Popular cities
Australia Cost of Living 2026
๐ฆ๐บ 10 cities in Australia, sorted by daily travel budget. Not the exchange rate โ how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price becomes a rip-off. Updated October 2026
Cities in Australia compared
| City | Per day | Per month | Local meal | Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ฆ๐บ DarwinTourist ยท small town | $215 | $4,900 | A$20 | A$5.5 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ CairnsResort ยท mid-size | $227 | $5,741 | A$25 | A$5.5 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ AdelaideBig city | $235 | $5,082 | A$24 | A$5.5 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ HobartTourist ยท mid-size | $238 | $5,038 | A$22 | A$5.4 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ CanberraMid-size city | $247 | $4,867 | A$22 | A$5.2 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ BrisbaneBig city | $248 | $5,404 | A$24 | A$6 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ MelbourneBig city | $255 | $5,229 | A$24 | A$5.6 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ PerthBig city | $256 | $5,718 | A$24 | A$6 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ Gold CoastBig city ยท resort | $261 | $6,102 | A$24 | A$5.5 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ SydneyBig city | $274 | $6,088 | A$20 | A$5.5 |
Per day = one mid-range night + three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides. Open a city for item-by-item prices, rip-off thresholds and live traveler reports.
Everyday prices in Australia
| City | Beer | 5 km taxi | Hotel night | Massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ฆ๐บ Darwin | A$10 | A$16 | A$160 | A$85 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ Cairns | A$9 | A$19 | A$145 | A$80 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ Adelaide | A$12 | A$17 | A$170 | A$85 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ Hobart | A$11 | A$18 | A$180 | A$90 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ Canberra | A$12 | A$19 | A$190 | A$90 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ Brisbane | A$12 | A$18 | A$180 | A$85 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ Melbourne | A$14 | A$18 | A$190 | A$85 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ Perth | A$13 | A$17 | A$190 | A$90 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ Gold Coast | A$10 | A$19 | A$190 | A$80 |
| ๐ฆ๐บ Sydney | A$12 | A$19 | A$220 | A$90 |
Australia vs nearby countries
| Country | Per day | Per month | vs Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ซ๐ฏ Fiji | $171 | $2,299 | -30% |
| ๐ต๐ผ Palau | $219 | $3,675 | -11% |
| ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand | $222 | $4,638 | -10% |
| ๐ฆ๐บ Australia | $245 | $5,417 | this country |
| ๐ฌ๐บ Guam | $306 | $5,895 | +25% |
Countries in the same region with a similar daily travel budget. Tap a country for its city-by-city prices.
Sydney vs New York: item by item
| Item | Sydney | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local meal | A$20โ $13.3 | $20 | -33% |
| Coffee | A$5.5โ $3.67 | $6 | -39% |
| Beer | A$12โ $8 | $9 | -11% |
| 5 km taxi | A$19โ $12.7 | $23 | -45% |
| Hotel night | A$220โ $147 | $270 | -46% |
| 1-bed rent | A$2,800โ $1,867 | $3,300 | -43% |
Same purchase in both cities, converted to US dollars. Daily travel budget: Sydney $274 vs New York $467 โ about 41% cheaper.
Compare Australia with other cities
Money tips for Australia
Paying
Cards and contactless are nearly universal.
Tipping
Not required; about 10% for great service.
Menu prices
Prices include GST. Some cafรฉs and restaurants add a Sunday or public-holiday surcharge.
Getting around
Tap on public transport in Sydney and Melbourne with a transit or contactless card.
Haggling
No haggling.
Water
Tap water is safe to drink.
Common rip-offs
Rare. Some places add a 1โ2% card surcharge.
Australia travel difficulty
| City | Overall | Rip-offs | Language | Transport | Payments | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | Very easy 1.4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Brisbane | Very easy 1.4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Canberra | Very easy 1.4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Hobart | Very easy 1.4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Perth | Very easy 1.4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Sydney | Very easy 1.4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Darwin | Easy 1.6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Gold Coast | Easy 1.6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Melbourne | Easy 1.6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Cairns | Easy 1.8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, 1โ5 (closer to 1 is easier). Tap a city for reasons and tips. Full difficulty ranking โบ
City guides
FAQ
How much is a daily travel budget in Australia?
With a mid-range room, between $215 and $274 a day depending on the city โ about $245 on average. Hostels and local eateries cut that by 30% or more.
How much does a month in Australia cost?
Short-term rental plus living costs runs $4,900โ$6,102 by city, about $5,417 on average.
Which city in Australia is cheapest?
By daily budget, Darwin ($215/day) is the cheapest and Sydney ($274/day) the most expensive.
Which nearby country is cheaper than Australia?
Among countries in the same region with similar budgets, Fiji runs about $171 a day โ 30% less than Australia (about $245).
Is Australia cheaper than New York?
In Sydney, a traveler's day runs about $274 versus $467 in New York โ roughly 41% cheaper. The gap differs by item, so meals, coffee, taxis and hotels are listed separately above.