Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Australia

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,214 per month in Canada vs $2,538 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,247 per month in Canada vs $3,664 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,279 per month in Canada vs $4,789 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is roughly 13% lower than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Canada and Australia are pricier than the global median – Canada by 61%, Australia by 85%.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($891–$3,752) than in Australia ($1,207–$3,344), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$24.90

$18.15 A$25.32

-0.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 CA$98.7

$87.3 A$122

-18.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$15.10

$11.04 A$15.41

-1.18%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.37

$4.01 A$5.59

-3.24%

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

$2.17 CA$3.01

$2.97 A$4.15

-26.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.32

$2.38 A$3.33

-29.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 CA$8.03

$7.91 A$11.03

-26.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 CA$8.05

$7.96 A$11.11

-27.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$1.83 A$2.55

19.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.81

$2.88 A$4.02

-4.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.11

$2.39 A$3.34

54.39%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$5.19 A$7.24

-29.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 CA$15.00

$9.94 A$13.88

8.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.20 CA$16.89

$9.14 A$12.76

33.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 CA$21.58

$15.28 A$21.32

1.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.79

$3.66 A$5.11

14.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.96

$3.07 A$4.29

-53.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$3.24 A$4.52

24.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.78

$4.70 A$6.55

-11.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.78

$2.90 A$4.04

-5.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.52

$2.46 A$3.43

3.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.55

$2.50 A$3.48

2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.38

$1.76 A$2.46

-2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 CA$19.98

$38.84 A$54.2

-62.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 CA$18.86

$14.50 A$20.24

-6.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.01

$4.92 A$6.87

-41.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CA$4.52

$5.12 A$7.14

-36.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 CA$3.43

$2.95 A$4.12

-15.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.9 CA$104

$94.9 A$132

-21.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 CA$4.31

$3.65 A$5.10

-14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.05

$1.61 A$2.24

-8.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 CA$37.90

$40.79 A$56.9

-32.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.30 A$1.81

-10.00%

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

$28.1K CA$38.9K

$28.2K A$39.4K

-0.28%

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

$20.0K CA$27.7K

$29.5K A$41.2K

-32.30%

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

$154 CA$214

$204 A$284

-24.20%

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

$43.31 CA$60.0

$29.50 A$41.17

46.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 CA$83.5

$58.7 A$81.9

2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.22 CA$57.1

$57.3 A$80.0

-28.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.08 CA$27.80

$19.45 A$27.15

3.24%

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 CA$16.12

$15.70 A$21.91

-25.86%

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

$782 CA$1,083

$2,139 A$2,985

-63.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K CA$20.5K

$18.4K A$25.7K

-19.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CA$76.1

$80.7 A$113

-31.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.73 CA$55.0

$57.5 A$80.2

-30.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 CA$125

$117 A$163

-22.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$148

$128 A$178

-16.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 CA$1,824

$1,635 A$2,281

-19.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,136 CA$1,572

$1,289 A$1,799

-11.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,089 CA$2,892

$2,474 A$3,453

-15.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 CA$2,505

$1,961 A$2,736

-7.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,846 CA$6,710

$8,452 A$11.8K

-42.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,928 CA$5,439

$6,152 A$8,585

-36.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,998 CA$4,151

$4,067 A$5,675

-26.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

5.92

-17.91%

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

Last update for Canada: August 31, 2026

Last update for Australia: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,225 in Canada vs $1,423 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,501 in Ottawa and $1,824 in Canberra.

Average salary: $2,968 in Canada vs $3,932 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 16% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 29% more in Australia.

Public transport is 36% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 32% 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

Canada vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 2% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Australia, contributing to the overall 2% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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