Cost of Living in Sydney, Melbourne or other cities in Australia is dependent on various factors. However, this page shows single person living expenses in Australia.
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Factors that Influence Australia Living Expenses
If you are an immigrant, living expenses in Australia can depend on different factors. These factors include the place or city of relocation, size of the family, accommodation plans, personal lifestyle, food and commuting habits, and more. Therefore you must have a careful plan on how you are going to spend your money on your daily living. Meanwhile, let’s talk about the expenses according to the said factors.
1. City of relocation
The top urban cities are more expensive than the rural areas of Australia. The most expensive and most liveable cities in Australia include Sydney, Brisbane as well as Melbourne.
If you wish to relocate to Australia on permanent basis, checkout this Guide on Australia Permanent Resident Visa.
2. Family size
This factor is understandable. Small family size will have fewer expenses in Australia. On the other hand, if you have a big family, anticipate that expenses will automatically increase.
3. Choice of accommodation
When it comes to accommodation, single rooms or small flats are more practical than having two bedroom flats or apartment.
4. Individual preferences
Your expenses can also depend on your personal preferences and lifestyle. If you prefer to use expensive clothes, you will incur more expenses. So, if you prefer wearing simple clothes, it will be an advantage if you are conscious of the budget. If you want to eat in a luxurious restaurant rather eating lunch and dinner at home, then you can pay more for your expenses. With this, you must apply discipline to yourself if you want to save more of your hard-earned budget.
If you want to have a smooth and peaceful living in Australia, you must be familiarized with the cost of living in Australia every month.
Monthly Cost of Living in Australia
The cost of living in Australia is relatively expensive compared to other countries. Again, living in Australia is also expensive for immigrants. The monthly cost of living in the country will depend on your expenses on the following:
- Groceries
- House rent
- Transportation
- Health insurance
- Utilities (gas, internet, electricity, mobile, etc.)
If you consider your general expenses on utilities, house rent, mobile bill, food, transportation, etc. your expenses can go around AUD 2,500 - 3,000 every month. Your expenses can be greatly affected by your place of residence, individual preferences, as well as other factors.
Yearly Cost of Living in Australia
As mentioned earlier, the average cost of living in Australia is high. When it comes to yearly basis, your average expense can be about AUD 35,000- 40,000 yearly. It can also be affected by your job salary, individual preferences, location of your settlement, and other factors.
If you wish to earn high salary in Australia, checkout the best jobs to do in Australia with high remuneration.
The Living Cost for a Single Person in Australia
With the shortage of housing over the years, the expense on house rent increases. Nowadays, there is a possibility that you might spend about 30% of your salary on housing rent while staying in Australia. With this, you must know about the prices in Australia.
Meanwhile, as you lived in Australia for two years, your expenses can slowly come down. Thus, you can be a candidate for different social benefits as the country’s permanent resident. The expenses of a single person in Australia are estimated to be AUD 400 - 600 every week. These expenses include clothes, groceries, bill, rent, and other affordable expenses. A single individual can save more money on his or her different routines.
Prices in Australia
If you want to have a sustainable living in Australia, make sure you have the budget for your basic needs. To guide you with this, the following are some prices in Australia that can significantly impact your daily expenses.
Markets
| S/N | ITEM | QUANTITY | PRICE (A$) |
| 1 | Milk | 1 liter | 1.47 |
| 2 | Apples | 1 kg | 4.17 |
| 3 | Rice | 1 kg | 2.62 |
| 4 | A loaf | 1 loaf 500g | 2.61 |
| 5 | Eggs | - | 4.27 |
| 6 | Banana | 1 kg | 3.39 |
| 7 | Local Cheese | 1 kg | 9.05 |
| 8 | Beef Round | 1 kg | 15.03 |
| 9 | Orange | 1 kg | 3.7 |
| 10 | Water | 1.5 liters | 1.86 |
| 11 | Bottle of Wine | 1 No. | 15 |
| 12 | Lettuce | 1 head | 2.53 |
Restaurants
| S/N | ITEMS | QUANTITY | PRICE (A$) |
| 1 | Meal for 2 people | 3-course, mid range restaurant | 80 |
| 2 | McMeal at McDonalds | 1 | 11 |
| 3 | Water | 0.33 liters | 2.75 |
| 4 | Cappuccino | 1 | 4.36 |
| 5 | Imported Beer | 1 | 8 |
| 6 | Domestic Bear | 1 | 8 |
Transportation
| S/N | ITEMS | QUANTITY | PRICE (A$) |
| 1 | Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | - | 4.4 |
| 2 | One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | - | 4 |
| 3 | Gasoline | 1 liter | 1.47 |
| 4 | Toyota Corolla | 1.61 97kW Comfort | 23,909.58 |
| 5 | Taxi (Normal Tariff) | 1-hour waiting | 49.2 |
| 6 | Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 1 | 150 |
| 7 | Volkswagen Golf | 1.4 90 KW Trendline | 25,000.00 |
Utilities (Monthly)
1 min of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No plans or discounts) – 0.23 A$
Internet (60 Mbps or more, Cable/ ADSL, Unlimited Data) – 74.36 A$
Basic (Heating, Electricity, Garbage, Water, Cooling) for 85m2 Apartment – 199.72 A$
Childcare
International Primary School, Yearly for one child – 18,600.68 A$
Preschool or Kindergarten, Private, Full Day, Monthly for every child – 1, 731.87 A $
Shoes and Clothing
| S/N | ITEMS | QUANTITY | PRICE (A$) |
| 1 | Summer dress in a chain store | 1 | 60.63 |
| 2 | Mens leather business shoes | 1 pair | 139.25 |
| 3 | Jeans (Levis 501 or Similar) | 1 pair | 96.67 |
| 4 | Nike running shoes | 1 pair | 132.77 |
Sports and Leisure
Cinema, one seat, international release – 18.00 A$
Tennis Court Rent (1 hour on the weekend) – 20.42 A$
Fitness club, the monthly fee for every adult – 63.38 A$
Monthly Rent
| S/N | ITEMS | QUANTITY | PRICE (A$) |
| 1 | Apartment in City Centre | 1 bedroom | 1,692.43 |
| 2 | Apartment outside of Centre | 3 bedrooms | 1,886.42 |
| 3 | Apartment outside of Centre | 1 bedroom | 1,282.45 |
| 4 | Apartment in City Centre | 3 bedrooms | 2,689.93 |
Buy Apartment Price
Price per square meter to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre – 5,659.85 A$
Price per square meter to Buy Apartment in City Centre – 7,801.82 A$
To sum it up, the living cost in Australia can depend on your personal preferences, salary, and other factors. All you need to do is to manage your money to live the life you want.
You may also wish to see and compare with the cost of living in Canada.