Australia vs South Africa - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Australia South Africa
🚶 Cost of living one person
$2363
$972
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$5533
$2272
🏠 One person rent
$1378
$492
🏘️ Family rent
$2308
$860
🍽️ Food expenses
$563
$276
🚐 Transport expenses
$274
$121
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$4107
$1527
💸 GDP per capita
$64712
$6253
😃 Human freedom index
8.52
6.92
❤️ Life expectancy
83.2
61.5
👮 Corruption perceptions index
75
41
🌐 English speaking %
92.8%
31%
🎓 Higher education
98
83
😀 Quality of life
95
37
🏙️ Population
26.5M
62M

The average cost of living in Australia ($2363) is 143% more expensive than in South Africa ($972). Australia ranked 12th vs 90th for South Africa in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.7 months in Australia compared to 1.6 months in South Africa. Ranked 4th and 124th best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Australia vs South Africa infographic

Share this infographic!

Prices in Australia vs South Africa

We calculate prices for Australia and South Africa as a population-weighted mean of 64 and 36 cities, respectively. Since large cities tend to have a higher cost of living, it's better to visit specific city pages below for more relevant information.

Australia South Africa
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$15.2
$8.2
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$74.2
$35.1
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$10.3
$4.71
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$7.74
$2.23
 Cappuccino
$3.63
$2.03
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.72
$0.98
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1488
$491
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1139
$357
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2800
$867
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1894
$678
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$116
$66.3
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$179
$102
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$53.9
$41.6
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.35%
11.47%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$9162
$1199
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$6144
$888
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$3.26
$1.77
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$117
$53.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$22.1
$9.36
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.35
$1.32
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.55
$1.12
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.53
$0.99
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.23
$1.45
🥚 Eggs, x12
$4.45
$2.48
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.6
$8.56
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.08
$5.09
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.6
$6.88
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.36
$1.57
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.86
$1.53
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.02
$1.5
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.33
$1.59
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.46
$1.39
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.19
$1.41
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.05
$0.64
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.61
$1.37
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$13.7
$5.62
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$4.95
$1.37
🚬 Cigarette pack
$27.5
$2.94
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$6.96
$4.76
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.87
$3.55
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.05
$1.85
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.25
$1.31
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$51
$30.6
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$15.1
$6.65
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$58.9
$29.9
💇 Haircut, simple
$20.3
$6.65
👖 Brand Jeans
$79
$50.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$113
$91.9
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$1814
$203
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$16573
$4974

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in Australia vs South Africa

More countries to compare

Cost of Living in Popular cities

In Australia

City Cost of living Population
Melbourne
$2397
5.03M
Sydney
$2801
4.84M
Brisbane
$2491
2.36M
Perth
$2345
2.14M
Adelaide
$2246
1.3M
Gold Coast
$2300
608K
Canberra
$2393
381K
Wollongong
$1532
262K
Sunshine Coast
$1733
284K
Ipswich
$1877
233K
Hobart
$2265
197K
Townsville
$1303
174K
Geelong
$1892
180K
Newcastle
$1833
153K
Darwin
$1756
140K
Cairns
$1442
147K
Ballarat
$1357
116K
Bunbury
$2136
75.2K
Toowoomba
$1635
108K
Bendigo
$1397
103K
Melton
$1795
76.3K
Launceston
$1798
80.9K
Coffs Harbour
$1913
74.2K
Rockhampton
$1514
63.2K
Pakenham
$1805
54.1K
Tarneit
$1757
56.4K
Berwick
$1800
50.3K
Hervey Bay
$1835
57.7K
Frankston
$1799
37.3K
Kalgoorlie
$1571
30.8K

In South Africa

City Cost of living Population
Johannesburg
$1079
4.43M
Cape Town
$1120
3.78M
Soweto
$971
1.27M
Pretoria
$909
742K
Pietermaritzburg
$674
839K
Rustenburg
$943
550K
Durban
$834
595K
Randburg
$874
337K
Centurion
$838
237K
East London
$703
267K
Sandton
$997
222K
Port Elizabeth
$970
312K
Benoni
$822
159K
Kroonstad
$788
169K
Springs
$696
122K
Klerksdorp
$689
187K
Kimberley
$859
225K
Bloemfontein
$696
256K
Paarl
$850
112K
Vereeniging
$717
99K
Vanderbijlpark
$768
95.8K
Mthatha
$862
96.1K
Potchefstroom
$717
149K
Uitenhage
$901
104K
Komani
$953
68.9K
George
$790
157K
Middelburg
$841
87.3K
Bethal
$819
60.8K
Upington
$741
121K
Brits
$848
53.5K