Australia (Part 1) – Is it really expensive?

The answer to that question is a flat YES! Okay end of blog – BYE

In all seriousness, yes visiting Australia is an expensive feat and you can easily see the money slip through your wallets, simply because there is so much to see, do and eat. In regards to if Australia is [more] expensive – I don’t think so to be honest, but hear me out.

Minimum Wage

While I was planning to visit Australia, one of the key terms I kept hearing was “expensive;” everyone I talked to said it is an expensive country to visit. But after visiting the country I thought everything was fairly priced. You have to understand, the prices were created with the good ol’ Aussies in mind, and in that regards the prices were fair. This is one of the most well-payed countries in the world, with the minimum wage starting at around $20/hour; the prices make sense. I thought $15/hour in Alberta, Canada was awesome, but the entire country just beat Canada (one of the better-paying countries) in the minimum wage. So naturally, the cost of living is going to be expensive. Even then, comparing it to Canada, for the most part, it was similar or maybe a dollar or two more.

For example, a meal in a middle-class restaurant will cost you between $14 to $20, depending on what you get. You go to similar restaurants in Canada, it is about the same as well but add in the tax and tips, it is sometimes more than what you will end up paying in Australia. Of course, it is different from cities to cities and states/provinces to states/provinces. But having visited most of the major cities in Canada and Australia, and having lived in Toronto for a year, I can say that the prices are similar in Australia.

Comparison – Sydney, Toronto & Melbourne

To put things into perspective, I used the website www.numbeo.com to compare prices between Sydney and Toronto, two of the most expensive cities in the world. After the comparison, the results were that Sydney was slightly more expensive than Toronto! However, the minimum wage in Toronto is $14/hour and minimum wage in Sydney is $20 per hour, and the Australian dollar is only 5 cents weaker compared to the Canadian dollar. If I was comparing Melbourne instead of Sydney, it is much cheaper than Toronto, and Melbourne charts top 5 cities for quality of life every year, and it is one of the expensive cities in Australia.

Talking to some friends in Australia, I realized that during my time being employed, I was getting paid far less compared to the Aussies for a similar role. Even as a senior analyst at a marketing firm in Edmonton, I was making less or was on par compared to some of the ‘low paying’ jobs in Australia.

Parting Thoughts

Although I hope, as a nation Canada increases its minimum wage and follow its cousin, Canada is one of the best places to live in the world. The comparison between the two countries was simply because of my residence in Canada and due to having lived in one of the most expensive cities (Toronto) in the country and the world. The whole point of this article is to simply say that Australia is not as expensive as people make it out to be. It is on par with visiting any developed countries. Hostels, food, and adventures all have similar price tags.

EXCEPT for McDonald’s! McDonald’s is expensive in Australia, and I can’t wrap my head around it! 😀