Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and United Kingdom Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and United Kingdom

Name: United Kingdom
Address: GB

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,185 per month in Australia vs $2,363 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,220 per month in Australia vs $3,471 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,254 per month in Australia vs $4,579 in United Kingdom, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is roughly 8% lower than in United Kingdom on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and United Kingdom are pricier than the global median – Australia by 64%, United Kingdom by 77%.

The regional cost range is wider in United Kingdom ($1,670–$3,916) than in Australia ($1,575–$2,824), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 A$23.17

$20.23 £15.04

-19.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 A$110

$88.3 £65.6

-12.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 A$13.56

$10.35 £7.69

-8.50%

Cappuccino

$3.46 A$4.95

$4.77 £3.55

-27.46%

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

$2.68 A$3.84

$2.44 £1.82

9.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 A$3.13

$1.73 £1.29

26.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.61 A$9.46

$6.85 £5.09

-3.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$10.17

$6.52 £4.84

8.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 A$2.22

$1.66 £1.23

-6.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 A$3.54

$1.71 £1.27

44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 A$3.00

$2.21 £1.64

-4.98%

Eggs

$4.24 A$6.07

$4.09 £3.04

3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 A$12.27

$9.52 £7.08

-9.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.60 A$12.31

$9.02 £6.71

-4.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 A$19.78

$14.18 £10.54

-2.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.55

$2.96 £2.20

7.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.89

$1.68 £1.25

61.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.24

$2.84 £2.11

4.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 A$6.17

$3.41 £2.53

26.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.53

$1.69 £1.26

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$3.00

$1.58 £1.17

32.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$1.12 £0.84

95.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 A$2.19

$1.53 £1.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.29 A$44.80

$20.16 £14.99

55.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.94 A$19.96

$10.47 £7.78

33.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.39

$2.87 £2.14

55.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 A$7.17

$3.30 £2.45

51.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 A$4.30

$3.33 £2.48

-9.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.0 A$137

$96.3 £71.6

-0.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$5.53 £4.11

-35.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 A$2.50

$1.60 £1.19

9.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.88 A$54.2

$27.51 £20.45

37.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.65

$1.90 £1.41

-39.47%

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

$29.4K A$42.0K

$38.1K £28.3K

-22.91%

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

$23.1K A$33.0K

$41.0K £30.5K

-43.69%

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

$174 A$248

$326 £242

-46.78%

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

$26.88 A$38.49

$17.18 £12.77

56.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 A$75.5

$42.96 £31.94

22.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.69 A$68.3

$45.94 £34.15

3.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.51 A$23.64

$15.87 £11.80

4.03%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 A$19.66

$13.80 £10.26

-0.51%

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

$1,555 A$2,226

$1,723 £1,281

-9.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K A$18.1K

$20.9K £15.5K

-39.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 A$99.6

$90.3 £67.1

-22.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 A$73.4

$44.39 £33.00

15.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$145

$103 £76.7

-1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$161

$103 £76.3

9.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 A$1,946

$1,419 £1,055

-4.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 A$1,546

$1,143 £850

-5.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,300 A$3,294

$2,298 £1,708

0.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 A$2,507

$1,873 £1,392

-6.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,618 A$10.9K

$5,728 £4,258

33.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,762 A$8,249

$4,339 £3,226

32.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,023 A$5,760

$3,264 £2,427

23.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

5.75

10.43%

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

Last update for Australia: July 12, 2026

Last update for United Kingdom: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,231 in Australia vs $1,266 in United Kingdom. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,549 in Canberra and $2,937 in London.

Average salary: $3,775 in Australia vs $3,192 in United Kingdom. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Public transport is 37% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 18% 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 United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 27% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Australia, contributing to the overall 27% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Australia, but in United Kingdom it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

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.