Cost of Living Comparison Between Palau and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Palau and Australia

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,703 per month in Palau vs $2,180 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,741 per month in Palau vs $3,221 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,779 per month in Palau vs $4,261 in Australia, rent included.

Palau is roughly 22% cheaper than Australia on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Palau and Australia are pricier than the global median – Palau by 27%, Australia by 63%.

Palau has a wider regional cost range ($1,703–$1,703) than Australia ($1,570–$2,819), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Palau.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.76 $11.76

$16.16 A$22.63

-27.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.6 $75.6

$79.0 A$111

-4.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 $9.80

$9.63 A$13.48

1.77%

Cappuccino

$4.14 $4.14

$3.54 A$4.96

16.95%

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

$1.41 $1.41

$2.70 A$3.78

-47.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.19 A$3.07

-50.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 $1.53

$6.37 A$8.92

-75.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$7.00 A$9.81

-69.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.50 A$2.10

93.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.51 A$3.51

21.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.26 $0.26

$2.09 A$2.92

-87.56%

Eggs

$5.82 $5.82

$4.25 A$5.96

36.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 $10.06

$8.86 A$12.40

13.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$8.19 A$11.47

67.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.41 $19.41

$14.02 A$19.63

38.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$3.11 A$4.36

70.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.72 A$3.81

-20.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$2.90 A$4.06

84.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$16.28 $16.28

$4.34 A$6.08

275.12%

Potato (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.56 A$3.58

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.20 A$3.08

54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.21 A$3.09

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.52 A$2.12

11.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 $11.12

$31.34 A$43.87

-64.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.29 $22.29

$14.16 A$19.82

57.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$4.53 A$6.34

-25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.92 A$6.88

-31.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 A$4.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.9 A$136

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.50 A$4.90

-27.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 A$2.47

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 $5.94

$38.10 A$53.3

-84.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.16 A$1.63

49.14%

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

$17.3K $17.3K

$29.5K A$41.2K

-41.29%

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

$14.9K $14.9K

$22.9K A$32.1K

-35.02%

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

$168 $168

$176 A$247

-4.51%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$26.54 A$37.15

97.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 $131

$53.5 A$74.9

144.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 $55.3

$47.58 A$66.6

16.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.94 A$23.71

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 A$18.83

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

$202 $202

$1,605 A$2,247

-87.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,906 $1,906

$12.5K A$17.5K

-84.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 $63.2

$71.8 A$101

-12.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$50.9 A$71.3

2.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 $149

$100 A$140

48.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 $191

$108 A$151

77.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 $762

$1,395 A$1,953

-45.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 $559

$1,096 A$1,534

-48.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,736 $1,736

$2,320 A$3,248

-25.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 $954

$1,746 A$2,445

-45.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,516 A$10.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,564 A$7,790

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 $787

$4,033 A$5,646

-80.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

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

Last update for Palau: April 21, 2026

Last update for Australia: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $791 in Palau vs $3,866 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 63% higher in Australia.

Salaries are 389% 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

Palau vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palau is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 29% 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 Palau, contributing to the overall 29% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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

Palau 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.