Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Australia

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,363 per month in United Kingdom vs $2,185 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,471 per month in United Kingdom vs $3,220 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,579 per month in United Kingdom vs $4,254 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in United Kingdom is about 8% higher than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both United Kingdom and Australia are pricier than the global median – United Kingdom by 77%, Australia by 64%.

The regional cost range is wider in United Kingdom ($1,670–$3,916) than in Australia ($1,575–$2,824), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.23 £15.05

$16.19 A$23.19

24.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 £65.7

$77.1 A$111

14.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 £7.70

$9.47 A$13.57

9.29%

Cappuccino

$4.77 £3.55

$3.46 A$4.95

37.86%

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

$2.44 £1.82

$2.68 A$3.85

-8.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 £1.29

$2.19 A$3.13

-21.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 £5.10

$6.61 A$9.47

3.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 £4.85

$7.10 A$10.18

-8.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.55 A$2.22

7.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 £1.27

$2.47 A$3.55

-30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 £1.64

$2.10 A$3.01

5.24%

Eggs

$4.09 £3.04

$4.24 A$6.08

-3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 £7.08

$8.57 A$12.28

11.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 £6.71

$8.60 A$12.32

4.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 £10.54

$13.81 A$19.79

2.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 £2.20

$3.17 A$4.55

-6.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$2.72 A$3.90

-38.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 £2.11

$2.96 A$4.24

-4.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 £2.54

$4.31 A$6.17

-20.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 £1.26

$2.47 A$3.53

-31.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 £1.17

$2.10 A$3.00

-24.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 £0.84

$2.19 A$3.14

-48.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.53 A$2.19

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.16 £15.00

$31.29 A$44.83

-35.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 £7.79

$13.94 A$19.97

-24.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 £2.14

$4.46 A$6.39

-35.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 £2.45

$5.01 A$7.18

-34.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.33 £2.48

$3.00 A$4.30

11.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.3 £71.6

$96.0 A$138

0.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.53 £4.11

$3.56 A$5.11

55.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 £1.19

$1.75 A$2.51

-8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.51 £20.47

$37.88 A$54.3

-27.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.15 A$1.65

65.22%

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

$38.1K £28.3K

$29.4K A$42.1K

29.72%

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

$41.0K £30.5K

$23.1K A$33.1K

77.60%

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

$326 £243

$174 A$249

87.91%

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

$17.18 £12.78

$26.88 A$38.51

-36.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 £31.96

$52.7 A$75.5

-18.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.94 £34.17

$47.69 A$68.3

-3.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.87 £11.81

$16.51 A$23.65

-3.88%

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 £10.26

$13.73 A$19.67

0.51%

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

$1,723 £1,281

$1,555 A$2,227

10.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K £15.5K

$12.7K A$18.1K

64.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.3 £67.2

$69.6 A$99.7

29.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 £33.02

$51.2 A$73.4

-13.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 £76.7

$102 A$146

1.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 £76.3

$112 A$161

-8.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 £1,055

$1,359 A$1,947

4.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 £850

$1,080 A$1,547

5.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 £1,709

$2,300 A$3,296

-0.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,873 £1,393

$1,751 A$2,509

6.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,728 £4,260

$7,618 A$10.9K

-24.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,339 £3,228

$5,762 A$8,255

-24.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,264 £2,428

$4,023 A$5,764

-18.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

6.35

-9.45%

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

Last update for United Kingdom: July 13, 2026

Last update for Australia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,266 in United Kingdom vs $1,231 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,937 in London and $1,549 in Canberra.

Average salary: $3,192 in United Kingdom vs $3,775 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Public transport is 37% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 18% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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

United Kingdom vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 27% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Australia, contributing to the overall 27% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Australia, but in United Kingdom it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Australia 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.