How Much Does It Cost to Live In Darwin?
Darwin is not so popular city among tourists, but its popularity in the recent years has contributed to the increasing of the cost of living in the city.
This means that it is in the ranking with the most expensive Australian cities.
Nevertheless, if you get familiar with all the expenses that awaits you once you get there, there are always ways to save money and survive on the earned budget.
Australia : Cost of Living by City
Cost of Living in Australia
RESTAURANTS
This city belongs to the rather rich cities in Australia and the standard of living is high, thus affecting the prices in its restaurants.
On average, a meal for one person in an inexpensive restaurant can cost up to $15.
The price of beer is much higher than in some less developed countries, as well as the bottle of water.
MARKETS
Taking into consideration the fact that restaurants are not affordable, many people look for local markets which offer quite cheaper groceries and food stuff than supermarket shopping.
They also decide to prepare their own food, thus making their life more affordable.
TRANSPORTATION
As in the whole Australia, the public transportation in the city of Darwin is extremely developed and has extensive bus and train networks.
Even though it is quite expensive, getting around Darwin is very convenient and still much cheaper than in other Australian major cities.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Not only are the rents in popular areas quite expensive, but the utilities that has to be paid take a pretty big amount of money.
Only the telephone can be said to be inexpensive, unlike all the other services of utmost importance, such as water, electricity and heating.
SPORTS & LEISURE
Due to the fact that you can always have a good time outside, because of the perfect weather condition, you can do sport without spending too much money.
That is why the fitness club prices are reasonable and the tennis court rent is cheaper than in Europe.
CLOTHING & SHOES
People from Darwin, as the people from most major cities in Australia, do not focus a lot on clothing and spend very little money on it.
This might be the case because designer clothes and shoes are too expensive.
You will need to have pretty high salaries to be able to afford a pair of running shoes here, but it is still in accordance with the average salaries of its citizens.
RENT PER MONTH
Australia is a country which offers a lot, but it is not easy surviving there, considering the fact that renting a home is often the biggest expense and takes half of your monthly salary.
There is a difference in prices between the attractive areas in the city center and places out of the city.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Darwin
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $15.67 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $5.52 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $2.03 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.21 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $1.54 |
| Eggs (12) | $3.57 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $2.14 |
| Monthly Pass | $59.45 |
| Gasoline | $1.05 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $203.40 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.08 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $52.22 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $36.65 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $8.19 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $14.96 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $73.59 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $40.36 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $86.98 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $1023.71 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $879.57 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $1877.36 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Darwin?
All in all, people from Darwin are spending a lot of money per month on a series of common expenditures.
The two most important expenses include rent and markets, and more than a half of monthly salary goes for them.
Pretty much money is spent on restaurants, even though they are quite expensive.
Fuel, power, sports and public transport are among those expenses that are less important , but still much money is spend on them.
Again, as in the whole Australia, the least money is spent on clothing.
Average Costs Breakdown
Darwin: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
Australia is everybody’s dream land and Darwin can be considered a city where you can start your new life.
It has small population and the cost of living is high, but the prices are lower than in Sydney and Melbourne and this should be an important element for your decision.
Darwin residents have high wages as in other cities in Australia, but less expenses in terms of transportation, food costs and rent, which makes it a perfect place for living.
Darwin Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Darwin Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Cost of Living by City in Darwin
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Adelaide | 72.92 |
| Brisbane | 70.46 |
| Canberra | 69.88 |
| Gold Coast | 64.53 |
| Hobart | 69.1 |
| Melbourne | 74.53 |
| Newcastle | 71.42 |
| Perth | 75.09 |
| Sydney | 79.93 |
