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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,182 per month in Australia vs $1,646 in Spain, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,216 per month in Australia vs $2,401 in Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,250 per month in Australia vs $3,155 in Spain, rent included.

Australia costs about 33% more than Spain on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and Spain are pricier than the global median – Australia by 63%, Spain by 23%.

Spain has a wider regional cost range ($1,133$3,262) than Australia ($1,579$2,759), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Spain.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.17 A$22.54
$16.17 €13.91
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.6 A$110
$57.3 €49.27
37.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.48 A$13.21
$10.62 €9.14
-10.73%
Cappuccino
$3.56 A$4.96
$2.38 €2.05
49.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 A$3.62
$2.59 €2.23
0.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 A$3.08
$1.91 €1.64
15.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.47 A$9.02
$3.49 €3.00
85.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.19 A$10.02
$4.03 €3.46
78.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Spain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 A$2.18
$1.24 €1.07
25.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 A$3.53
$1.59 €1.37
59.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 A$2.82
$1.59 €1.37
27.04%
Eggs
$4.47 A$6.23
$3.05 €2.62
46.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.86 A$12.35
$14.55 €12.52
-39.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.38 A$11.68
$8.42 €7.24
-0.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.71 A$19.10
$15.52 €13.35
-11.66%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 A$4.50
$2.54 €2.18
27.17%
Banana (1kg)
$2.84 A$3.96
$2.01 €1.73
41.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.98 A$4.15
$2.09 €1.80
42.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.38 A$6.10
$2.53 €2.18
73.12%
Potato (1kg)
$2.45 A$3.41
$1.85 €1.59
32.43%
Onion (1kg)
$2.11 A$2.94
$1.89 €1.63
11.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.16 A$3.02
$1.35 €1.16
60.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 A$2.21
$0.74 €0.64
113.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$30.61 A$42.65
$6.35 €5.47
382.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.23 A$19.83
$5.66 €4.87
151.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.55 A$6.34
$1.25 €1.08
264.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.91 A$6.84
$2.06 €1.77
138.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.89 A$4.03
$1.69 €1.46
71.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$97.5 A$136
$35.10 €30.20
177.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.54 A$4.94
$4.42 €3.80
-19.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 A$2.43
$1.34 €1.15
30.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.10 A$53.1
$26.32 €22.64
44.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 A$1.62
$1.84 €1.58
-36.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K A$40.1K
$38.8K €33.4K
-25.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2K A$32.3K
$31.6K €27.2K
-26.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$179 A$249
$150 €129
18.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.75 A$37.27
$20.56 €17.69
30.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.7 A$74.8
$34.49 €29.67
55.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.44 A$67.5
$47.96 €41.25
1.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.88 A$23.52
$16.05 €13.80
5.17%
Cinema Ticket
$13.61 A$18.97
$8.99 €7.73
51.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,605 A$2,236
$509 €438
215.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$17.7K
$9,884 €8,502
28.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Spain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.4 A$99.5
$86.5 €74.4
-17.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.0 A$69.7
$37.14 €31.95
34.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.8 A$139
$92.0 €79.1
8.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 A$152
$109 €93.6
0.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,385 A$1,930
$1,045 €899
32.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,076 A$1,500
$834 €717
29.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,284 A$3,183
$1,689 €1,453
35.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,757 A$2,448
$1,238 €1,065
41.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,462 A$10.4K
$4,378 €3,766
70.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,617 A$7,827
$2,747 €2,363
104.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,070 A$5,672
$2,073 €1,783
96.31%
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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Spain: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,233 in Australia vs $898 in Spain. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,548 in Canberra and $1,566 in Madrid.

Average salary: $3,906 in Australia vs $2,030 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 92% 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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Spain?
Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 1% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Spain, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Spain consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Australia, contributing to the overall 1% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Australia or Spain?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Australia, but in Spain it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or Spain?
Australia 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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