Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Spain Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Spain

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,185 per month in Australia vs $1,642 in Spain, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,220 per month in Australia vs $2,393 in Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,254 per month in Australia vs $3,144 in Spain, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 33% higher than in Spain on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and Spain are pricier than the global median – Australia by 64%, Spain by 23%.

The regional cost range is wider in Spain ($1,125$3,182) than in Australia ($1,575$2,824), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.19 A$23.17
$16.46 €14.38
-1.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.1 A$110
$58.1 €50.7
32.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 A$13.56
$10.59 €9.25
-10.58%
Cappuccino
$3.46 A$4.95
$2.30 €2.01
50.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 A$3.84
$2.59 €2.26
3.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 A$3.13
$1.88 €1.65
16.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.61 A$9.46
$3.41 €2.98
93.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 A$10.17
$3.97 €3.47
78.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Spain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 A$2.22
$1.18 €1.03
31.36%
White Bread (500g)
$2.47 A$3.54
$1.54 €1.34
60.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.10 A$3.00
$1.59 €1.39
32.08%
Eggs
$4.24 A$6.07
$3.05 €2.67
39.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.57 A$12.27
$14.38 €12.56
-40.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.60 A$12.31
$8.46 €7.39
1.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.81 A$19.78
$15.94 €13.93
-13.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.17 A$4.55
$2.54 €2.22
24.80%
Banana (1kg)
$2.72 A$3.89
$2.08 €1.82
30.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.96 A$4.24
$2.02 €1.77
46.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.31 A$6.17
$2.66 €2.32
62.03%
Potato (1kg)
$2.47 A$3.53
$1.82 €1.59
35.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.10 A$3.00
$1.88 €1.65
11.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.19 A$3.14
$1.35 €1.18
62.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 A$2.19
$0.75 €0.66
104.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$31.29 A$44.80
$6.35 €5.55
392.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.94 A$19.96
$5.75 €5.02
142.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.46 A$6.39
$1.30 €1.14
243.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.01 A$7.17
$2.11 €1.85
137.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.00 A$4.30
$1.72 €1.50
74.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.0 A$137
$35.11 €30.67
173.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.56 A$5.10
$4.56 €3.99
-21.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 A$2.50
$1.30 €1.13
34.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.88 A$54.2
$26.70 €23.33
41.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 A$1.65
$1.81 €1.58
-36.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K A$42.0K
$39.2K €34.3K
-25.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1K A$33.0K
$30.6K €26.7K
-24.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$174 A$248
$153 €133
13.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.88 A$38.49
$20.36 €17.79
32.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.7 A$75.5
$34.00 €29.71
55.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.69 A$68.3
$48.13 €42.05
-0.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.51 A$23.64
$16.14 €14.10
2.29%
Cinema Ticket
$13.73 A$19.66
$9.37 €8.19
46.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,555 A$2,226
$520 €454
199.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$18.1K
$10.2K €8,888
24.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Spain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.6 A$99.6
$85.9 €75.1
-19.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.2 A$73.4
$36.75 €32.11
39.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 A$145
$91.7 €80.1
10.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 A$161
$108 €94.7
3.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,359 A$1,946
$1,043 €911
30.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,080 A$1,546
$834 €729
29.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,300 A$3,294
$1,674 €1,462
37.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,751 A$2,507
$1,223 €1,069
43.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,618 A$10.9K
$4,158 €3,633
83.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,762 A$8,249
$2,629 €2,297
119.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,023 A$5,760
$1,965 €1,717
104.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.35
3.51
80.91%

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

Last update for Australia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Spain: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,231 in Australia vs $897 in Spain. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,549 in Canberra and $1,607 in Madrid.

Average salary: $3,775 in Australia vs $1,989 in Spain. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 37% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 45% more in Australia.

Public transport is 103% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 90% 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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Spain?
Spain is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 2% 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 Spain, contributing to the overall 2% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget in Australia or in Spain?
$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Spain, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or to Spain?
Spain 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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