Convert CAD to AUD Canadian dollar ↔ Australian dollar Free Online Secure
Type an amount in Canadian dollar and read it in Australian dollar at once. The page uses the European Central Bank's reference rate, and tells you which day that rate is from.
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Common amounts — Convert CAD to AUD (Canadian dollar ↔ Australian dollar)
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The last thirty days
Where these codes and rates come from
The three letters in EUR, USD or JPY are not an abbreviation someone invented for a website: they are ISO 4217, a standard in which the first two letters are the country's own code and the third is usually the initial of the currency. The figures on this page come from the European Central Bank, which publishes one set of reference rates each working day, around 16:00 Central European time, agreed between the central banks of the Eurosystem. They are a daily snapshot meant for statistics and accounting, not a live trading feed — which is exactly why they are the same number for everyone, rather than whatever one bank happened to quote at one moment.
Where you meet an exchange rate
You meet an exchange rate four or five times a year without thinking about it: booking a trip, paying an invoice issued abroad, buying from a foreign shop, reading a salary offer in another currency, or checking what a card charge really cost. In all of these the reference rate is the honest middle, and the price you actually pay sits a little to one side of it. Knowing the middle is what lets you see how wide that margin is.
Questions people ask
Is this the rate my bank will give me?
No, and no page can promise one. This is the European Central Bank's reference rate: the midpoint published once a day for statistics. A bank, a card scheme or an exchange office adds its own margin on top — usually between half a percent and three percent, sometimes more at an airport counter. Use this figure to judge the offer you are given, not to predict it.
How often does the figure change, and what happens at weekends?
The European Central Bank publishes once each working day, in the afternoon, Central European time. There is no publication on Saturdays, Sundays or TARGET holidays, so on those days the page shows the last working day's rate and says which day it belongs to. The chart alongside is one year of the same daily series.
Is the answer exact?
Where both units are defined in terms of one another by whole numbers, yes — the page says so above the figure, and the only rounding is in how many digits are shown. Where the ratio has no finite decimal, the page shows twelve significant digits and says the relation is approximate rather than pretending otherwise.
Does anything I type leave my device?
No. The arithmetic runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded and there is no server to upload it to. Load the page once and it keeps working with the network switched off.
Two big dollars, one Commonwealth: a Canadian's guide to Australia, from the summer in December to the price of a flat white
Canada and Australia are cousins. Both are enormous, thinly populated countries built by immigrants on land that belonged to Indigenous peoples, both share a monarch and a legal tradition with Britain, both play cricket or ice hockey with a religious devotion, and both have a currency called the dollar. A Canadian arriving in Sydney feels at home within a day, and then discovers the differences: the seasons are upside down, the animals are stranger, the sun is fiercer and the drinks are served with ice only when you ask. Because the two dollars carry the same name and a similar sign, travellers sometimes forget that they are worth different amounts, and that the exchange rate between them changes every day. This page gives you the figure. Use it to Convert CAD to AUD with the daily reference rates published by the European Central Bank, in which both dollars are quoted against the euro; the page combines them into a dollar-dollar figure and prints its date under the result. The amount you type never leaves your browser.
Using the converter
Canadian dollars in, Australian dollars out
Type your budget and Convert CAD to AUD, then write the date next to the answer, because the figure and its date belong together.
Type an amount in Canadian dollars and the page shows its value in Australian dollars and cents, together with the date of the fixing used. A Canadian dollar is worth roughly 1.05 to 1.15 Australian dollars, so the answer is close to the number you typed, a little higher. A fixing is published once on each working day; on weekends and public holidays the page repeats the last one and says so. A table of round sums and a graph of the past month sit beneath the box. For the opposite direction, open Convert AUD to CAD.
Reading the number
At a counter, Convert CAD to AUD first and divide the offer by the result to see the margin.
The figure on the screen is the mid-market rate, which no consumer ever quite receives. Every provider takes a share, and the share is the true cost of the exchange. Divide the amount you are offered by the amount shown on this page: 0.99 is excellent, 0.97 is common for a card, and under 0.95 you should ask elsewhere. The sums in this text use an invented, tidy rate of 1.10 Australian dollars to the Canadian dollar. It is not a forecast and not today's price, so replace it with the live figure.
What the two countries share
History and habits
Both countries began as British colonies, became self-governing in the nineteenth century and still recognise the British monarch as head of state. Both have large immigrant populations, with Chinese, Indian, Italian and Greek communities in each. Both have cities on water, Vancouver and Sydney, that compete for the title of most beautiful harbour. Both have strong Indigenous cultures and are still working out how to reflect them in public life. A Canadian who learns about the Indigenous history of Australia, and the land acknowledgements at the start of events, will recognise the practice.
Different sports
Match tickets are inexpensive, so Convert CAD to AUD for the ticket and the train and decide to go.
Where Canada has hockey and curling, Australia has cricket, rugby and a native game called Australian rules football, played with an oval ball by eighteen players on an oval field. The grand final in Melbourne fills a hundred-thousand-seat stadium. Surfing and swimming are national passions, and many Australians spend weekends at the beach. A ticket to a major match costs 40 to 120 Australian dollars, or 36 to 109 Canadian dollars at the invented rate, and the atmosphere is friendly.
The reversed year
Because Australia lies in the southern hemisphere, Christmas is in midsummer, with barbecues and beach days, and winter lasts from June to August. A Canadian who flies to Australia in January escapes the snow and arrives in thirty-degree heat. The flip is easy to enjoy but needs planning for clothes: bring a hat and sunscreen, and a light jacket for evenings in the south.
Getting there and getting around
Long flights
A flight is the largest cost, so Convert CAD to AUD for the fare and for the baggage fee, and compare two carriers.
The flight from Vancouver to Sydney takes around fifteen hours direct, and from Toronto about twenty-two with one stop. Return fares range from 1,500 to 3,500 Canadian dollars, depending on the season. The best months are February to April and September to November. Australia is nineteen hours ahead of Vancouver in southern summer, and you cross the date line, so you arrive on a day later than you left. Convert EST to PST shows the gap between the Canadian coasts, and Convert CET to UTC is a useful reference for the world clock.
Distances
Australia is nearly as large as Canada's lower provinces combined, with distances to match. Sydney to Melbourne is a thousand kilometres, Sydney to Perth more than three thousand. Domestic flights cost 120 to 400 Australian dollars one way. A rental car is useful in the countryside. Speed limits are 50 in towns and 100 to 110 on highways, and drivers keep to the left. Convert km to mi and Convert °C to °F help with the road signs and the forecast.
Entry rules
Canadian citizens need an electronic travel authority before travelling, applied for through the official app or website for a small fee. Australia has strict biosecurity rules: declare food, plant material, wood and outdoor gear, and clean your boots, since fines are heavy. Travellers with a criminal record or medical condition should check the visa pages in advance.
Cities and landscapes
Sydney and Melbourne
A ferry, a coffee and a pub meal add up, so Convert CAD to AUD for the day and write the total.
Sydney has an opera house in the shape of sails, a harbour bridge that can be climbed and beaches such as Bondi that can be reached by bus. Melbourne is the cultural capital, with laneways of cafes, street art, trams and a love of sport. A ferry in Sydney costs 7 to 10 dollars, a coffee 4.5 to 6, a pub meal 25 to 40. At the invented rate, a 35-dollar meal costs 32 Canadian dollars. Convert CAD to AUD for the lists you make before you go.
The reef, the rock and the road
Tourists head for the Great Barrier Reef, with snorkelling trips from Cairns at 200 to 350 dollars; for Uluru, the red sandstone monolith in the centre, where climbing is banned out of respect for the Anangu people; and for the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, with limestone stacks rising from the surf. Each demands a day or more, and the costs add up. Read the safety rules, wear sunscreen and respect wildlife.
Wildlife and manners
Kangaroos, koalas, wombats and emus are best seen in wildlife parks or at dusk in the countryside. Do not feed them, keep your distance and drive carefully at dawn and dusk, when animals cross the road. At the beach, swim between the red and yellow flags. In the north, avoid rivers and estuaries because of crocodiles. Treat the sun with respect; it burns in fifteen minutes.
Money in Australia
Prices, tax and tipping
Because the label price includes tax, Convert CAD to AUD directly for the number you see.
Prices include the 10 per cent goods and services tax, so the price on the label is what you pay. Tipping is not expected, though appreciated for good service. Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10 to 15 per cent are common at cafes and restaurants and are printed on the menu. Visitors can claim back the tax on goods bought at the end of the stay over a minimum amount, using the refund scheme at the airport.
Cards, cash and machines
Cards and contactless payment are accepted nearly everywhere, and many businesses refuse cash. Canadian cards charge a foreign-transaction fee of about 2.5 per cent. Cash machines may charge a fee, and independent ones may offer to convert the withdrawal into Canadian dollars at their own rate; refuse and take Australian dollars. The notes are made of polymer, are colourful and survive a wash.
Working holiday for Canadians
Who qualifies
Visa fees, insurance and the starting funds are costs too, so Convert CAD to AUD for each and add them to your plan.
Canada and Australia have a youth mobility arrangement that lets Canadians aged 18 to 35 live and work in Australia for up to a year, with the possibility of extending for a second and third year if they have worked in certain regional jobs. The visa is applied for online, with proof of funds of a few thousand dollars, a clean record and health insurance. Application fees run to several hundred Australian dollars. Check the official site for the current conditions, as they change.
What jobs look like
Typical jobs include hospitality, retail, farm work, construction, tutoring and tourism. The minimum wage is about 24 Australian dollars an hour, or about 22 Canadian dollars at the invented rate, and casual workers get a loading of 25 per cent, as they have no paid leave. A full week of 38 hours gives 900 to 1,100 dollars before tax. Working holiday makers pay a flat tax of 15 per cent on the first 45,000 dollars of income, and employers pay a pension contribution that can later be claimed when leaving the country, with a high withholding tax.
Where to live
A room in a shared house costs 250 to 450 dollars a week in Sydney and Melbourne, 150 to 250 in smaller cities. A hostel bed costs 35 to 60 a night. Many travellers buy a second-hand van, which costs 6,000 to 12,000 dollars, and sell it before leaving. Check the registration, the mechanical state and the insurance before buying. Convert CAD to AUD for each cost and keep a reserve for the first months.
Food and drink
Cafe culture
Australians take coffee seriously. A flat white, a long black or a latte costs 4.5 to 6 dollars, and the quality is high even in small towns. Breakfast is a social meal: avocado on toast, eggs in several styles, banana bread. Brunch can cost 20 to 30 dollars. At the invented rate, a 5-dollar coffee costs 4.50 Canadian dollars, a little less than in a Toronto cafe.
Barbecue and seafood
The barbecue is an institution, with free gas grills in public parks. Sausages in white bread, steaks, prawns and fish are standard. A fish and chips lunch by the sea costs 15 to 25 dollars. Meat pies, sausage rolls and lamingtons, sponge cakes coated in chocolate and coconut, are everyday treats. Try barramundi, kangaroo or a Tim Tam if you are adventurous.
Wine and beer
Australia produces excellent wine in the Barossa and Hunter Valleys, in Margaret River and in the Yarra Valley. A bottle in a shop costs 15 to 40 dollars. A pint in a pub costs 9 to 13. Alcohol is sold in specialised shops called bottle shops, and the minimum age is 18.
Staying safe and healthy
Sun, sea and snakes
Use sunscreen of factor 50, a hat and sunglasses, and avoid the midday sun. Swim at patrolled beaches between the flags. In the north, stinging jellyfish appear between November and May; wear a stinger suit. Snakes and spiders exist but rarely bother people; stay on paths and wear closed shoes in the bush. Drink plenty of water on hot days.
Health care
Canadian health plans do not cover care in Australia, and visitors must pay. A visit to a doctor costs 70 to 120 dollars, a hospital stay thousands. Buy travel insurance with full medical cover, and carry the policy number. Pharmacies sell common medicines, and the emergency number is 000.
A fortnight, with figures
An example
Suppose two travellers spend fourteen days in Australia: five nights in Sydney, three near Cairns, two at Uluru and three in Melbourne, with domestic flights between them. Thirteen nights at 220 Australian dollars come to 2,860. Four domestic flights at 250 each for two people cost 2,000. Food at 130 a day for two over fourteen days is 1,820. Tours, including the reef and the Great Ocean Road, cost 900, local transport 300 and park fees 150. The total is 8,030 Australian dollars, which at the invented rate is 7,300 Canadian dollars, not counting the international flights. Convert CAD to AUD for each line and see which part of the trip is the most expensive.
Where to save
Midweek stays and trips outside school holidays are cheaper. Self-catering, with a kitchen in your apartment and a market lunch, cuts food costs by half. Domestic flights are cheap if booked early, and coaches and trains along the east coast cost less than planes. Free attractions, such as beaches, parks and coastal walks, fill many days at no cost.
Where not to save
Do not skimp on insurance, sun protection or a good map. Mobile coverage disappears in the outback, and a breakdown can be dangerous in the heat. Carry water, tell someone your route and keep the petrol tank full.
Staying connected
Phones, internet and power
Roaming from a Canadian plan can cost 10 to 15 dollars a day. A prepaid SIM or an eSIM with a few gigabytes costs 15 to 40 Australian dollars. Public wireless is available in libraries and many cafes. Australia uses a three-pin angled plug and 230 volts, so Canadian visitors need an adapter. Cities have excellent coverage, but remote areas have none.
Time and calls home
Sydney is nineteen hours ahead of Vancouver in the northern winter, and seventeen in the summer. Calls home are best arranged for the early morning or late evening in Australia. A messaging app on wireless costs nothing, but remember that your family may be sleeping when you finish dinner. Agree on a time in advance.
Holidays
Public holidays include New Year's Day, Australia Day on 26 January, Easter, Anzac Day on 25 April, the King's Birthday in June and Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Prices for hotels and flights rise during school holidays, in January and around Easter. Plan around them, or book well ahead.
Other conversions
If the trip goes on
Travellers who continue to Japan can use Convert CAD to JPY, those who stop in the United States Convert CAD to USD, and those who return through Britain Convert CAD to GBP. For the Australian dollar against the euro, see Convert EUR to AUD.
A small routine
Note the rate and the date each time you spend a large sum, and compare the note with the statement when you are back.
Mistakes to avoid
Assuming the dollars are equal
A dollar is not a dollar, so Convert CAD to AUD before you decide that a price is fair.
The two dollars differ in value. Always Convert CAD to AUD before you decide a price is cheap or dear.
Paying in Canadian dollars
A terminal that offers to charge you in Canadian dollars uses its own rate. Pay in Australian dollars.
Using an old rate
A rate from last month can be several per cent out. The date beside the result protects you whenever you Convert CAD to AUD.
In short
The only thing fetched from the network is the table of daily rates; your amount stays in the browser and no account is needed. From a harbour in Vancouver to a harbour in Sydney, one habit pays: Convert CAD to AUD, read the date and weigh every offer against the figure on this page.