Australia Cost of Living Calculator
Estimate monthly living costs across 15 major Australian cities for 2025–26. Calculations apply ATO 2025–26 income tax brackets, the Low Income Tax Offset and the 2% Medicare Levy. Rent data is sourced from the Domain Rental Report September 2025 and SQM Research Q3 2025.
Select Your City
Choose from 15 Australian cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
Enter Your Income
Input gross or net monthly income in AUD. ATO tax brackets apply automatically.
Compare Cities
Pick a single city or compare two side-by-side.
AU Cost of Living Calculator
Pre-filled with Australian averages — adjust any field to see the impact
Summary breakdown
Monthly Budget Summary
Accommodation in Melbourne
Standard-tier rent estimates from Domain Rental Report Sep 2025 (capital cities) and SQM Research Q3 2025 (non-capital cities). New tenancy rents are typically 15–20% higher than existing tenancy averages.
| Type | Budget | Standard | Premium | % of Gross Income |
|---|
Food & Dining in Australia
Typical monthly grocery spend, plus average prices at Coles, Woolworths and ALDI Australia.
| Common item | Avg price (incl. GST) |
|---|---|
| Bread (white 680g) | AUD 3.20 – 4.80 |
| Eggs (12 large) | AUD 5.50 – 8.99 |
| Full cream milk (2L) | AUD 2.29 – 3.49 |
| Chicken breast (per kg) | AUD 14.99 – 22.99 |
| Ground beef (per kg) | AUD 12.99 – 18.99 |
| Basmati rice (1kg) | AUD 2.49 – 4.49 |
| Bananas (per kg) | AUD 1.69 – 2.99 |
| Tasty cheddar (500g) | AUD 5.99 – 10.99 |
Dining out
| Venue / item | Sydney / Melbourne | Brisbane / Adelaide |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee (large, café) | AUD 5.00 – 7.50 | AUD 4.50 – 6.50 |
| Casual lunch | AUD 20 – 35 | AUD 16 – 28 |
| Mid-range dinner (p/p) | AUD 45 – 90 | AUD 35 – 70 |
| Pint of beer (bar) | AUD 10 – 15 | AUD 8 – 13 |
| McDonald's combo | AUD 16 – 24 | AUD 13 – 20 |
| Counter meal (chicken parma) | AUD 18 – 28 | AUD 15 – 22 |
Public Transport by City
Australian public transport networks vary significantly by city. Queensland operates a 50c flat fare go card system on all bus, train, and ferry services. Outside Sydney and Melbourne, most cities are highly car-dependent.
| City | System | Monthly | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | Opal Card | AUD 217 | AUD 50 weekly fare cap. Covers bus, train, ferry, light rail. |
| Melbourne | Myki (PTV) | AUD 153 | Zone 1+2 monthly pass. Free tram zone in Melbourne CBD. |
| Newcastle | Opal Card | AUD 140 | Newcastle Light Rail integrated. Same Opal system. |
| Central Coast | Opal Card | AUD 140 | Train to Sydney CBD approximately 90 minutes. |
| Perth | SmartRider | AUD 130 | Zone-based fares. Free Transit Zone in Perth CBD. |
| Wollongong | Opal Card | AUD 120 | Train to Sydney CBD approximately 75 minutes. |
| Adelaide | Metrocard | AUD 115 | Free City Connector tram in Adelaide CBD. |
| Canberra | MyWay+ | AUD 100 | Covers ACTION buses and Canberra Metro light rail. |
| Geelong | Myki Zone 2 | AUD 100 | Myki Zone 2 covers Geelong buses. |
| Hobart | Metro Tasmania | AUD 100 | Bus-only network. Hobart is highly car-dependent. |
| Brisbane | go card (TransLink) | AUD 22 | Queensland 50c flat fare on all bus, train and ferry. |
| Gold Coast | go card (TransLink) | AUD 22 | 50c flat fare. G:link tram integrated. |
| Sunshine Coast | go card (TransLink) | AUD 22 | 50c flat fare. Limited network — car use dominant. |
| Townsville | go card (TransLink) | AUD 22 | 50c flat fare on Sunbus Townsville network. |
| Cairns | go card (TransLink) | AUD 22 | 50c flat fare on Sunbus Cairns. Very limited network. |
City-by-City Comparison
Rent, electricity, transport and median income across all 15 major Australian cities
Includes ATO 2025–26 & Domain March 2026 quarter data · Updated April 2026How Much Is Left After Paying Rent?
Monthly Expense Breakdown
Monthly Transport Cost by City
Monthly Electricity Bill by City
| City | 1-Bed Unit | 3-Bed House | Electricity | Transport | Groceries | Gross Income | Surplus |
|---|
Important Disclaimer
For educational purposes only. All figures are estimates. Rent data from Domain Rental Report September 2025 and SQM Research Q3 2025. Tax uses ATO 2025–26 rates: 0% to $18,200 | 16% to $45,000 | 30% to $135,000 | 37% to $190,000 | 45%+, plus the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO, max $700) and the Medicare Levy of 2%. The Superannuation Guarantee of 12% (effective 1 July 2025) is paid by employers on top of salary and is not deducted from take-home pay shown here. Car costs include fuel, registration, insurance and maintenance. Child Care Subsidy (CCS) via Services Australia is not modelled. HECS-HELP debt indexation is not modelled. This is not financial or tax advice.
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