Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Philippines Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Philippines

Name: Philippines
Address: PH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,509 per month in Australia vs $701 in Philippines, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,641 per month in Australia vs $1,071 in Philippines, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,772 per month in Australia vs $1,441 in Philippines, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 258% higher than in Philippines on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 83% above the global median, while Philippines is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,174–$3,292) than in Philippines ($374–$1,226), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.16 A$25.50

$3.88 ₱244

368.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.9 A$121

$21.14 ₱1,327

306.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 A$15.26

$3.13 ₱197

247.28%

Cappuccino

$4.11 A$5.77

$2.26 ₱142

81.86%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 A$4.27

$0.74 ₱46.16

310.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 A$3.46

$0.36 ₱22.75

586.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 A$11.05

$1.29 ₱80.8

510.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 A$11.20

$2.05 ₱128

289.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 A$2.43

$1.73 ₱108

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 A$3.90

$1.21 ₱76.0

129.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 A$3.34

$0.89 ₱55.6

167.42%

Eggs

$5.08 A$7.14

$1.95 ₱123

160.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 A$14.01

$7.16 ₱450

39.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.24 A$12.97

$4.10 ₱257

125.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.49 A$21.75

$7.05 ₱442

119.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 A$5.24

$2.86 ₱179

30.42%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.24

$1.41 ₱88.2

114.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.54

$2.43 ₱152

32.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.86

$1.46 ₱91.5

234.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.04

$2.17 ₱136

32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.32

$2.55 ₱160

-7.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.49

$1.37 ₱85.9

81.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.35

$0.67 ₱42.19

150.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.51 A$54.1

$2.79 ₱175

1280.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 A$20.01

$6.33 ₱397

125.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.07 A$7.12

$1.16 ₱72.9

337.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 A$7.29

$1.71 ₱107

203.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 A$3.90

$0.24 ₱14.96

1058.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.8 A$133

$12.63 ₱792

650.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 A$4.95

$0.83 ₱51.8

324.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.24

$0.21 ₱13.14

661.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.42 A$56.8

$1.95 ₱123

1972.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 A$1.79

$1.05 ₱66.0

20.95%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.3K A$39.8K

$21.0K ₱1.3M

34.92%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.6K A$40.2K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

46.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$202 A$283

$102 ₱6,427

97.05%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.08 A$40.84

$14.12 ₱886

105.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 A$83.7

$26.88 ₱1,687

121.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 A$83.2

$31.05 ₱1,948

90.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.13 A$28.26

$5.88 ₱369

242.35%

Cinema Ticket

$15.75 A$22.11

$5.58 ₱350

182.26%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,197 A$3,086

$142 ₱8,907

1447.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K A$25.6K

$5,830 ₱365.8K

212.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.3 A$111

$44.37 ₱2,784

78.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 A$80.4

$24.29 ₱1,524

135.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 A$160

$68.2 ₱4,279

67.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 A$175

$61.5 ₱3,857

102.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 A$2,220

$326 ₱20.4K

385.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 A$1,812

$182 ₱11.5K

607.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 A$3,553

$658 ₱41.3K

284.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,982 A$2,783

$358 ₱22.5K

453.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,571 A$12.0K

$3,127 ₱196.2K

174.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,120 A$8,593

$1,454 ₱91.2K

320.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,979 A$5,588

$325 ₱20.4K

1125.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

7.17

-17.29%

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

Last update for Australia: September 12, 2026

Last update for Philippines: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,387 in Australia vs $250 in Philippines. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,829 in Canberra and $545 in Manila.

Average salary: $3,903 in Australia vs $292 in Philippines. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 455% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 367% more in Australia.

Public transport is 778% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 1237% 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 Philippines: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Philippines is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 179% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Philippines, contributing to the overall 179% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Philippines, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Philippines 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.