How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Adelaide?

Adelaide has been hailed as an incredibly livable city - in the global top five in fact. Why? The southern city draws a crowd thanks to its sporting events, great food, oh, and the cost of living in Adelaide is lower than many other mainland Australian capitals.

While the cost of living in Adelaide may be cheaper than Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne, a clear and informed budget is still essential if you’re considering a move there.

To help you crunch the numbers we’ve put together clear and up-to-date budgets for:

• The Adelaide property market (renting and buying options covered)
• Vehicle and transport expenses
• Food and dining costs
• Household bills

And since budgets are all relative to the amount that you earn, we’ve got the info on Adelaide salaries and wages too.

Rental properties Adelaide - average costs

Adelaide may be one of the cheaper cities to live in in Australia but that doesn’t mean residents have avoided the rental hikes that have impacted tenants across the country.

According to the June PropTrack Market Insight Report, rental prices in Adelaide have risen by 11.8% over the last financial year, with the median advertised rent now sitting at $570 per week.

To help you choose a location in Adelaide that meets your budget, we’ve detailed the different areas of the city along with their average weekly rental prices.

As is the case with most capital cities, the inner city suburbs come with the highest weekly rental rates. However, cheaper options exist in the city’s northern suburbs where the average unit rental is under $500 per week and house rental is just over $600 per week.

Weekly budget: $275 to rent a room / $700 to live alone

What if I have a mortgage

According to the June 2024 Domain House Report, the median house price in Adelaide currently sits at $929,972. This is a record high for the city and represents a quarterly rise of $24,000 or 2.6%.

• To put down a 20% deposit on a property of this value you would need $185,994.

• According to the RBA, the average mortgage rate offered by Australian lenders is currently 6.22% for new loans.

• At this rate your mortgage repayments would come to roughly $1,138 per week, or $4,931 per month.

House sharing is a popular and relatively easy way to support your mortgage repayments, and with low rental availability in Adelaide, finding someone to take a room shouldn’t prove too challenging.

The median house price in Adelaide currently sits at $929,972.

Alternatively, you could explore cheaper suburbs such as Andrews Farm in the city’s northern region. The current median house price there is just $525,000 and since it’s only about 29 km from the city centre, with a well connected transport network, the city is within easy access.

• Based on this property value you could pay a 20% deposit of $105,000, leaving a loan of $420,000 and weekly repayments of roughly $647.

Weekly cost: $647 - $1,138 per week

This budget will vary depending on the area you choose and whether you choose to live independently or with flat mates.

How much will I spend on food in Adelaide each week?

The average weekly grocery cost in South Australia is $171. However, it’s important to note that no two family’s weekly grocery budgets will be the same. The amount you spend will depend on your personal taste and dietary requirements.

Grocery prices in Adelaide are 5.64% higher than the Australian average.

Average electricity & household bills in Adelaide

The average monthly cost for basic utilities in Adelaide is $449.32 per month / $103.68 per week. This price is for electricity, heating, water and garbage for an apartment of 85m2.

Internet and mobile phone costs add a little extra:

Internet $90.74 per month / $20.94 per week*

Mobile phone: $40.94 per month / $9.44 per week*

*Internet with 60 Mbps or more, unlimited data, Cable/ADSL) and Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data

NOTE: Adelaide is known to experience colder than average winters and, on occasion, extreme heat in the summer. For this reason, it’s important to account for a little extra in the bills in these seasons to cover air conditioning and heating costs.

Weekly cost: $144 (includes $20 extra each week to cover additional costs)

Transportation costs in Adelaide

Adelaide is one of the easiest Aussie cities to get around. Free trams and buses as part of the public transport system are available within the city centre and cycling from A-B has become a highly popular mode of transport.

However, many Adelaide locals still choose to own a car for longer trips or simply for the extra convenience. If you are looking to run and operate a vehicle in Adelaide it’s important to understand the real costs involved.

To help you make the right decision around transportation in Adelaide, we’ve put all the important weekly budgeting costs below.

• Car owners spend an average $96.23 per week
• Car loan payments (if applicable) : $210.63 per week
• Insurance: An average $47.06 per week
• Servicing and tyres: $30.24 per week
• Roadside assistance $2.29 per week
• Registration, CTP & Licensing: $27.57 per week

Weekly cost: $414.02 per person, per week

(car costs include estimated loan repayments)

Restaurant and bar prices in Adelaide

Adelaide is well known as a foodie-hub. With every food style from street eats to degustation dining, there’s a meal for every budget. To help you budget in a way that allows you to enjoy all the tasting pleasures of the city, we’ve detailed the average dining and drinking costs below.

In Adelaide you can expect to pay $70 - $100 for an average meal and a few drinks.

Weekly cost: $100

What will I spend on entertainment in the city?

Aside from the bars, restaurants and infamous city churches, Adelaide offers a wide range of activities, sport teams and events for families and singles alike.

The city frequently hosts major sporting games, exhibitions and concerts with ticket prices ranging from $30 - $150 depending on the show or game.

Weekly cost: $30 - $100

How much can I expect to spend to live basically in Adelaide?

After taking into consideration all of the above mentioned costs, we estimate a single person living in Adelaide would spend roughly $50,000 a year.

If $50k covers the basics, how much do I need to earn to live comfortably?

If you’re spending around $50,000 living in Adelaide you’ll need to earn more than this to afford this lifestyle after tax. Single people should aim to earn at least $65,000.

This leaves you with around $53,000 cash in hand after tax which leaves a little left over as a buffer.

If you live in Perth and have children you can expect your budget to be significantly higher in order to live comfortably. A family of four would need to earn close to $150,000 (combined income) to cover cost of living essentials and cover the necessary tax.

To live more comfortably a family would need to earn $175,000, although this still would not leave a lot for savings or big surprise expenditures.

What’s the average salary in Adelaide Australia?

Some of the most popular industries in Adelaide include:

• Public administration and safety
• Healthcare / Social Assistance workers
• Teachers and trainers

What is the average salary in Adelaide?

The average salary in Adelaide is $82,416 per year / $40 per hour.

Moving to Adelaide

 If you're looking to make the move to Adelaide, you can make the process simple and stress-free by booking with Upmove. You’ll get access to trusted Adelaide removalists, so you have peace of mind during the move.