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

Name: United States
Address: US

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,181 per month in Australia vs $2,644 in United States, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,217 per month in Australia vs $3,858 in United States, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,253 per month in Australia vs $5,071 in United States, rent included.

Australia is roughly 18% cheaper than United States on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and United States are pricier than the global median – Australia by 62%, United States by 96%.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,337–$5,179) than Australia ($1,589–$2,818), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.55 A$22.84

$20.38 $20.38

-18.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$109

$73.9 $73.9

6.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.71 A$13.41

$11.48 $11.48

-15.42%

Cappuccino

$3.42 A$4.73

$5.28 $5.28

-35.23%

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

$2.67 A$3.68

$2.52 $2.52

5.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 A$2.90

$2.15 $2.15

-2.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.37 A$8.79

$5.91 $5.91

7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 A$10.10

$6.93 $6.93

5.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.07

$1.05 $1.05

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 A$3.35

$3.59 $3.59

-32.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.78

$4.54 $4.54

-55.73%

Eggs

$4.37 A$6.03

$4.41 $4.41

-0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 A$11.95

$13.00 $13.00

-33.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 A$11.33

$12.35 $12.35

-33.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 A$19.33

$16.55 $16.55

-15.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.45

$5.16 $5.16

-37.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.75

$1.72 $1.72

58.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 A$3.97

$4.48 $4.48

-35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.08

$5.00 $5.00

-11.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.34

$2.97 $2.97

-18.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 A$2.99

$3.05 $3.05

-28.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$2.99

$2.23 $2.23

-3.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 A$2.15

$2.25 $2.25

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.72 A$42.39

$10.13 $10.13

203.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.47 A$19.97

$14.91 $14.91

-2.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.32

$1.99 $1.99

130.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 A$7.00

$3.54 $3.54

43.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 A$4.14

$2.57 $2.57

16.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.0 A$133

$65.5 $65.5

46.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$4.92

$3.74 $3.74

-4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 A$2.45

$1.78 $1.78

-0.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.53 A$51.8

$30.19 $30.19

24.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.61

$0.94 $0.94

24.47%

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

$29.4K A$40.5K

$29.9K $29.9K

-1.82%

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

$23.0K A$31.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

-10.69%

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

$175 A$242

$208 $208

-15.63%

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

$26.30 A$36.30

$57.5 $57.5

-54.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 A$74.2

$70.6 $70.6

-23.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.75 A$64.5

$46.23 $46.23

1.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.88 A$23.29

$21.60 $21.60

-21.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 A$18.93

$14.03 $14.03

-2.21%

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

$1,612 A$2,225

$1,357 $1,357

18.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K A$17.4K

$22.8K $22.8K

-44.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 A$98.4

$51.9 $51.9

37.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.90 A$68.9

$43.07 $43.07

15.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$141

$89.7 $89.7

14.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 A$151

$112 $112

-2.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,383 A$1,908

$1,738 $1,738

-20.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 A$1,502

$1,426 $1,426

-23.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 A$3,225

$2,904 $2,904

-19.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 A$2,367

$2,427 $2,427

-29.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,839 A$10.8K

$3,343 $3,343

134.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,720 A$7,893

$2,704 $2,704

111.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,007 A$5,530

$4,346 $4,346

-7.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

6.51

-2.46%

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

Last update for Australia: May 2, 2026

Last update for United States: May 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,231 in Australia vs $1,634 in United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,583 in Canberra and $2,529 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $3,864 in Australia vs $4,496 in United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 33% higher in United States.

Public transport is 168% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 16% higher in United States.

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 States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 48% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Australia, contributing to the overall 48% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Australia, but in United States 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.