Claude Code cost calculator (AUD)
Estimate your monthly Claude Code or API bill in AUD from sessions, tokens and cache use, then compare it with Claude Pro and Max. October 2026 prices.
Claude Code monthly cost (AUD)
Estimate a pay-as-you-go Claude API bill in AUD from your daily usage, then compare it with a Pro or Max subscription. API prices as at October 2026.
Every turn resends the conversation, so a 30-turn session often bills 1–3 million input tokens.
Claude Code caches automatically; 80–95% is common on a stable project.
RBA rate on 02/10/2026. Add 2–3% if your card charges a foreign transaction fee.
Assumptions: Anthropic's published API prices (USD, ex GST) as at 03/10/2026; cached input billed at the cache-read price; cache-write premiums, web search fees and GST not included. An estimate, not a quote: check your real usage under Usage in the Claude Console or with /cost in Claude Code.
How much does Claude Code cost per month in AUD?
Claude Code comes with a Claude Pro subscription at US$20 a month (about A$33 including GST at checkout; check current pricing), or Max from US$100. If you pay per token on the API instead, the calculator above estimates the bill from your sessions, tokens and cache use: three long Sonnet 5.5 sessions a working day comes to roughly A$96 a month with the default inputs.
What the calculator assumes
| Input | Default | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Claude Sonnet 5.5 | The everyday default; switch to Opus 5.5 for harder reasoning |
| Input tokens per session | 2,000,000 | Each turn resends the conversation, so long sessions bill millions of input tokens |
| Cache reads | 90% | Claude Code caches the stable part of every request automatically |
| Output tokens per session | 30,000 | Code, diffs and explanations Claude writes |
| Working days | 21 | A typical month |
| AUD per US$1 | 1.44 | RBA rate, 02/10/2026 |
API prices are Anthropic’s published rates as at 03/10/2026: Opus 5.5 US$4 input, US$20 output, US$0.20 cache read; Sonnet 5.5 US$2, US$10 and US$0.20; Haiku 4.5 US$1, US$5 and US$0.10, all per million tokens. The calculator ignores cache-write premiums (1.25x input for a five-minute cache), web search fees and GST.
How the cost changes with how you work
| Pattern | What drives it | Usually cheapest option |
|---|---|---|
| Owner trying it a few times a week | Short sessions, mostly Sonnet | Claude Pro |
| One person coding or automating daily | Long sessions, high cache use | Claude Pro or Max |
| Small team of 2–10 | Seats and shared projects | Claude Team: Standard seats US$20–25, both seat types include Claude Code |
| Agents running unattended | Tokens per run, runs per day | API billing, capped with spend limits |
What does On Autopilot charge to set Claude Code up?
On Autopilot, a Melbourne-based AI consultancy, runs a Claude Code Setup Day for $1,500 fixed (AUD, ex GST): installed across your team, a CLAUDE.md written for your business, safe permissions and a shared command library. For agents we build and run for you, the Claude API cost (typically $3–15 a month per agent) is included in the monthly fee; see pricing. Not sure which you need? Book a free 30-minute AI audit.
For the plan-by-plan breakdown, read how much Claude costs per month in AUD. To bring a Claude Code bill down, see Claude Code costs in AUD and how to cut them. For a free starting kit, grab the Claude Code starter pack.
Sources
- Anthropic API pricing (checked 03/10/2026)
- Claude plans and pricing (checked 03/10/2026)
- RBA exchange rates (02/10/2026)
Questions about this tool
How much does Claude Code cost per month in Australia?
Claude Code is included in Claude Pro at US$20 a month (about A$33 including GST at checkout; check current pricing) and in Max from US$100. Paid per token on the API, a typical day of three long Sonnet 5.5 sessions works out at roughly A$90–100 a month with the calculator's defaults. Your own usage can be much lower or higher.
Why is my real bill different from the estimate?
The usual causes are using Opus more than you thought, a low cache hit rate (a CLAUDE.md that changes mid-session, or clearing context often), very long agent runs, and web search fees (US$10 per 1,000 searches). Check Usage in the Claude Console or type /cost in Claude Code, then adjust the inputs.
Is GST charged on Claude?
Anthropic charges in US dollars and its prices exclude tax. Whether GST appears depends on your account and whether you have given an ABN; your bank may also add a foreign transaction fee. Check your invoice and ask your tax agent how to claim it.
Should a small business pay for the API or a subscription?
Use a subscription (Pro, Max or Team) for people working with Claude day to day. Use the API for agents that run on their own, like an overnight inventory check or an inbox triage bot. On Autopilot's productised agents usually use $3–15 of API a month, which is included in the monthly fee.
Want this built for your business?
Book a free 30-minute AI audit call with Jenn Yang. We map where your time goes, name the first systems worth building and give you fixed AUD prices. No obligation.
Book a free AI auditOr have us run it for you, end to end: On Autopilot is Australia's outsourced AI department.