australia
  • India

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 India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than India?
India is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 551% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia: a central one-bedroom averages $1,366 versus $119 in India.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in India, adding to the overall 551% price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Australia or in 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 to 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.

Australia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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