Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Ipswich, Australia

For one person, living is cheaper in Ipswich: $2,055 a month against $3,028 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China)
Ipswich, Australia
Hong Kong
🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)
$3,028
/mo nomad
Ipswich
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,055
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hong Kong and in Ipswich

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

A single person spends $3,028 per month in Hong Kong vs $2,055 in Ipswich, rent included.

  • Hong Kong $3,028
  • Ipswich $2,055

A couple spends around $4,727 per month in Hong Kong vs $2,914 in Ipswich, rent included.

  • Hong Kong $4,727
  • Ipswich $2,914

A family of three spends $6,426 per month in Hong Kong vs $3,773 in Ipswich, rent included.

  • Hong Kong $6,426
  • Ipswich $3,773

Hong Kong costs about 47% more than Ipswich, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Hong Kong and Ipswich sit above the global median – Hong Kong by 123%, Ipswich by 51%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hong Kong
Ipswich
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.11 HK$63.6
$32.17 A$45.57
-74.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.9 HK$493
$75.7 A$107
-16.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.33 HK$49.65
$10.05 A$14.24
-37.01%
Cappuccino
$5.03 HK$39.44
$4.60 A$6.51
9.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 HK$9.98
$3.76 A$5.33
-66.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 HK$8.47
$2.43 A$3.44
-55.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.74 HK$60.7
$9.24 A$13.09
-16.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.55 HK$51.4
$7.67 A$10.87
-14.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong
Ipswich
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.87 HK$22.51
$2.49 A$3.53
15.26%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 HK$19.11
$2.41 A$3.41
1.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.13 HK$16.69
$2.26 A$3.20
-5.75%
Eggs
$3.43 HK$26.88
$7.19 A$10.18
-52.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.73 HK$194
$7.19 A$10.19
243.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.86 HK$69.5
$8.65 A$12.25
2.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.81 HK$140
$13.77 A$19.50
29.34%
Apples (1kg)
$4.21 HK$32.99
$3.33 A$4.72
26.43%
Banana (1kg)
$2.60 HK$20.36
$2.70 A$3.82
-3.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.65 HK$36.51
$2.75 A$3.89
69.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.05 HK$31.80
$3.79 A$5.37
6.86%
Potato (1kg)
$3.18 HK$24.97
$2.00 A$2.83
59.00%
Onion (1kg)
$3.25 HK$25.46
$2.06 A$2.92
57.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.59 HK$12.47
$2.44 A$3.45
-34.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 HK$13.50
$1.70 A$2.41
1.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.27 HK$104
$44.66 A$63.3
-70.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.22 HK$119
$21.65 A$30.68
-29.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 HK$15.18
$6.39 A$9.05
-69.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 HK$17.91
$7.16 A$10.15
-68.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Hong Kong
Ipswich
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.28 HK$10.05
$0.34 A$0.48
276.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.0 HK$691
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.75 HK$29.38
$2.19 A$3.10
71.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 HK$10.23
$1.64 A$2.33
-20.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.92 HK$125
$35.81 A$50.7
-55.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$4.05 HK$31.80
$1.42 A$2.01
185.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.6K HK$349.5K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.5K HK$294.3K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong
Ipswich
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$242 HK$1,895
$91.8 A$130
163.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.72 HK$123
$31.51 A$44.64
-50.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.12 HK$166
$62.6 A$88.7
-66.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong
Ipswich
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$99.8 HK$783
$17.21 A$24.37
479.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.52 HK$74.7
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.80 HK$100
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hong Kong
Ipswich
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,287 HK$10.1K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.0K HK$172.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong
Ipswich
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.7 HK$523
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.46 HK$333
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.6 HK$655
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 HK$957
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong
Ipswich
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,432 HK$19.1K
$1,045 A$1,480
132.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,764 HK$13.8K
$1,025 A$1,452
72.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,347 HK$41.9K
$1,403 A$1,987
281.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,677 HK$28.8K
$1,381 A$1,956
166.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$28.4K HK$223.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$18.1K HK$141.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hong Kong
Ipswich
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,264 HK$25.6K
$4,151 A$5,880
-21.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.79
5.98
-36.62%

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

Last update for Hong Kong: October 27, 2026

Last update for Ipswich: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong
$1.8K
Ipswich
–
Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong
$410
Ipswich
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong
$278
Ipswich
–
Eating Out
Hong Kong
$205
Ipswich
–
Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong
$142
Ipswich
–
Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong
$125
Ipswich
–
Getting Around
Hong Kong
$103
Ipswich
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,432 in Hong Kong versus $1,045 in Ipswich. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 27% higher in Ipswich, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63 in Hong Kong versus $76 in Ipswich. Groceries tell a different story – $410 in Hong Kong vs $386 in Ipswich – so Ipswich wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇭🇰 Hong Kong
🇦🇺 Ipswich
🕒 Local time
17:00 5:00 PM
19:00 7:00 PM
2 h ahead of Hong Kong
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,367,900 Capital
229,208
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to HKD – Hong Kong Dollar Converter

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 7.84 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.75 HKD (1 HKD = 0.114 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.706 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.633 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hong Kong Ipswich 6,930 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hong Kong
  • Ipswich

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
Hong Kong vs Ipswich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Hong Kong and in Ipswich compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,028 in Hong Kong, $2,055 in Ipswich – Ipswich comes out roughly 32% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Hong Kong compared to Ipswich?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,543 per month in Hong Kong and $3,082 in Ipswich. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Hong Kong and Ipswich?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ipswich, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,045 there versus $2,432 in Hong Kong.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $63 in Hong Kong and $76 in Ipswich. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Hong Kong or Ipswich?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,028 in Hong Kong and $2,055 in Ipswich. That makes Ipswich about 32% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ipswich, where all-in costs run around $2,055, than in Hong Kong at $3,028. In Ipswich it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hong Kong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Hong Kong and Ipswich?
It depends on your priorities. Hong Kong has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,055 in Ipswich to $3,028 in Hong Kong. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Hong Kong or Ipswich safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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