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Cost of living

Overview of the cost of living in Australia and New Zealand.

Cost of living in Australia

 

The following table represents the average weekly spend of an Australian household in relation to their life stage.

Item Single
(under 35)		 Couple only
(under 35)		 Couple & children
(eldest under 5)		 Couple & children
(between 4-14)		 Couple & children
(between 14-24)
Housing $278 $360 $364 $325 $242
Fuel & power $20 $26 $28 $43 $48
Food & drink $104 $207 $224 $279 $314
Clothing $23 $52 $54 $64 $82
Medical & health $24 $58 $67 $77 $104
Alcohol $24 $41 $26 $31 $35
Transport $142 $224 $220 $254 $332
Recreation $106 $182 $132 $208 $253
TOTAL $869 $1,429 $1,484 $1,670 $1,900

 

(Source: Money Smart - Australian government 2016)

More detailed information can be found on the Australian government's Money Smart website at the link below.

Cost of living in New Zealand

Overall the cost of living in New Zealand is comparable to any OECD country.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) currently applies at 15%.

For more information about the average family budget, refer to New Zealand Now website at the link below.