Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong (China) and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong (China) and Australia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,762 per month in Hong Kong (China) vs $2,181 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,235 per month in Hong Kong (China) vs $3,218 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,707 per month in Hong Kong (China) vs $4,254 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in Hong Kong (China) is about 27% higher than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Hong Kong (China) and Australia are pricier than the global median – Hong Kong (China) by 108%, Australia by 64%.

The regional cost range is wider in Hong Kong (China) ($2,762$2,762) than in Australia ($1,595$2,799), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hong Kong (China)
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.77 HK$68.8
$15.97 A$22.93
-45.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.0 HK$509
$79.0 A$113
-17.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.23 HK$48.83
$9.68 A$13.91
-35.64%
Cappuccino
$5.20 HK$40.81
$3.58 A$5.15
45.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 HK$10.60
$2.56 A$3.68
-47.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 HK$8.16
$2.22 A$3.19
-53.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.78 HK$53.2
$6.34 A$9.10
6.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.28 HK$49.25
$6.95 A$9.98
-9.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong (China)
Australia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.13 HK$24.55
$1.56 A$2.25
100.64%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 HK$17.93
$2.53 A$3.63
-9.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 HK$15.23
$2.00 A$2.87
-3.00%
Eggs
$3.37 HK$26.45
$4.26 A$6.12
-20.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$25.20 HK$198
$8.75 A$12.57
188.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.14 HK$79.5
$8.23 A$11.83
23.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.01 HK$173
$14.15 A$20.33
55.55%
Apples (1kg)
$3.64 HK$28.54
$3.26 A$4.69
11.66%
Banana (1kg)
$2.34 HK$18.35
$2.81 A$4.04
-16.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.83 HK$30.00
$3.00 A$4.31
27.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.08 HK$24.18
$4.31 A$6.19
-28.54%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 HK$17.76
$2.55 A$3.67
-11.37%
Onion (1kg)
$2.22 HK$17.42
$2.16 A$3.10
2.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 HK$13.39
$2.22 A$3.19
-22.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 HK$13.35
$1.53 A$2.20
11.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.81 HK$100
$31.28 A$44.93
-59.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.30 HK$136
$14.09 A$20.24
22.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 HK$14.31
$4.44 A$6.38
-58.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 HK$20.65
$4.90 A$7.05
-46.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Hong Kong (China)
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.68 HK$13.15
$2.95 A$4.24
-43.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.3 HK$505
$95.9 A$138
-32.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.67 HK$28.77
$3.49 A$5.01
5.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 HK$10.75
$1.84 A$2.64
-25.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.77 HK$116
$37.26 A$53.5
-60.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$3.08 HK$24.16
$1.17 A$1.68
163.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K HK$299.7K
$28.7K A$41.3K
33.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K HK$257.5K
$22.5K A$32.3K
46.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong (China)
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$234 HK$1,838
$173 A$249
35.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.84 HK$140
$26.62 A$38.23
-32.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.12 HK$181
$53.1 A$76.2
-56.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong (China)
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.6 HK$601
$46.82 A$67.3
63.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.61 HK$67.6
$16.38 A$23.53
-47.44%
Cinema Ticket
$12.64 HK$99.1
$13.56 A$19.48
-6.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hong Kong (China)
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,016 HK$7,968
$1,571 A$2,256
-35.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.3K HK$167.2K
$12.6K A$18.1K
69.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong (China)
Australia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.6 HK$585
$72.1 A$104
3.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.59 HK$303
$51.6 A$74.1
-25.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.2 HK$691
$101 A$145
-12.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142 HK$1,116
$108 A$155
31.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong (China)
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,176 HK$17.1K
$1,398 A$2,008
55.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,556 HK$12.2K
$1,086 A$1,560
43.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,729 HK$37.1K
$2,272 A$3,263
108.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,086 HK$24.2K
$1,751 A$2,515
76.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$27.8K HK$218.1K
$7,955 A$11.4K
249.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$17.6K HK$138.2K
$5,978 A$8,587
194.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hong Kong (China)
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,139 HK$24.6K
$4,053 A$5,822
-22.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.97
6.35
-37.48%

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

Last update for Hong Kong (China): July 27, 2026

Last update for Australia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $2,231 in Hong Kong (China) vs $1,230 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,231 in Hong Kong and $1,557 in Canberra.

Average salary: $3,094 in Hong Kong (China) vs $3,808 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 81% higher in Hong Kong (China).

Dining out costs 20% more in Australia.

Salaries are 23% 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
Hong Kong (China) vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Hong Kong (China)?
Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 26% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Hong Kong (China), and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Hong Kong (China) consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Australia, contributing to the overall 26% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Australia or in Hong Kong (China)?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Australia, but in Hong Kong (China) it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or to Hong Kong (China)?
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.

Hong Kong (China) vs other spots: cost of living compared

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