Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Peru Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Peru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,509 per month in Australia vs $506 in Peru, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,641 per month in Australia vs $792 in Peru, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,772 per month in Australia vs $1,078 in Peru, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 396% higher than in Peru on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 83% above the global median, while Peru is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Peru
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.16 A$25.48
$3.48 PEN 11.67
421.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.9 A$120
$29.90 PEN 100
187.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.87 A$15.25
$6.63 PEN 22.24
63.95%
Cappuccino
$4.11 A$5.77
$3.18 PEN 10.67
29.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 A$4.27
$0.96 PEN 3.22
216.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 A$3.46
$0.56 PEN 1.89
341.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.87 A$11.04
$2.35 PEN 7.88
234.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.98 A$11.19
$3.53 PEN 11.83
126.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Peru
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 A$2.42
$1.54 PEN 5.17
12.34%
White Bread (500g)
$2.78 A$3.90
$2.41 PEN 8.08
15.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.38 A$3.34
$1.33 PEN 4.46
78.95%
Eggs
$5.08 A$7.13
$2.77 PEN 9.28
83.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.98 A$14.00
$8.07 PEN 27.06
23.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.24 A$12.96
$5.96 PEN 19.98
55.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.49 A$21.73
$9.21 PEN 30.87
68.19%
Apples (1kg)
$3.73 A$5.23
$1.78 PEN 5.96
109.55%
Banana (1kg)
$3.02 A$4.24
$1.06 PEN 3.54
184.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.23 A$4.53
$1.21 PEN 4.05
166.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.88 A$6.85
$1.28 PEN 4.31
281.25%
Potato (1kg)
$2.87 A$4.03
$0.96 PEN 3.21
198.96%
Onion (1kg)
$2.36 A$3.31
$0.88 PEN 2.95
168.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.49 A$3.49
$0.83 PEN 2.79
200.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 A$2.35
$0.87 PEN 2.91
93.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$38.51 A$54.0
$5.79 PEN 19.41
565.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.25 A$19.99
$7.86 PEN 26.36
81.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.07 A$7.11
$2.05 PEN 6.86
147.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.19 A$7.28
$2.94 PEN 9.85
76.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Peru
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.78 A$3.90
$0.63 PEN 2.10
341.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$94.8 A$133
$24.23 PEN 81.2
291.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.52 A$4.94
$2.42 PEN 8.10
45.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 A$2.24
$2.14 PEN 7.17
-25.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.42 A$56.7
$5.91 PEN 19.82
583.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 A$1.79
$1.56 PEN 5.23
-18.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K A$39.8K
$22.2K PEN 74.3K
27.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.6K A$40.2K
$25.5K PEN 85.3K
12.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Peru
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 A$283
$55.4 PEN 186
264.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.08 A$40.80
$14.12 PEN 47.33
105.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.6 A$83.6
$26.52 PEN 88.9
124.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Peru
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$59.3 A$83.2
$31.03 PEN 104
91.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.13 A$28.23
$17.90 PEN 60.0
12.46%
Cinema Ticket
$15.75 A$22.09
$5.92 PEN 19.84
166.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Peru
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,197 A$3,083
$162 PEN 544
1253.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.2K A$25.6K
$11.6K PEN 38.8K
57.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Peru
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.3 A$111
$51.1 PEN 171
55.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.2 A$80.3
$30.22 PEN 101
89.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 A$160
$76.1 PEN 255
50.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 A$175
$71.8 PEN 241
73.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Peru
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,581 A$2,217
$499 PEN 1,673
216.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,291 A$1,811
$256 PEN 859
403.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,530 A$3,549
$874 PEN 2,930
189.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,982 A$2,780
$479 PEN 1,605
313.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,571 A$12.0K
$2,253 PEN 7,554
280.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,120 A$8,585
$1,239 PEN 4,155
393.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Peru
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,979 A$5,583
$586 PEN 1,963
579.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.93
9.6
-38.23%

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

Last update for Australia: September 12, 2026

Last update for Peru: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,387 in Australia vs $197 in Peru. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,829 in Canberra and $764 in Lima.

Average salary: $3,903 in Australia vs $544 in Peru. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 604% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 282% more in Australia.

Public transport is 888% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 617% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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 Peru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Peru?
Peru is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 290% 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 Peru, contributing to the overall 290% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Australia or in Peru?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Peru, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or to Peru?
Peru 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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