As with many other items, the prices of food and drink items vary across Australia. On average, a person can expect to spend anywhere between AUD 250-350 per month (higher in major cities – see table below) on food and groceries.
Australia's food supplies and costs have been battered by the ripples from Russia's war on Ukraine, the pandemic, power prices, inflation, disease, hiccups in freight, labour shortages and the devastating floods. War has pushed up the prices of fertiliser, fuel and transport.
On average, a person living in Australia spends $166 – $232 weekly on groceries and food. The cost of food in Australia is cheaper or more expensive, depending on your preferences. Compared to other places, food here is costly.
Which country is the cheapest? Let's do a quick comparison on global grocery prices: In the US, food is 24.85% cheaper.
Housing in Australia is much more expensive than the UK.
According to Numbeo, Australia ranks 14th for highest cost of living in the world. This places this warm nation higher on the list than the United States, United Kingdom and even Canada (at least when you exclude rent costs). If you do include rent costs, Australia drops down slightly to 15th.
Cold Coast
Gold Coast is one of the cheapest places to live in Australia (89th globally). It is known for its high-standard education and academia and its budget-friendly living.
Australia and the USA are both developed countries with great living standards. Both have a high-quality education system and career opportunities. Australia provides the facility of Medicare for medical services. While the USA also offers healthcare services but at high costs.
1. Chicken parmigiana. This classic Aussie chicken dish – with roots in Italian-American cooking – is a staple offering at many pub menus in the country. Whether you call it a parmi/parmy or a parma (but never a parmo), there's huge debate about where does the best parmigiana in Australia.
Who says all the great food is just in the mainland? With its quality air, water, and soil, Tasmania consistently produces world-class produce and wine, which is why it's home to some of the best restaurants in the country and a staple in Australian food culture.
Food in the UK is 26% cheaper than food in Australia. Generally, food is cheaper in the UK. Only the price of milk and local cheeses is lower in Australia – all else is more expensive. (There are large variations in prices depending on the region and city where you are.)
How bad are Australian diets? Unhealthy diets and obesity are the leading contributors to poor health in Australia. Less than 7% of people in Australia consume a healthy diet consistent with the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Nearly 65% of Australian adults, and 25% of Australian children are overweight or obese.
According to the United Nations, Australia is the second-best country in the world to live, due to its excellent quality of life index. The UN establishes a qualification, also known as the Human Development Index, based on an annual survey of social progress and economic indexes of the 187 countries.
Australia performs well in many dimensions of well-being relative to other countries in the Better Life Index. Australia outperforms the average in income, jobs, education, health, environmental quality, social connections, civic engagement and life satisfaction. These assessments are based on available selected data.
Part of: Australia's welfare 2021
Governments across Australia fund services to support people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness.
Melbourne is considered by some to be the best city to live in Australia, and has even been ranked as the world's most livable city more than once. It's home to a thriving live music scene, late-night bars and laneways dotted with cafés and coffee shops.
Con: High Cost of Living
While the standard of living in Australia is high, so is the cost of living. In fact, Australia is often ranked as one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in. This is due to a number of factors, including the high cost of housing, food, and transportation.
The National Minimum Wage applies to employees not covered by an award or registered agreement. This is the minimum pay rate provided by the Fair Work Act 2009 and is reviewed each year. As of 1 July 2022 the National Minimum Wage is $21.38 per hour or $812.60 per week.
The average full salary in Australia is $77,135 per year or $39.56 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $59,463 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $130,000 per year.