Cost of Living: New York vs Australia (Perth, Darwin, Adelaide)
How expensive is Australia compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and AUD — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- Perth, Darwin, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart
- Price level vs US average
- 94.4 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Exchange rate (2025 avg.)
- 1 USD = 1.552 AUD
- Purchasing-power parity
- 1 USD of US-average spending ≈ 1.465 AUD
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2025); New York: BEA 2024
⚠️ This is Australia’s national average. Major cities — especially Perth — are usually more expensive, mostly because of rent, so treat this as a lower bound for big-city living.
Frequently asked questions
Is Australia cheaper than New York?
Yes. Australia is 16% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 84, New York = 100).
What salary in Australia equals $100,000 in New York?
About $83,836 a year (about A$130,113 at purchasing-power parity) buys the same standard of living in Australia as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Is Perth more expensive than Australia’s national average?
Usually, yes. The comparison here uses Australia’s national average price level; large cities such as Perth, Darwin, Adelaide typically cost more than the national figure, especially for rent.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2025 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.