Cost of Living Comparison Between Laos and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Laos and Australia

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $500 per month in Laos vs $2,184 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $772 per month in Laos vs $3,219 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,044 per month in Laos vs $4,253 in Australia, rent included.

Laos is roughly 77% cheaper than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Laos sits 63% below the global median, while Australia is 63% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.31 LAK 50.6K

$16.44 A$23.23

-85.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.96 LAK 415.6K

$78.1 A$110

-75.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 LAK 120.7K

$9.94 A$14.05

-44.57%

Cappuccino

$1.67 LAK 36.6K

$3.60 A$5.08

-53.61%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LAK 14.4K

$2.68 A$3.78

-75.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 LAK 9,860

$2.14 A$3.02

-78.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 LAK 29.5K

$6.53 A$9.23

-79.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 LAK 32.9K

$7.05 A$9.96

-78.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 LAK 42.5K

$1.58 A$2.23

22.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 LAK 21.5K

$2.53 A$3.57

-61.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 LAK 23.4K

$2.07 A$2.93

-48.31%

Eggs

$1.97 LAK 43.1K

$4.30 A$6.08

-54.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.18 LAK 530.1K

$9.03 A$12.76

167.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 LAK 121.4K

$8.55 A$12.08

-35.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.98 LAK 131.0K

$13.96 A$19.72

-57.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 LAK 41.2K

$3.18 A$4.49

-40.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 LAK 30.0K

$2.84 A$4.01

-51.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 LAK 47.4K

$2.95 A$4.17

-26.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 LAK 52.5K

$4.43 A$6.26

-46.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 LAK 36.0K

$2.46 A$3.47

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 LAK 22.5K

$2.17 A$3.07

-53.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 LAK 27.7K

$2.29 A$3.24

-44.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LAK 9,827

$1.57 A$2.22

-71.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 LAK 42.9K

$30.87 A$43.61

-93.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 LAK 231.0K

$14.06 A$19.86

-25.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 LAK 24.8K

$4.55 A$6.43

-75.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 LAK 25.2K

$4.81 A$6.80

-76.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 LAK 12.9K

$2.87 A$4.05

-79.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 LAK 1.3M

$95.8 A$135

-38.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 LAK 33.9K

$3.65 A$5.15

-57.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 LAK 24.8K

$1.76 A$2.49

-35.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 LAK 103.8K

$38.27 A$54.1

-87.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 LAK 28.4K

$1.15 A$1.63

12.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.5K LAK 646.4M

$28.4K A$40.1K

3.93%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.7K LAK 650.2M

$23.0K A$32.5K

28.97%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$86.9 LAK 1.9M

$178 A$251

-51.17%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.05 LAK 439.5K

$26.46 A$37.38

-24.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.52 LAK 252.6K

$54.1 A$76.4

-78.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.2 LAK 1.3M

$46.64 A$65.9

26.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 LAK 170.3K

$16.54 A$23.37

-53.02%

Cinema Ticket

$2.48 LAK 54.4K

$13.65 A$19.28

-81.83%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$309 LAK 6.8M

$1,575 A$2,225

-80.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,198 LAK 201.6M

$12.7K A$17.9K

-27.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 LAK 1.1M

$71.5 A$101

-28.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.3 LAK 1.4M

$50.8 A$71.8

26.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 LAK 1.6M

$100 A$142

-24.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.8 LAK 1.2M

$108 A$153

-51.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 LAK 18.9M

$1,384 A$1,955

-37.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 LAK 14.1M

$1,105 A$1,562

-41.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 LAK 27.7M

$2,298 A$3,246

-45.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 LAK 24.3M

$1,728 A$2,441

-35.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,625 LAK 57.5M

$7,610 A$10.8K

-65.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$634 LAK 13.9M

$5,504 A$7,776

-88.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 LAK 10.8M

$4,002 A$5,654

-87.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

6.35

59.37%

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

Last update for Laos: June 9, 2026

Last update for Australia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $334 in Laos vs $1,232 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $865 in Vientiane and $1,568 in Canberra.

Average salary: $236 in Laos vs $3,845 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 269% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 1183% more in Australia.

Public transport is 272% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 1529% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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

Laos vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Laos is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 186% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Laos, contributing to the overall 186% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Laos, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Laos 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.