Cost of Living Comparison Between Finland and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Finland and Australia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Finland vs $2,547 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,873 per month in Finland vs $3,678 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,906 per month in Finland vs $4,808 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in Finland is roughly 28% lower than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Finland and Australia are pricier than the global median – Finland by 33%, Australia by 85%.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,218$3,352) than in Finland ($1,020$2,257), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Finland
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.46 €15.01
$17.74 A$24.56
-1.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.8 €79.8
$86.9 A$120
6.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.68 €10.91
$11.35 A$15.71
11.72%
Cappuccino
$5.13 €4.41
$3.99 A$5.53
28.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 €2.77
$2.97 A$4.11
8.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 €2.03
$2.51 A$3.47
-5.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.81 €7.57
$7.75 A$10.73
13.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.39 €8.08
$8.07 A$11.17
16.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Finland
Australia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 €1.21
$1.76 A$2.44
-19.89%
White Bread (500g)
$2.73 €2.34
$2.87 A$3.97
-4.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.71 €2.33
$2.37 A$3.28
14.35%
Eggs
$3.64 €3.13
$5.11 A$7.08
-28.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.92 €7.67
$10.13 A$14.03
-11.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.98 €12.02
$9.57 A$13.25
46.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.31 €20.04
$15.59 A$21.59
49.52%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 €2.37
$3.83 A$5.30
-28.20%
Banana (1kg)
$2.23 €1.92
$3.13 A$4.33
-28.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.63 €2.26
$3.35 A$4.64
-21.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.26 €3.66
$4.88 A$6.75
-12.70%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 €1.15
$2.92 A$4.04
-54.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.85 €1.59
$2.36 A$3.27
-21.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.26 €1.95
$2.46 A$3.40
-8.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.62
$1.70 A$2.36
11.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.46 €11.57
$39.46 A$54.6
-65.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.53 €12.49
$14.69 A$20.34
-1.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.60 €3.09
$5.07 A$7.02
-28.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60 €3.09
$5.36 A$7.43
-32.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Finland
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.82 €3.29
$2.84 A$3.93
34.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.1 €63.7
$97.3 A$135
-23.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.36 €8.05
$3.56 A$4.93
162.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.36 €1.17
$1.68 A$2.33
-19.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$70.0 €60.2
$40.94 A$56.7
70.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €1.99
$1.35 A$1.87
71.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.3K €32.1K
$29.1K A$40.2K
28.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.1K €33.6K
$29.5K A$40.8K
32.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Finland
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 €125
$207 A$287
-29.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.83 €24.79
$29.34 A$40.62
-1.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.97 €22.33
$60.0 A$83.1
-56.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Finland
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.44 €38.21
$59.3 A$82.1
-25.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$31.33 €26.94
$20.28 A$28.07
54.49%
Cinema Ticket
$18.36 €15.79
$16.04 A$22.21
14.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Finland
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$398 €342
$2,194 A$3,037
-81.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.5K €11.6K
$18.6K A$25.8K
-27.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Finland
Australia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €88.0
$81.1 A$112
26.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.33 €36.40
$56.9 A$78.8
-25.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 €91.8
$119 A$164
-9.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$154 €133
$126 A$175
21.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Finland
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$894 €769
$1,637 A$2,266
-45.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$745 €641
$1,306 A$1,808
-42.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,598 €1,374
$2,589 A$3,584
-38.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,259 €1,083
$1,963 A$2,717
-35.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,168 €4,443
$8,394 A$11.6K
-38.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,012 €2,590
$6,140 A$8,500
-50.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Finland
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,112 €2,676
$4,067 A$5,631
-23.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.88
5.93
-34.57%

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

Last update for Finland: September 5, 2026

Last update for Australia: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $786 in Finland vs $1,426 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,267 in Helsinki and $1,845 in Canberra.

Average salary: $3,011 in Finland vs $3,945 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 81% higher in Australia.

Public transport is 27% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 31% higher 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
Finland vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Finland?
Finland is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 39% 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 Finland, contributing to the overall 39% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Australia or in Finland?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Finland, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or to Finland?
Finland 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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