Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Australia

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $391 a month against $2,542 in Australia, rent and utilities included – about $25,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

🇮🇳 India
$391
/mo nomad
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,542
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in India 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 India and in Australia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $391 per month in India vs $2,542 in Australia, rent included.

  • India $391
  • Australia $2,542

A couple spends around $620 per month in India vs $3,717 in Australia, rent included.

  • India $620
  • Australia $3,717

A family of three spends $849 per month in India vs $4,893 in Australia, rent included.

  • India $849
  • Australia $4,893

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,646–$3,152) than in India ($228–$812), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in India is roughly 85% lower than in Australia on average.

India sits 71% below the global median, while Australia is 88% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.14 ₹203
$17.16 A$24.69
-87.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.52 ₹999
$83.9 A$121
-87.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.58 ₹340
$11.20 A$16.12
-68.04%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ₹158
$3.92 A$5.64
-57.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₹35.48
$2.83 A$4.07
-86.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 ₹14.18
$2.30 A$3.31
-93.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.84 ₹175
$7.68 A$11.06
-76.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 ₹292
$8.25 A$11.87
-62.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Australia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.62 ₹58.8
$1.76 A$2.53
-64.77%
White Bread (500g)
$0.49 ₹46.73
$2.77 A$3.99
-82.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.63 ₹60.1
$2.19 A$3.16
-71.23%
Eggs
$0.96 ₹90.7
$4.99 A$7.18
-80.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.71 ₹447
$9.94 A$14.31
-52.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.92 ₹277
$9.03 A$12.99
-67.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$15.25 A$21.94
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.98 ₹188
$3.67 A$5.28
-46.05%
Banana (1kg)
$0.68 ₹64.4
$3.05 A$4.39
-77.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.02 ₹97.2
$3.12 A$4.50
-67.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.46 ₹43.78
$4.56 A$6.56
-89.91%
Potato (1kg)
$0.34 ₹32.20
$2.81 A$4.04
-87.90%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 ₹39.00
$2.39 A$3.44
-82.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 ₹40.66
$2.35 A$3.39
-81.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₹29.73
$1.64 A$2.36
-81.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.89 ₹464
$38.42 A$55.3
-87.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.25 ₹688
$13.77 A$19.82
-47.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 ₹162
$4.69 A$6.75
-63.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 ₹260
$5.08 A$7.31
-46.06%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.25 ₹499
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 ₹25.86
$2.72 A$3.91
-90.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.39 ₹797
$95.8 A$138
-91.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 ₹97.8
$3.54 A$5.10
-70.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.25 ₹23.49
$1.55 A$2.23
-83.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.60 ₹152
$40.00 A$57.6
-96.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 ₹107
$1.30 A$1.87
-13.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.6K ₹1.2M
$28.2K A$40.5K
-55.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.1K ₹1.9M
$28.5K A$40.9K
-29.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.55 ₹3,566
$198 A$285
-81.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.47 ₹330
$28.75 A$41.37
-87.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.15 ₹679
$58.6 A$84.4
-87.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.58 ₹1,385
$56.7 A$81.6
-74.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.21 ₹684
$19.08 A$27.46
-62.21%
Cinema Ticket
$3.18 ₹302
$15.02 A$21.62
-78.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$56.8 ₹5,391
$2,154 A$3,099
-97.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,651 ₹156.7K
$17.9K A$25.8K
-90.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Australia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.55 ₹2,141
$78.0 A$112
-71.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.54 ₹2,330
$54.8 A$78.8
-55.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$39.69 ₹3,769
$112 A$161
-64.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.84 ₹2,833
$124 A$179
-76.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$141 ₹13.4K
$1,540 A$2,215
-90.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$89.7 ₹8,515
$1,222 A$1,758
-92.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$325 ₹30.9K
$2,478 A$3,566
-86.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$207 ₹19.7K
$1,930 A$2,778
-89.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,214 ₹115.3K
$8,153 A$11.7K
-85.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$638 ₹60.6K
$6,053 A$8,711
-89.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$434 ₹41.2K
$3,944 A$5,676
-89.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.92
5.93
50.42%

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

Last update for India: October 10, 2026

Last update for Australia: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
India
$102
Australia
$370 262% $268
Accommodation & Living
India
$90
Australia
$1.2K 1262% $1.1K
Eating Out
India
$65
Australia
$293 349% $228
Clothing & Footwear
India
$52
Australia
$166 217% $114
Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
$48
Australia
$286 493% $237
Sport & Entertainment
India
$21
Australia
$87 314% $66
Getting Around
India
$12
Australia
$118 904% $106

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $119 in India vs $1,366 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $267 in Delhi and $1,716 in Canberra.

Average salary: $411 in India vs $3,849 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1048% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 720% more in Australia.

Public transport is 971% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 836% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

Good to know
🇮🇳 India
🇦🇺 Australia
🕒 Local time
04:53 4:53 AM
10:23 10:23 AM
5 h 30 min ahead of India
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,326,093,247
26,473,055
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • India Australia 10,350 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • India
  • 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
India vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than India?
India is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 551% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia: a central one-bedroom averages $1,366 versus $119 in India.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in India, adding to the overall 551% price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Australia or in India?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in India, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or to India?
India 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.

India vs other spots: cost of living compared

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