A high standard of living, compulsory health insurance, an excellent pension system, quality education - all this attracts Russians to Australia. But before deciding to move to this country, you should be aware of the less pleasant aspects that can reduce the comfort of living. For example, a new resident of the fifth continent will have to adapt to multiculturalism. In addition, prices for food, housing and education are high in Australia.
Food costs
On average, one Australian family of 4 leaves about 250 AUD each week in trade enterprises (this is how the Australian dollar is denoted according to the international standard ISO 4217).
Moreover, these are the costs of food without exotic, which a local resident with an average salary can afford (in 2021 it is equal to 1164, 6AUD / week), for example, when a crocodile or kangaroo steak is not purchased.
The article “National employment standards in Australia and average salaries in 2021” will tell about the state of the labor market in Australia, minimum, average wages, their taxation.
Prices in shops and supermarkets
The most popular supermarkets in Australia are Coles and Woolworth. They are located in shopping centers, have a convenient location and parking.
Food prices in Australia in supermarkets in Melbourne and Sydney are almost identical. Information on the cost of the main components of the consumer basket is presented in the table.
| December | January | February | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 17-26 | 19-26 | 19-26 |
| Melbourne | 12-24 | 17-26 | 17-27 |
| Canberra | 11-26 | 13-28 | 13-28 |
| Perth | 15-29 | 17-32 | 17-32 |
| Adelaide | 14-26 | 17-28 | 17-28 |
| Darwin | 25-33 | 25-32 | 25-31 |
Many are interested in how much a pack of cigarettes costs in Australia. Note that double-digit numbers appear here, and not in ruble terms, but even in local and American currencies - 20-25A UD ($ 13.48-16.84). In terms of Russian banknotes, you get 874-1092 rubles. For comparison: in the Russian market, the cost of a pack of Marlboro brands Gold and Red is 145 rubles.
In order to reduce the number of smokers, the Australian government plans to increase tobacco excise taxes. As a result, the price of a pack in 2021 will exceed 40 AUD.
A few words about baby food in Australia. Prices for it fluctuate in a wide range. For example, a pack of 6 250ml Australian Made cans of milk powder costs 37.06AUD ($ 25). And one 900 ml can of S-26 infant soy puree will cost 22.24 AUD (15 $).
Stores work in Australia, each according to its own schedule. On weekdays, they usually open at 9:00 and end at 17:30 (on Saturday, usually at 17:00).
At the same time, on one of the days of the week (most often Thursday or Friday) grocery stores serve customers until 21.00. Some trade enterprises consider Sunday as a day off. But the doors of many are open to visitors from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on this day.
Prices in Australian cafes and restaurants
Australia's popular cafes and restaurants offer both continental cuisine and traditional English dishes. Prices depend on the category of a particular institution.
In order to save money, tourists usually prefer inexpensive cafes. The average score in them is as follows:
- lunch for one person - 17 AUD ($ 11.5);
- Big Mac set at McDonald's 11.27 AUD (7.6 $).
Below are the average prices for restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney:
- carbonara paste - 15 AUD;
- Caesar salad - 12 AUD;
- pizza - up to 16 AUD;
- main meat or fish dish - up to 18 AUD;
- alcoholic cocktails - 17 AUD.
For example, the average bill per person in a Stokehouse restaurant (Melbourne) is 74 AUD.
Housing costs
Housing costs determine the cost of living in Australia the most:
- Renting a 1-room apartment in one of the central areas of Sydney will cost about 2,300 AUD / month.
- For a sub-rental of housing of the same category on the outskirts of this city, you will have to pay about 1,700 AUD / month.
- Renting a 3-room apartment in the center of Sydney will cost 4,600 AUD / month, and on the outskirts - 2,800 AUD / month.
- The cost of 1 m2 of housing when buying it in the center of Sydney is 13,700AUD, and when purchasing an apartment closer to the outskirts - 8,200AUD.
A table on the level of housing costs in Australian dollars in other major cities of the Green Continent is presented below.
| December | January | February | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 17-26 | 19-26 | 19-26 |
| Melbourne | 12-24 | 17-26 | 17-27 |
| Canberra | 11-26 | 13-28 | 13-28 |
| Perth | 15-29 | 17-32 | 17-32 |
| Adelaide | 14-26 | 17-28 | 17-28 |
| Darwin | 25-33 | 25-32 | 25-31 |
The landlord needs to pay utility fees. The cost of a small apartment looks something like this:
- water consumption - 30 AUD;
- gas supply - 80 AUD;
- power supply - 150 AUD. The cost of electricity in Australia is $ 0.0971 per 1 kWh.
In addition, there is a charge for infrastructure development and garbage collection: 100-350 AUD per quarter. Sewerage and water supply costs about 100-140 AUD / quarter.
For townhouses and apartments, a payment is established for the services provided by the management company (it is called Strata Corp. - strata). Costs per stratum in the amount not exceeding 500 AUD per quarter are considered to be low. The average cost of paying for her services ranges from 700 to 1,000 AUD, and in residential complexes of the elite category reaches 2,500 AUD.
Transportation costs
Public transport in Australia is well developed only in large cities and their surroundings. Each state has its own rules regarding the cost of tickets, types of travel and other nuances.
Continuing the conversation about Sydney, let's note the main points in this regard:
- city bus:
- the cost of an adult's one-way trip depends on the distance and ranges from 2 to 4 AUD;
- the price of a ticket for 10 trips for an adult - from 16 to 34.4 AUD;
- the Airport Link train ride to the airport from Sydney city center costs 15 AUD and takes only 10 minutes;
- Taxi:
- landing cost - 2.5 AUD;
- per 1 km of travel, AUD 0.7 is charged.
The car rental service is widespread in Australia. To use it, you need to show your passport, driver's license and be the owner of a credit card. Moreover, a foreigner must have a valid visa.
The daily cost of renting a vehicle in the winter season starts from $ 50, and in the summer - from $ 60. Before deciding to rent a car, you need to find out how much gasoline costs at Australian gas stations. Otherwise, it is possible that it will be cheaper to travel by public transport.
So, at the beginning of 2021, the average cost of high-octane fuel in Australia is 1.53 AUD / liter.
Education expenses
The education system in Australia has 3 levels. Let's take a quick look at each of them.
- Preschool education. Preschool attendance is optional. Kindergartens are of the following types: Long day care, Family day care, and Pre-school. Preparation for school is carried out in kindergartens of the latter type. For the day the child is there, his parents pay 45 AUD.
- School education. Divided into primary and secondary schools. The state covers the costs of school camps, uniforms, textbooks, stationery. On the part of the parents, additional costs of at least $ 316 / year will be required. Tuition fees in private schools range from 20,000 - 25,000 AUD.
- Higher education is subdivided into: basic, higher complete, postgraduate studies.
Depending on the prestige of the university and the specialty, the tuition fee per year varies from 18,000 to 40,000 AUD.
The article “How to get education in Australia” tells about the structure of the Australian education system, about student life.
Australian medicine cost
Healthcare in Australia is largely government-funded. But private insurance companies also offer their services.
Free medical care is provided in the following situations:
- natural disasters;
- accidents;
- assistance to women in labor, pensioners, children.
Australian medicine involves compulsory health insurance. Employed policy is issued by the employer.People who do not have a job are provided with state insurance.
The most popular services are provided by private companies providing health insurance under the “two adults plus two children under 18” scheme. This type of policy covers almost all areas of medicine and costs about 150 AUD per month for 4 people.
The benefit is clear when you consider that the cost of transportation to the hospital in an ambulance reaches 800 AUD (in the state of South Australia). And the cost of treatment in an ordinary local hospital is also rather big - only a week course can cost several thousand dollars.
A lot of comprehensive information about Australia and its inhabitants is collected in the article “Australia: the life of ordinary people”.
Take a sociological survey!
Prices for clothes, shoes, household appliances
Shopping in Australia is distinguished primarily by the fact that there are a lot of stores in the country, but there are very few items of leading brands in them. Mostly models from local designers can be seen in the windows.
It is interesting about shopping and shops in Australia described in the material “Shopping tour to Australia: what to bring for yourself, family and friends”.
As for clothing and footwear from world-famous manufacturers, prices in Australia are quite comparable to those in Russia. Judge for yourself:
- Levis jeans model 501 cost an average of $ 79.7 (5,185 rubles);
- a dress in a Zara store will cost approximately $ 56.7 (3 689 ₽);
- for a pair of Adidas / Nike sneakers you will have to pay about $ 103.9 (6 760 ₽).
Foreigners planning to move to the Green Continent are interested in the prices for household appliances in Australia in 2021. The fact is that, having rented a house, you only get the stove at your disposal. This is the way it is in this country.
Everything else will have to be bought. The cost of basic household appliances is presented in the table.
| December | January | February | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 17-26 | 19-26 | 19-26 |
| Melbourne | 12-24 | 17-26 | 17-27 |
| Canberra | 11-26 | 13-28 | 13-28 |
| Perth | 15-29 | 17-32 | 17-32 |
| Adelaide | 14-26 | 17-28 | 17-28 |
| Darwin | 25-33 | 25-32 | 25-31 |
Other expenses
Most Russians during their holidays in Australia keep in touch with loved ones and business partners, attracting the services of mobile communication providers. The tariffs of one of the most popular providers in Australia - Telstra - look like this:
- for 1 Mb of Internet traffic, 0.1 AUD is charged;
- sending an international message - 0.2 AUD;
- domestic service costs 0.12 AUD
- a minute of conversation within Australia costs 0.15 AUD.
The package price for 30 days is 20 AUD.
The traveler must also reserve a certain amount for gifts and souvenirs. If you study the reviews of tourists, it turns out that it is best to bring from Australia:
- Ethnic boomerangs. The minimum price for such a souvenir is 3 AUD.
- Eucalyptus oil. A standard jar of this remedy will cost 10 AUD.
- Tableware and interior details with spot painting. The price starts from the same 10 AUD.
- Macadamia nuts. They are produced in chocolate glaze and caramel. A small box of treats costs 9 AUD.
Conclusion
The Australian government's pricing policy is helping to improve the living standards of local residents. Thanks to this, people employed in low-skilled labor also have good earnings.
Yes, prices in Australia are rather big. At the same time, everyone can ensure a decent life by local standards.
The most significant expense item is buying a home and paying utility bills. According to experts, the cost of living in Australia's largest city - Sydney - per person per year is 18,600 AUD.
However, such large expenditures do not prevent residents of the country from setting aside a certain part of their income for travel and entertainment.
