CostTrek

✦ Compare countries

Australia vs Japan

Japan is {pct} {word} than Australia. Compare cost of living, taxes, salaries and visas — and the salary you’d need in Japan to match Australia.

Australia vs Japan at a glance — Japan is 22% cheaper than Australia overall. Average net salary: $2,600/mo vs $3,900/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 45%.

AustraliaJapan
Cost of living
Cost of living index12395
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)45%45%
VAT / sales tax10%10%
Corporate tax30%30%
Capital gains—20.3%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$3,900/mo$2,600/mo
Minimum wage$2,600/mo$1,300/mo
GDP per capita$65,130✓$35,951✓
Inflation (annual)2.9%✓3.2%✓
Life expectancy83 yr✓84 yr✓
Quality of life
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighModerate
Digital-nomad visaNoYes

✓ = official statistics (World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

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? Frequently asked questions

Is Australia cheaper than Japan?

Japan is about 22% cheaper than Australia overall — its cost-of-living index is 95 versus 123 for Australia.

How much do you need to earn in Japan to live like in Australia?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Australia is worth about $58,183 in Japan. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.