GeoRealityMatch
A scenic aerial view of Canberra highlighting Telstra Tower and surrounding landscape under a blue sky.Australia
Tranquil reflection of traditional architecture and bridge in Beihai Park, Beijing.China

Compare countries · Australia vs China

Australia vs China

AustraliaAustralia and New ZealandChinaEastern Asia

China is cheaper (cost of living 30.5 vs 67.9).Australia is more peaceful (Global Peace Index 1.602 vs 2.231), scores higher on human development (0.958 vs 0.797) and has the higher income per person ($64,120 vs $14,230).It also has the longer life expectancy (83.1 vs 78.0 years).

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Safety

Australia is the more peaceful

Global Peace Indexlower is more peaceful
Australia1.602Very high safety#20 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
China2.231Medium safety#117 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Homicidesper 100,000 people a year
Australia0.9LowUNODC / World Bank · 2023
China0.5Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2020
Safety indexNumbeo's safety index, higher is safer
Australia52.5ModerateNumbeo · 2026
China76.9Very highNumbeo · 2026
UK travel adviceFCDO, for British travellers
AustraliaNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-12
ChinaNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-12
Money

Income per person is higher in Australia

GNI per personnational income per person, US dollars
Australia$64,120Very highWorld Bank · 2025
China$14,230HighWorld Bank · 2025
Cost of living indexexcluding rent, New York = 100
Australia67.9ExpensiveNumbeo · 2026
China30.5Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Rent indexNew York = 100
Australia33.7Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
China10.4AffordableNumbeo · 2026
Property price to incomeyears of median income to buy a median flat
Australia8.2AffordableNumbeo · 2026
China21.5Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Health

People live longer in Australia

Life expectancyyears, at birth
Australia83.1Very high#16 of 195World Bank · 2024
China78.0High#54 of 195World Bank · 2024
Health coverageWHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100
Australia89Very highWHO · 2023
China85Very highWHO · 2023
Air pollutionPM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national average
Australia6.2Very lowWHO · 2023
China31.6Very highWHO · 2023
Work and internet

Broadband is faster in China

Fixed broadbandmedian download speed
Australia157 MbpsVery fast#46 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
China212 MbpsVery fast#27 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
English proficiencyEF English Proficiency Index score
AustraliaNative EnglishNativeEF EPI · 2025
China464LowEF EPI · 2025
How it changed

Human development: Australia 0.958, China 0.797

AustraliaChina

UNDP Human Development Report, 1990–2023.

Year by year:AustraliaChina

Practical facts

Capital
Canberra
Beijing
Population
27.6M (2025)
1.41B (2025)
Languages
English
Chinese
Currency
Australian dollar (AUD)
Chinese yuan (CNY)
Area
7,692,020 km²
9,388,210 km²
Plug type
Type I
Type A/I
Drives on the
left
right
Short visit
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports
Visa-free for EU; visa needed for UK and US

Short visits: passport-index-dataset, 2024, for UK, EU (German) and US passports. Population and area: World Bank. Languages, currency and driving side: restcountries.com. Plug types: worldstandards.eu.

Every figure

Australia and China, side by side

The same figures as a facts file

Quick answers

Is Australia cheaper than China?

Numbeo's 2026 cost-of-living index (NYC = 100) puts Australia at 67.9 and China at 30.5. China is about 55% cheaper overall.

Is Australia or China safer?

On the Global Peace Index (lower = more peaceful), Australia scores 1.60 and China scores 2.23. Australia ranks as the more peaceful of the two.

Which has the higher quality of life, Australia or China?

On the UN Human Development Index, Australia scores 0.958 and China scores 0.797. Australia scores higher on this composite of income, health and education. Single indexes hide trade-offs; the full comparison above shows where each country wins.

What is life like in Australia compared to China?

GNI per capita runs $64,120 in Australia against $14,230 in China; people live 83.1 years on average against 78.0; Numbeo users rate healthcare 72 against 69. Those are national averages and they hide the thing you actually feel: capital-city costs run well ahead of the national figure in most countries, and rural provision of healthcare and internet often lags the number shown here. The table below splits it indicator by indicator.

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Every figure is sourced where it is shown. A dash means the country has no figure from that source.Photographs by Daniel Morton-Jones, zhang kaiyv on Pexels