For one person, living is cheaper in Germany: $2,080 a month against $2,626 in Australia, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Germany and in Australia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,080 per month in Germany vs $2,626 in Australia, rent included.
Germany $2,080
Australia $2,626
A couple spends around $3,130 per month in Germany vs $3,810 in Australia, rent included.
Germany $3,130
Australia $3,810
A family of three spends $4,180 per month in Germany vs $4,994 in Australia, rent included.
Germany $4,180
Australia $4,994
📏
The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,068–$3,303) than in Germany ($1,337–$2,681), so city choice matters more there.
🌍
The cost of living in Germany is roughly 21% lower than in Australia on average.
📊
Both Germany and Australia are pricier than the global median – Germany by 53%, Australia by 93%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Germany
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.60€14.88
$17.65A$25.10
-5.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.8€64.4
$85.2A$121
-15.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.12€10.86
$11.09A$15.77
9.29%
Cappuccino
$3.96€3.55
$3.90A$5.54
1.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36€3.01
$2.85A$4.05
17.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89€2.59
$2.31A$3.29
25.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.07€4.54
$7.53A$10.71
-32.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.50€4.03
$8.59A$12.21
-47.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Germany
Australia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.26€1.13
$1.76A$2.50
-28.41%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20€1.97
$2.81A$3.99
-21.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.54€3.17
$2.24A$3.19
58.04%
Eggs
$3.88€3.48
$5.02A$7.14
-22.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.24€12.76
$9.87A$14.03
44.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.90€10.66
$9.32A$13.25
27.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.68€18.53
$14.86A$21.14
39.17%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28€2.94
$3.82A$5.43
-14.14%
Banana(1kg)
$2.05€1.83
$2.92A$4.16
-29.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.31€2.07
$3.13A$4.46
-26.20%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.29€3.84
$4.81A$6.84
-10.81%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53€1.37
$2.80A$3.98
-45.36%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50€1.34
$2.38A$3.38
-36.97%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.64€1.47
$2.37A$3.37
-30.80%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02€0.91
$1.65A$2.35
-38.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.69€8.68
$39.13A$55.7
-75.24%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.01€5.38
$13.93A$19.81
-56.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.12€1.01
$4.96A$7.05
-77.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56€1.40
$5.17A$7.36
-69.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Germany
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.85€3.45
$2.42A$3.44
59.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$69.7€62.5
$94.6A$135
-26.31%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.34€4.78
$3.49A$4.97
53.01%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.81€2.52
$1.60A$2.27
75.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$38.83€34.80
$39.84A$56.7
-2.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.13€1.91
$1.39A$1.98
53.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K€29.2K
$30.0KA$42.7K
8.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.7K€33.8K
$25.8KA$36.6K
46.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Germany
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$342€307
$205A$292
66.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.87€22.29
$28.33A$40.30
-12.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.49€43.45
$58.8A$83.6
-17.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Germany
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.42€35.32
$55.7A$79.2
-29.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.47€24.62
$19.57A$27.84
40.37%
Cinema Ticket
$14.65€13.13
$15.38A$21.87
-4.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Germany
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$611€547
$2,145A$3,051
-71.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.3K€15.5K
$18.3KA$26.1K
-5.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Germany
Australia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.1€79.8
$78.3A$111
13.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.07€37.70
$56.3A$80.0
-25.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.3€88.1
$115A$164
-14.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131€117
$123A$175
6.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Germany
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$934€837
$1,591A$2,263
-41.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$718€644
$1,293A$1,839
-44.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,704€1,527
$2,524A$3,591
-32.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,294€1,159
$2,005A$2,852
-35.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,944€5,326
$8,751A$12.4K
-32.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,958€3,547
$6,260A$8,904
-36.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Germany
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,290€2,948
$3,984A$5,666
-17.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.96
5.93
-33.22%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Germany: October 25, 2026
Last update for Australia: October 27, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Germany
$718 34.6%
Australia
$1.3K 49.2% ↑ 79.9%$574
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Germany
$415 20%
Australia
$292 11.1% ↓ 29.7%$123
🛒Groceries & Markets
Germany
$335 16.1%
Australia
$374 14.3% ↑ 11.7%$39
🍽Eating Out
Germany
$276 13.3%
Australia
$297 11.3% ↑ 7.5%$21
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Germany
$162 7.8%
Australia
$168 6.4% ↑ 3.5%$5.7
🚌Getting Around
Germany
$104 5%
Australia
$116 4.4% ↑ 10.8%$11
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Germany
$69 3.3%
Australia
$86 3.3% ↑ 25.7%$18
🏠Accommodation & Living
Germany
$1.3K 31%
Australia
$2K 40.2% ↑ 55%$712
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Germany
$440 10.5%
Australia
$320 6.4% ↓ 27.2%$120
🛒Groceries & Markets
Germany
$795 19%
Australia
$848 17% ↑ 6.7%$53
🍽Eating Out
Germany
$910 21.8%
Australia
$1K 20.4% ↑ 11.9%$109
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Germany
$360 8.6%
Australia
$373 7.5% ↑ 3.5%$13
🚌Getting Around
Germany
$217 5.2%
Australia
$236 4.7% ↑ 9.1%$20
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Germany
$165 4%
Australia
$192 3.9% ↑ 16.7%$27
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $812 in Germany vs $1,383 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,407 in Berlin and $1,749 in Canberra.
💰Average salary: $3,107 in Germany vs $3,874 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 70% higher in Australia.
⭐Dining out costs 18% more in Australia.
⭐Public transport is 24% more expensive in 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
Germany vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Germany?
Germany is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 21% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia: a central one-bedroom averages $1,383 versus $812 in Germany.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Germany – part of why living there is about 21% cheaper overall.
Should I move to Australia or to Germany?
Germany is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.