The Cost of Food & Drink, Recreation And Entertainment In Australia
In her article Swati Iyer looks at the cost of living in Australia. Here we cover the costs of food & drink, recreation and entertainment.
Taken from an article written by Swati Iyerfor Instarem
Food & Drink
As with many other items, the prices of food and drink items vary across Australia.
On average, a person can expect to spend anywhere betweenAUD 250-350 per month(higher in major cities – see table below) on food and groceries. This would include purchases such as bread, rice, meat, fish, cereal, soft drinks and condiments from supermarkets like Coles or Woolworths, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables from produce markets. Prices of the latter fluctuate depending on the season (cheaper in summer and more expensive in winter) and supply. Most supermarkets run daily and weekly specials so it is possible to reduce the supermarket bill by at least 20-30%. Vegetarians can save even more.
Monthly food costs:
- Melbourne – AUD 280-360
- Brisbane – AUD 280 – 350
- Perth – AUD 290-370
- Darwin – AUD 300-370
- Canberra – AUD 300-370
- Sydney – AUD 300-380
- Adelaide – AUD 310-390
- Gold Coast – AUD 310-400
- Hobart – AUD 320-410
*For a non-vegetarian consuming at least 2,400 calories/day
Eating out can be cheap or expensive, depending on the city and type of restaurant. Sydney and Melbourne – the home of MasterChef Australia – provide a number of options for eating out, from fast food restaurants to high-end establishments. An average basic meal can cost anywhere between AUD 15 and 20. A good meal at a nice restaurant will cost at least AUD 40, while a McDonald’s value meal will cost between AUD 8 and 11.
Half a litre of domestic beer can cost a little over AUD 5 when purchased at a supermarket. Prices are lower during happy hours and at backpacker bars (AUD 4-5). A pack of 6 beers will cost approximately AUD 14 at a supermarket. A bottle of good-quality red table wine will cost at least AUD 20. Teetotallers who want to buy a 2-litre bottle of Coca-Cola can expect to pay a little over AUD 3 for it. Australians love their coffee (for good reason), with Sydney and Melbourne offering the best barista-brewed coffee in Australia. A cup of takeaway coffee can cost between AUD 3.8 for a long black to AUD 4.29 for a mocha. The price of a cappuccino, flat white and short black will fall somewhere between these levels. A chai latte (Indian-style tea with milk and spices) will cost approximately AUD 4.4; a hot chocolate goes for about AUD 4.14 and an iced coffee for around AUD 5.4.
Cigarettes are very expensive in Australia. One pack of Marlboros will set you back by about AUD 30.
Recreation & Entertainment
If you are moving from a developing country to Australia, the prices of entertainment and recreation activities will seem quite high. On average, two tickets to a movie will cost somewhere between AUD 32-36. For the culturally-inclined, a visit to a theatre to watch a musical or dance performance can cost you over AUD 200 (2 tickets, best seats).
If you prefer to get your dose of entertainment at home, you can purchase a subscription to Pay TV, a provider of digital cable and satellite TV programming. To subscribe to Pay TV in Australia, you need to sign a contract with one of the providers and pay for a set-top box plus installation charges. Here’s a lowdown on the major Pay-TV providers in Australia along with their base prices:
- Foxtel – AUD26 a month – Additional packages like movies, sport and drama will cost AUD 10-29 extra (per month)
- Fetch with iiNet – AUD 10 a month – Up to four additional channel packs can be added (AUD 6) each. A comprehensive ultimate bundle is also available (AUD 25 per month)
- Telstra TV – AUD25 a month – Larger package with more movies also available
Australia also offers a number of Internet-based on-demand streaming services. Price for monthly basic package:
- Amazon Prime – AUD 6.99 a month – 30-day free trial
- Hayu standard – AUD 6.99 a month – 30-day free trial
- Foxtel Platinum HD – AUD 13.99 a month
- Netflix Basic – AUD 9.99 a month – 30-day free trial
- Netflix Standard – AUD 13.99 a month – 30-day free trial
- Netflix Premium – AUD 17.99 a month – 30-day free trial
- Stan Basic – AUD 10 a month
- Stan Standard – AUD 12 a month – 30-day free trial
- Stan Premium – AUD 15 a month – 30-day free trial
If you’re a health-conscious person, 1 month’s gym membership in the business district of a city like Melbourne or Sydney will cost about AUD 80.
FAQs
The average cost of living in Australia is INR 97,500 per month, excluding the rent. This includes a variety of other daily expenses such as food, medical and transportation. The average rent in Australia is INR 1.2- 1.1. 3 Lakh inside the city centre and INR 1.1-1.2 outside the city.
How much does food and drink cost in Australia? ›
An average basic meal can cost anywhere between AUD 15 and 20. A good meal at a nice restaurant will cost at least AUD 40, while a McDonald's value meal will cost between AUD 8 and 11. Half a litre of domestic beer can cost a little over AUD 5 when purchased at a supermarket.
Is it cheaper to live in Australia or the USA? ›
But how expensive is it? Australia currently has the 12th highest cost of living in the world, with the USA and UK well behind at 21 and 23rd place respectively. The overall cost of living in Australia is 9% higher than the USA, but 10% cheaper than London.
How much does the average person spend on entertainment per month in Australia? ›
It found the average monthly household spend on digital entertainment services has fallen 8 per cent to $57. In 2022 people were spending an average of $62 a month on subscriptions, while in 2021 the average was $55. This is despite the cost of some subscriptions increasing.
How much does food cost in Australia? ›
What is the cost of food for a month in Australia? First of all, in Australia as pay and rent tends to be weekly, we do all of our costs per week, not per month. The average cost of groceries per person in Australia is $93 per week.
What is the basic cost of living in Australia? ›
However, Expatistan estimates the current cost of living in Australia is roughly AU $4,312 per month for a single person or AU $7,786 per month for a family of four. Based on these figures, the cost of living in Australia is ranked more expensive than in 87% of countries in the World (10 out of 68).
How much is a bottle of water in Australia? ›
| Brand | Source | $/L |
|---|
| Aroona | Australia | $1.35 |
| Cape Grim | Australia | $21.33 |
| Capi ★ | Australia | $3.99 |
| Coles Australian Natural Spring Water | Australia | $1.67 |
29 more rowsAn Australian now requires more than $90,000 annual salary to lead an above-average lifestyle. With the cost of living increasing every year, understanding Australian salary trends has become important.
How much is a gallon of milk in Australia? ›
Cost of Living in Australia
| Restaurants | Edit |
|---|
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 8.75A$ |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.41A$ |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 1.48A$ |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 6.08A$ |
62 more rows“Better work-life balance and worker protections, free health care, best beaches, no gun violence,” one person declared. The person ended the list by saying Australia was also “a lot less right wing compared to the US”. Another described Australia as a “well functioning country” with great weather and beaches.
A man who immigrated from the US said that Australia won 'hands down'. 'Better work-life balance and worker protections, free healthcare, no gun violence in schools. Australia also has the best beaches and so much beautiful nature - forests, mountains, snow, we have it all. '
Is healthcare free in Australia? ›
Healthcare facilities in Australia
Essential and urgent hospital treatment is free. There is a charge to visit GPs and receive prescriptions. Some costs can be recovered through Medicare, Australia's universal health insurance scheme. You can enrol with Medicare through Services Australia.
What is expensive in Australia? ›
Major expenses when living in Australia include housing, food, utilities, petrol, healthcare and education fees. Cost of living varies depending on where you live, with major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane the most expensive.
How much does the average Australian spend on entertainment a week? ›
The average Australian adult spends $132 a week on entertainment, comprising $71 on going out, $47 on home entertainment and $15 on gambling. At the bottom of the spectrum, older people living in rural areas were the thriftiest demographic, parting with just $84 a week on leisure activities.
How much do people spend daily in Australia? ›
A backpacker's average daily budget for Australia can be around $60 - $100 AUD per day if your main priority is saving money. But if you want to treat yourself a bit more, aim for $120 - $150 AUD per day.
How much salary is enough to comfortably live in Australia? ›
To have a comfortable life, one should aim for a pre-tax income of at least AU$65,000 to AU$80,000 annually as a single person. However, this varies greatly based on lifestyle choices, spending habits, and individual financial goals.
How much does it cost to live in Australia in US dollars? ›
Average Standard of Living
The average weekly expenditure in Australia is around $2,200 per household. This estimate includes home loans or rent at an average $600 a week, followed by food and eating out at $400, and insurance and other financial services at $200.
