The Cost of Food & Drink, Recreation And Entertainment In Australia

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The Cost of Food & Drink, Recreation And Entertainment In Australia

In her article Swati Iyer looks at the cost of living in Australia. Here we cover the costs of food & drink, recreation and entertainment.

Taken from an article written by Swati Iyer for Instarem

Food & Drink

As with many other items, the prices of food and drink items vary across Australia.

On average, a person can expect to spend anywhere between AUD 250-350 per month (higher in major cities – see table below) on food and groceries. This would include purchases such as bread, rice, meat, fish, cereal, soft drinks and condiments from supermarkets like Coles or Woolworths, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables from produce markets. Prices of the latter fluctuate depending on the season (cheaper in summer and more expensive in winter) and supply. Most supermarkets run daily and weekly specials so it is possible to reduce the supermarket bill by at least 20-30%. Vegetarians can save even more.

Monthly food costs:

Melbourne – AUD 280-360
Brisbane – AUD 280 – 350
Perth – AUD 290-370
Darwin – AUD 300-370
Canberra – AUD 300-370
Sydney – AUD 300-380
Adelaide – AUD 310-390
Gold Coast – AUD 310-400
Hobart – AUD 320-410

*For a non-vegetarian consuming at least 2,400 calories/day

Eating out can be cheap or expensive, depending on the city and type of restaurant. Sydney and Melbourne – the home of MasterChef Australia – provide a number of options for eating out, from fast food restaurants to high-end establishments. An average basic meal can cost anywhere between AUD 15 and 20. A good meal at a nice restaurant will cost at least AUD 40, while a McDonald’s value meal will cost between AUD 8 and 11.

Half a litre of domestic beer can cost a little over AUD 5 when purchased at a supermarket. Prices are lower during happy hours and at backpacker bars (AUD 4-5). A pack of 6 beers will cost approximately AUD 14 at a supermarket. A bottle of good-quality red table wine will cost at least AUD 20. Teetotallers who want to buy a 2-litre bottle of Coca-Cola can expect to pay a little over AUD 3 for it. Australians love their coffee (for good reason), with Sydney and Melbourne offering the best barista-brewed coffee in Australia. A cup of takeaway coffee can cost between AUD 3.8 for a long black to AUD 4.29 for a mocha. The price of a cappuccino, flat white and short black will fall somewhere between these levels. A chai latte (Indian-style tea with milk and spices) will cost approximately AUD 4.4; a hot chocolate goes for about AUD 4.14 and an iced coffee for around AUD 5.4.

Cigarettes are very expensive in Australia. One pack of Marlboros will set you back by about AUD 30.

Recreation & Entertainment

If you are moving from a developing country to Australia, the prices of entertainment and recreation activities will seem quite high. On average, two tickets to a movie will cost somewhere between AUD 32-36. For the culturally-inclined, a visit to a theatre to watch a musical or dance performance can cost you over AUD 200 (2 tickets, best seats).

If you prefer to get your dose of entertainment at home, you can purchase a subscription to Pay TV, a provider of digital cable and satellite TV programming. To subscribe to Pay TV in Australia, you need to sign a contract with one of the providers and pay for a set-top box plus installation charges. Here’s a lowdown on the major Pay-TV providers in Australia along with their base prices:

Foxtel – AUD26 a month – Additional packages like movies, sport and drama will cost AUD 10-29 extra (per month)
Fetch with iiNet – AUD 10 a month – Up to four additional channel packs can be added (AUD 6) each. A comprehensive ultimate bundle is also available (AUD 25 per month)
Telstra TV – AUD25 a month – Larger package with more movies also available

Australia also offers a number of Internet-based on-demand streaming services. Price for monthly basic package:

Amazon Prime – AUD 6.99 a month – 30-day free trial
Hayu standard – AUD 6.99 a month – 30-day free trial
Foxtel Platinum HD – AUD 13.99 a month
Netflix Basic – AUD 9.99 a month – 30-day free trial
Netflix Standard – AUD 13.99 a month – 30-day free trial
Netflix Premium – AUD 17.99 a month – 30-day free trial
Stan Basic – AUD 10 a month
Stan Standard – AUD 12 a month – 30-day free trial
Stan Premium – AUD 15 a month – 30-day free trial

If you’re a health-conscious person, 1 month’s gym membership in the business district of a city like Melbourne or Sydney will cost about AUD 80.

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.