Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Canberra 

Indices DifferenceInfo
Consumer Prices in Canberra are 1.2% higher than in Washington, DC (without rent)
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Canberra are 16.9% lower than in Washington, DC
Rent Prices in Canberra are 40.9% lower than in Washington, DC
Restaurant Prices in Canberra are 19.1% higher than in Washington, DC
Groceries Prices in Canberra are 4.2% lower than in Washington, DC
Local Purchasing Power in Canberra is 38.5% lower than in Washington, DC
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
Washington, DC Edit Canberra Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 25.00 $
(37.85 A$)
32.36 $
(49.00 A$)
     +29.5 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 100.00 $
(151.40 A$)
132.10 $
(200.00 A$)
     +32.1 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 12.00 $
(18.17 A$)
9.91 $
(15.00 A$)
     -17.4 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 8.00 $
(12.11 A$)
8.92 $
(13.50 A$)
     +11.5 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 9.00 $
(13.63 A$)
8.59 $
(13.00 A$)
     -4.6 %
Cappuccino (regular) 5.37 $
(8.13 A$)
3.80 $
(5.76 A$)
     -29.2 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 2.48 $
(3.76 A$)
2.87 $
(4.34 A$)
     +15.5 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.27 $
(3.43 A$)
2.40 $
(3.63 A$)
     +5.9 %
Markets
Washington, DC Edit Canberra Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 4.27 $
(6.46 A$)
6.81 $
(10.32 A$)
     +59.7 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 3.52 $
(5.33 A$)
2.34 $
(3.55 A$)
     -33.5 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 2.32 $
(3.51 A$)
0.98 $
(1.48 A$)
     -57.7 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 4.06 $
(6.15 A$)
4.44 $
(6.73 A$)
     +9.4 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 6.40 $
(9.69 A$)
4.99 $
(7.56 A$)
     -22.0 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 5.74 $
(8.69 A$)
3.98 $
(6.02 A$)
     -30.7 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 7.97 $
(12.06 A$)
6.93 $
(10.49 A$)
     -13.0 %
Apples (1 lb) 2.34 $
(3.55 A$)
1.58 $
(2.39 A$)
     -32.6 %
Banana (1 lb) 0.92 $
(1.40 A$)
1.28 $
(1.94 A$)
     +38.4 %
Oranges (1 lb) 2.28 $
(3.46 A$)
1.55 $
(2.35 A$)
     -32.0 %
Tomato (1 lb) 2.56 $
(3.88 A$)
2.69 $
(4.08 A$)
     +5.2 %
Potato (1 lb) 1.57 $
(2.38 A$)
1.22 $
(1.84 A$)
     -22.5 %
Onion (1 lb) 1.54 $
(2.34 A$)
1.05 $
(1.59 A$)
     -31.9 %
Lettuce (1 head) 2.80 $
(4.23 A$)
2.53 $
(3.83 A$)
     -9.5 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 2.67 $
(4.04 A$)
2.33 $
(3.53 A$)
     -12.5 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 16.00 $
(24.22 A$)
13.87 $
(21.00 A$)
     -13.3 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 2.30 $
(3.48 A$)
5.34 $
(8.09 A$)
     +132.3 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 4.63 $
(7.01 A$)
6.02 $
(9.11 A$)
     +29.9 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 12.11 $
(18.33 A$)
26.42 $
(40.00 A$)
     +118.3 %
Transportation
Washington, DC Edit Canberra Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 2.50 $
(3.79 A$)
3.14 $
(4.75 A$)
     +25.5 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 80.00 $
(121.12 A$)
113.14 $
(171.30 A$)
     +41.4 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 3.50 $
(5.30 A$)
3.96 $
(6.00 A$)
     +13.2 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 3.51 $
(5.32 A$)
2.76 $
(4.18 A$)
     -21.3 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 30.00 $
(45.42 A$)
39.63 $
(60.00 A$)
     +32.1 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 3.64 $
(5.50 A$)
5.21 $
(7.89 A$)
     +43.3 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 35,699.74 $
(54,049.58 A$)
29,341.38 $
(44,423.00 A$)
     -17.8 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 26,275.78 $
(39,781.66 A$)
23,282.62 $
(35,250.00 A$)
     -11.4 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Washington, DC Edit Canberra Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 171.50 $
(259.65 A$)
257.00 $
(389.10 A$)
     +49.9 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 58.82 $
(89.06 A$)
33.80 $
(51.17 A$)
     -42.5 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 63.57 $
(96.25 A$)
70.56 $
(106.83 A$)
     +11.0 %
Sports And Leisure
Washington, DC Edit Canberra Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 104.29 $
(157.89 A$)
66.61 $
(100.85 A$)
     -36.1 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 31.22 $
(47.26 A$)
21.09 $
(31.94 A$)
     -32.4 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 16.68 $
(25.25 A$)
15.19 $
(23.00 A$)
     -8.9 %
Childcare
Washington, DC Edit Canberra Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 2,326.57 $
(3,522.44 A$)
1,818.58 $
(2,753.33 A$)
     -21.8 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 51,000.00 $
(77,214.26 A$)
15,307.08 $
(23,175.00 A$)
     -70.0 %
Clothing And Shoes
Washington, DC Edit Canberra Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 73.41 $
(111.15 A$)
93.95 $
(142.24 A$)
     +28.0 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 50.96 $
(77.15 A$)
85.91 $
(130.06 A$)
     +68.6 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 115.93 $
(175.52 A$)
133.27 $
(201.77 A$)
     +15.0 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 173.48 $
(262.65 A$)
181.59 $
(274.93 A$)
     +4.7 %
Rent Per Month
Washington, DC Edit Canberra Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 2,519.32 $
(3,814.26 A$)
1,813.94 $
(2,746.32 A$)
     -28.0 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 2,058.28 $
(3,116.24 A$)
1,445.59 $
(2,188.62 A$)
     -29.8 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 5,360.53 $
(8,115.86 A$)
2,778.57 $
(4,206.77 A$)
     -48.2 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 3,754.41 $
(5,684.20 A$)
2,091.55 $
(3,166.62 A$)
     -44.3 %
Buy Apartment Price
Washington, DC Edit Canberra Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 910.84 $
(1,379.01 A$)
749.81 $
(1,135.22 A$)
     -17.7 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 625.87 $
(947.57 A$)
622.36 $
(942.26 A$)
     -0.6 %
Salaries And Financing
Washington, DC Edit Canberra Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 6,033.45 $
(9,134.68 A$)
3,081.48 $
(4,665.37 A$)
     -48.9 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 6.55 6.32      -3.5 %
Last update: May 2024April 2024
Contributors in the past 12 months:13597