Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between France and Australia

For one person, living is cheaper in France: $1,962 a month against $2,626 in Australia, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

France
Australia
🇫🇷 France
$1,962
/mo nomad
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,626
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in France and in Australia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in France and in Australia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,962 per month in France vs $2,626 in Australia, rent included.

  • France $1,962
  • Australia $2,626

A couple spends around $2,999 per month in France vs $3,810 in Australia, rent included.

  • France $2,999
  • Australia $3,810

A family of three spends $4,037 per month in France vs $4,994 in Australia, rent included.

  • France $4,037
  • Australia $4,994

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,068–$3,303) than in France ($1,181–$2,732), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in France is roughly 25% lower than in Australia on average.

Both France and Australia are pricier than the global median – France by 44%, Australia by 93%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
France
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.74 €15.00
$17.65 A$25.10
-5.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.4 €59.5
$85.2 A$121
-22.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.62 €12.20
$11.09 A$15.77
22.81%
Cappuccino
$3.95 €3.54
$3.90 A$5.54
1.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 €3.06
$2.85 A$4.05
20.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 €1.85
$2.31 A$3.29
-10.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.88 €6.17
$7.53 A$10.71
-8.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 €4.90
$8.59 A$12.21
-36.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
France
Australia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.18
$1.76 A$2.50
-25.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.03 €1.82
$2.81 A$3.99
-27.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.58 €2.31
$2.24 A$3.19
15.18%
Eggs
$4.34 €3.89
$5.02 A$7.14
-13.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.75 €17.70
$9.87 A$14.03
100.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.45 €12.05
$9.32 A$13.25
44.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.73 €19.47
$14.86 A$21.14
46.23%
Apples (1kg)
$3.04 €2.72
$3.82 A$5.43
-20.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.92 A$4.16
-21.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.90 €2.60
$3.13 A$4.46
-7.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.55 €3.18
$4.81 A$6.84
-26.20%
Potato (1kg)
$2.19 €1.96
$2.80 A$3.98
-21.79%
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 €2.15
$2.38 A$3.38
0.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 €1.42
$2.37 A$3.37
-33.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 €0.73
$1.65 A$2.35
-50.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.70 €12.28
$39.13 A$55.7
-64.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.05 €7.22
$13.93 A$19.81
-42.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 €2.38
$4.96 A$7.05
-46.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 €2.73
$5.17 A$7.36
-41.01%
🚌 Getting Around
France
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.07 €1.86
$2.42 A$3.44
-14.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$59.6 €53.4
$94.6 A$135
-37.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.05 €4.52
$3.49 A$4.97
44.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 €1.87
$1.60 A$2.27
30.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.96 €33.12
$39.84 A$56.7
-7.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.11 €1.89
$1.39 A$1.98
51.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K €31.5K
$30.0K A$42.7K
17.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.3K €33.5K
$25.8K A$36.6K
44.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
France
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$220 €197
$205 A$292
7.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.75 €17.70
$28.33 A$40.30
-30.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.36 €30.79
$58.8 A$83.6
-41.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
France
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.58 €31.88
$55.7 A$79.2
-36.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.37 €18.25
$19.57 A$27.84
4.09%
Cinema Ticket
$13.47 €12.07
$15.38 A$21.87
-12.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
France
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$898 €804
$2,145 A$3,051
-58.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K €11.0K
$18.3K A$26.1K
-33.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
France
Australia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.8
$78.3 A$111
29.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.51 €40.78
$56.3 A$80.0
-19.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €94.5
$115 A$164
-8.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 €124
$123 A$175
12.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
France
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$877 €786
$1,591 A$2,263
-44.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$703 €630
$1,293 A$1,839
-45.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,556 €1,395
$2,524 A$3,591
-38.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,248 €1,118
$2,005 A$2,852
-37.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,494 €4,923
$8,751 A$12.4K
-37.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,778 €3,386
$6,260 A$8,904
-39.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
France
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,716 €2,434
$3,984 A$5,666
-31.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.78
5.93
-36.26%

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

Last update for France: October 27, 2026

Last update for Australia: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
France
$703
Australia
$1.3K 84% $590
Groceries & Markets
France
$374
Australia
$374 0% $0.2
Eating Out
France
$289
Australia
$297 2.5% $7.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
France
$274
Australia
$292 6.7% $18
Clothing & Footwear
France
$176
Australia
$168 4.6% $8.1
Getting Around
France
$83
Australia
$116 38.9% $32
Sport & Entertainment
France
$63
Australia
$86 38.2% $24

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $810 in France vs $1,383 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,622 in Paris and $1,749 in Canberra.

Average salary: $2,718 in France vs $3,874 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 71% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 31% more in Australia.

Public transport is 65% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 43% higher in Australia.

Good to know
🇫🇷 France
🇦🇺 Australia
🕒 Local time
06:10 6:10 AM
16:10 4:10 PM
10 h ahead of France
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
68,373,433
26,473,055
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • France Australia 16,920 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • France
  • Australia

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
France vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than France?
France is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 25% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia: a central one-bedroom averages $1,383 versus $810 in France.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in France – part of why living there is about 25% cheaper overall.
Should I move to Australia or to France?
France is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

France vs other spots: cost of living compared

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