For one person, living is cheaper in Portugal: $1,743 a month against $2,589 in Australia, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Portugal 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 Portugal and in Australia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,743 per month in Portugal vs $2,589 in Australia, rent included.
Portugal $1,743
Australia $2,589
A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Portugal vs $3,789 in Australia, rent included.
Portugal $2,549
Australia $3,789
A family of three spends $3,354 per month in Portugal vs $4,990 in Australia, rent included.
Portugal $3,354
Australia $4,990
📏
The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,068–$3,299) than in Portugal ($1,025–$2,361), so city choice matters more there.
🌍
The cost of living in Portugal is roughly 33% lower than in Australia on average.
📊
Both Portugal and Australia are pricier than the global median – Portugal by 29%, Australia by 91%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Portugal
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.27€11.78
$17.24A$24.58
-23.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.0€44.44
$85.1A$121
-41.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.25€9.11
$11.18A$15.94
-8.32%
Cappuccino
$2.16€1.92
$4.01A$5.71
-46.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01€1.78
$2.90A$4.13
-30.69%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34€1.19
$2.30A$3.28
-41.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.76€2.45
$7.74A$11.04
-64.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.43€3.04
$8.16A$11.64
-57.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Portugal
Australia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05€0.93
$1.73A$2.46
-39.31%
White Bread(500g)
$1.64€1.46
$2.69A$3.83
-39.03%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.54€1.37
$2.24A$3.19
-31.25%
Eggs
$3.51€3.11
$4.95A$7.05
-29.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.52€10.23
$9.42A$13.43
22.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.55€6.71
$9.40A$13.40
-19.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.64€13.01
$15.30A$21.81
-4.31%
Apples(1kg)
$2.22€1.97
$3.65A$5.21
-39.18%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45€1.29
$3.08A$4.39
-52.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.77€1.57
$3.27A$4.66
-45.87%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.45€2.17
$4.59A$6.54
-46.62%
Potato(1kg)
$1.64€1.46
$2.83A$4.03
-42.05%
Onion(1kg)
$1.94€1.73
$2.26A$3.23
-14.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.48€1.32
$2.37A$3.39
-37.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81€0.72
$1.66A$2.36
-51.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.21€5.51
$38.43A$54.8
-83.84%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.65€5.02
$14.21A$20.26
-60.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26€1.12
$4.95A$7.06
-74.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20€1.96
$5.13A$7.32
-57.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Portugal
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.19€1.94
$2.46A$3.51
-10.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.09€40.06
$93.0A$133
-51.51%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.98€3.53
$3.66A$5.22
8.74%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.77€0.68
$1.82A$2.59
-57.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$24.63€21.87
$43.83A$62.5
-43.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.14€1.90
$1.35A$1.92
58.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.6K€29.8K
$29.8KA$42.5K
12.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K€34.2K
$26.1KA$37.2K
47.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Portugal
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$134€119
$208A$297
-35.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.84€17.62
$29.05A$41.41
-31.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.20€35.71
$58.7A$83.7
-31.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Portugal
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.77€37.11
$56.4A$80.4
-25.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.84€14.07
$19.40A$27.66
-18.35%
Cinema Ticket
$8.88€7.89
$15.11A$21.54
-41.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Portugal
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$482€428
$2,113A$3,012
-77.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.2K€12.6K
$23.1KA$32.9K
-38.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Portugal
Australia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0€77.3
$80.0A$114
8.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.85€35.40
$54.2A$77.3
-26.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.6€78.7
$112A$159
-20.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.7€87.7
$125A$178
-20.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Portugal
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,076€956
$1,620A$2,310
-33.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$841€747
$1,256A$1,790
-33.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,831€1,627
$2,616A$3,730
-30.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,327€1,179
$2,007A$2,862
-33.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,115€3,656
$8,539A$12.2K
-51.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,855€2,536
$6,404A$9,129
-55.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Portugal
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,373€1,220
$3,931A$5,604
-65.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.73
5.96
-37.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Portugal: October 31, 2026
Last update for Australia: November 3, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Portugal
$841 48.3%
Australia
$1.3K 48.5% ↑ 49.3%$415
🛒Groceries & Markets
Portugal
$249 14.3%
Australia
$373 14.4% ↑ 49.7%$124
🍽Eating Out
Portugal
$197 11.3%
Australia
$295 11.4% ↑ 50%$99
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Portugal
$194 11.1%
Australia
$296 11.4% ↑ 52.7%$102
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Portugal
$141 8.1%
Australia
$167 6.4% ↑ 17.9%$25
🚌Getting Around
Portugal
$62 3.5%
Australia
$116 4.5% ↑ 87.5%$54
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Portugal
$60 3.4%
Australia
$87 3.4% ↑ 45.5%$27
🏠Accommodation & Living
Portugal
$1.3K 39.5%
Australia
$2K 40.2% ↑ 51.3%$681
🛒Groceries & Markets
Portugal
$589 17.6%
Australia
$845 16.9% ↑ 43.3%$255
🍽Eating Out
Portugal
$648 19.3%
Australia
$1K 20.3% ↑ 56.4%$366
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Portugal
$214 6.4%
Australia
$325 6.5% ↑ 52.2%$111
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Portugal
$314 9.4%
Australia
$370 7.4% ↑ 17.9%$56
🚌Getting Around
Portugal
$128 3.8%
Australia
$236 4.7% ↑ 84.9%$108
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Portugal
$135 4%
Australia
$193 3.9% ↑ 42.8%$58
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $970 in Portugal vs $1,381 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,641 in Lisbon and $1,761 in Canberra.
💰Average salary: $1,295 in Portugal vs $3,863 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 42% higher in Australia.
⭐Dining out costs 73% more in Australia.
⭐Public transport is 118% more expensive in Australia.
⭐Salaries are about 3 times higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in 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
Portugal vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Portugal?
Portugal is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 33% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia: a central one-bedroom averages $1,381 versus $970 in Portugal.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Portugal – part of why living there is about 33% cheaper overall.
Should I move to Australia or to Portugal?
Portugal is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.