Australia is not a cheap country, but it is a predictable one. Prices include tax, card surcharges are now banned on the main networks, and tipping is optional. Here is what a day really costs, what the big experiences and park passes charge, and where you can save.
How much does a trip to Australia cost per day?
Expect roughly A$100 to A$150 a day on a tight backpacker budget, A$250 to A$400 mid-range and A$500 or more for comfort, per person, before flights and big tours. These are our estimates, built from the prices in this guide, and they assume two people sharing a room on the mid-range and comfort budgets.
| Per person, per day (estimate) | Backpacker | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | A$40–70 (hostel dorm) | A$100–200 (half a hotel double) | A$250+ (half a 4–5 star room) |
| Food and coffee | A$30–45 (self-catering) | A$70–120 (cafés, casual dinners) | A$150+ (restaurants, wine) |
| Local transport | A$10–20 | A$20–40 | A$50+ (taxis, rideshare) |
| Sights and extras | A$15–25 | A$50–80 | A$100+ |
| Daily total | A$100–150 | A$250–400 | A$500+ |
For a reality check, Tourism Research Australia counted 7.8 million international visitors in the year to June 2025. They spent A$35.0 billion in Australia over 301 million nights, or about A$116 a night on average. That figure is pulled down by long-stay students and people visiting family, so short holidays usually cost more per day. We have left out USD and EUR conversions because exchange rates move; convert at the rate on your card.
How much is accommodation in Australia?
Accommodation is usually the biggest daily cost, and it swings most with timing and place. Sydney, the Whitsundays and Uluru sit at the top, and regional towns and Tasmania off-season are cheaper.
- Hostels: dorm beds suit solo travellers; private rooms in hostels are often cheaper than budget hotels.
- Peak dates: Christmas to late January, Easter and school holidays push prices up and fill beds, especially on the coast. Our guide to the best time to visit Australia lists the busy months.
- Remote stays: near Uluru almost every bed is at Ayers Rock Resort, so there is little competition on price. Book early, as covered in what to book ahead.
How expensive are food, coffee and alcohol in Australia?
Eating out is pricey by global standards, but supermarkets and café coffee are good value. The small flat white averaged A$5.16 across more than 1,500 cafés in an October 2026 price tracker, with Sydney the cheapest capital at A$4.93.
- Self-catering: hostels, holiday parks and most apartments have kitchens, and supermarkets are everywhere in towns.
- Lunch over dinner: many cafés and pubs serve good-value lunches, and pub counter meals are a classic budget choice.
- Alcohol: it is heavily taxed, so drinks add up fast. Buy from bottle shops rather than bars, check whether a restaurant is BYO (bring your own wine), and note that adults can bring 2.25 litres of alcohol duty-free when they arrive.
How much does it cost to get around Australia?
Getting around is often the second-biggest cost, because the distances are huge. City transport is cheap if you use the caps; domestic flights and car hire are where budgets stretch.
- Sydney (Opal): tap on and off with an Opal card or a contactless bank card or phone. Adult daily caps are A$19.30 Monday to Thursday and A$9.65 Friday to Sunday, with a A$50 weekly cap. Fares were held at these levels from July 2026. Sydney Airport's stations add an access fee, so check before you ride.
- Melbourne (myki): from 1 January 2026 the full-fare daily cap is A$11.40, or A$8 on weekends. Full-fare adults can now tap a contactless card instead of buying a myki, and trams in the city-centre Free Tram Zone cost nothing.
- Fuel: in early August 2026 the ACCC recorded unleaded averaging about A$2.08 a litre in the five largest cities and about A$2.12 in regional areas, with diesel near A$2.47. Prices moved sharply in 2026 and are higher in remote outback towns.
- Flights and car hire: fares vary widely by route and date. Book early for school holidays, and check one-way drop-off fees on campervans and hire cars.
The fewer long legs you take, the cheaper the trip. Our guide to how many days you need in Australia shows how to group regions to cut flights.
How much do park fees and big experiences cost in Australia?
Most national parks are free, but a few famous ones charge entry, and the headline experiences usually cost A$300 or more each. Pick the ones that matter most to you.
| Fee or experience | Adult price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Uluru-Kata Tjuta park pass | A$38 (3 days) | A$50 for a year; under-18s free; buy online from Parks Australia |
| Tasmania Holiday Pass (up to 2 months) | A$98.35 per vehicle | Up to eight people; A$49.20 per person without a car |
| Outer Great Barrier Reef day trip from Cairns | About A$312 | Great Adventures pontoon trip with lunch and snorkel gear |
| BridgeClimb Summit, Sydney | A$298–434 | Night is cheapest, dawn dearest; weekends cost more |
| Overland Track, Tasmania (1 Oct to 31 May) | A$312 | Fee includes park entry for the walk; A$272 for children and concessions |
In Tasmania a Daily Pass is A$49.15 per vehicle, so the Holiday Pass pays off from the third park day. At Cradle Mountain the A$30.70 adult day pass includes the shuttle bus. For the Red Centre, see our Uluru and Red Centre guide.
Reef prices differ between operators, boats and add-ons such as diving. Our Great Barrier Reef snorkelling and diving guide covers where to go.
How much does an Australian tourist visa cost?
An ETA costs A$20, and an eVisitor is free. The Electronic Travel Authority, for eligible passports such as American and Canadian ones, has no visa charge; the A$20 is a service fee for applying in the official Australian ETA app, the only way to apply. Many European passport holders can instead get a free eVisitor online.
Both allow stays of up to three months each visit, over 12 months. The Australian Embassy in Washington warns that paying more than A$20 for an ETA is a sign of a scam site.
Can tourists get a GST refund in Australia?
Yes. Prices include 10% GST, and the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) refunds the GST, and the wine equalisation tax on wine, on goods you take home. The rules are strict:
- Spend A$300 or more (including GST) with one business, on invoices showing the same ABN.
- Buy within 60 days before you leave, keep the original tax invoices, and pay for the goods yourself.
- Carry the goods on board as cabin baggage, unless they are oversized or restricted and the airline makes you check them in.
- Claim at the TRS facility at least 30 minutes before your flight (60 minutes for cruises), with your goods, invoices, passport and boarding pass.
The refund covers goods, not services, so hotels, meals and tours do not count.
Do you tip in Australia?
No, tipping is not expected. Staff are paid award wages, and the national minimum wage rose to A$26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026. Rounding up or leaving about 10% for great restaurant service is welcome but optional.
Card surcharges have also changed. From 1 October 2026, eftpos, Mastercard and Visa banned surcharges on card payments, including on cards issued overseas, and American Express followed for its credit cards. Weekend and public holiday surcharges are still allowed, so a Sunday brunch bill can be higher.
How can you save money in Australia?
- Travel in the shoulder season: avoid Christmas, Easter and school holidays for cheaper beds and flights.
- Cut long legs: focus on one or two regions rather than flying coast to coast.
- Use transport caps: in Sydney, Friday to Sunday travel caps at A$9.65 a day, and a weekly cap of A$50 rewards a longer stay.
- Buy park passes smart: a Tasmanian Holiday Pass beats daily passes from the third day.
- Cook some meals: a kitchen saves more than any discount card.
- Pick one big splurge per region: one reef day or one climb usually beats several cheaper add-ons.
Prices in Australia usually rise each July, when many fees are indexed to inflation. Check the official page for anything you book.
Facts checked October 2026. Daily budgets are our estimates; fees, fares and visa rules change often, so confirm on the official or operator page before you travel.
- International tourism results, year ending June 2025 (Tourism Research Australia)
- Fair weekly fares continue for Opal network (Transport for NSW)
- Sydney's Opal fares will stay at 2025 prices for the next 12 months (Time Out Sydney)
- Victoria increases public transport fares for 2026 (Australasian Bus and Coach)
- Weekly fuel price monitoring report, 7 August 2026 (ACCC)
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta park passes (Parks Australia)
- Park passes and entry fees (Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service)
- Overland Track bookings and fees (Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service)
- Ticket prices (BridgeClimb Sydney)
- Great Barrier Reef and Green Island tours (Great Adventures)
- Visas and migration: ETA application and fees (Australian Embassy, United States)
- eVisitor, subclass 651 (Department of Home Affairs)
- Tourist Refund Scheme (Australian Taxation Office)
- Duty-free concessions (Australian Border Force)
- Minimum wage increase starts today (Fair Work Ombudsman)
- Removal of card payment surcharges from 1 October 2026: FAQs (Reserve Bank of Australia)
