The Burrow
Jan 19, 2026
Australians planning an overseas trip in 2026 could be set for a rude shock, with the cost of a getting a new passport having crept up once again.
Australia already held the unfortunate crown as the most expensive passport in the world and since the turn of the New Year, the cost has increased to AU$422, rising $10 from 2025.
But how much more is Australia’s passport compared to the rest of the world? The travel insurance comparison experts compared the cost of passports around the world, to see which nation’s citizens get the greatest bang for buck.
Analysing updated 2026 costings from government sources and the Henley Passport Index, we determined the world’s most expensive and most powerful passports.
The results of our 2025 study can be found here, and 2024 here.
According to our research, Mexico and Canada are the only other countries that have upped their passport prices in 2026. The Mexican passport rose from MX$4,120 in 2025 to MX$4,280 this year, while the Canadian passport rose from CAD$160 in 2025 to CAD$163.50 in March 2026.
| Rank | Nation | Passport Fee (local currency) | Passport Fee (AUD) | Validity (years) | AUD/year |
| 1 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 422 AUD | $422.00 | 10 | $42.20 |
| 2 | 🇺🇸 USA | 165 USD | $414.17 | 10 | $41.42 |
| 3 | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 4,280 MXN | $340.39 | 10 | $34.04 |
| 4 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 600 SAR | $228.00 | 10 | $22.90 |
| 5 | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 247 NZD | $205.55 | 10 | $20.56 |
| 6 | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 500 AED | $194.90 | 10 | $19.49 |
| 7 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 116 EUR | $191.35 | 10 | $19.14 |
| 8 | 🇦🇹 Austria | 112 EUR | $184.77 | 10 | $18.48 |
| 9 | 🇬🇧 UK | 94.50 GBP | $179.77 | 10 | $17.98 |
| 10 | 🇨🇦 Canada | 163.50 CAD | $170.15 | 10 | $17.02 |
On the other end of the spectrum, Brazilians were found to have the best deal, with a 10-year passport costing AU$48.44 (BRL 180.00). However, it is important to note that the cost of the Brazilian passport in the local currency is the same as 2025.
Spain, South Africa and Poland are also among the cheapest, with each costing less than AU$55.00 for passports with 10-years’ validity.
| Rank | Nation | Passport Fee (local currency) | Passport Fee (AUD) | Validity (years) | AUD/year |
| 1 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 180 BRL | $48.44 | 10 | $4.84 |
| 2 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 30 EUR | $49.51 | 10 | $4.95 |
| 3 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 600 ZAR | $50.04 | 10 | $5.00 |
| 4 | 🇵🇱 Poland | 140 PLN | $54.01 | 10 | $5.40 |
| 5 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 47 KRW | $67.24 | 10 | $6.72 |
| 6 | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 200 MYR | $72.56 | 5 | $14.51 |
| 7 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 500 SEK | $76.35 | 5 | $15.27 |
| 8 | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 70 SGD | $78.00 | 10 | $7.80 |
| 9 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 48 EUR | $79.21 | 5 | $15.84 |
| 10 | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 7,550 KES | $83.20 | 10 | $8.32 |
The findings also outlined the power of each nation’s passport, looking at the number of countries a passport holder can travel to without needing a visa.
The most powerful passport in the world is Singapore, with Singaporeans able to access a total of 192 countries around the world without a visa. South Korea and the United Arab Emirates are tied in second place, with 187 nations accessible visa-free.
Behind the two Asian nations lies a series of European countries. European Union passports holders in nations such as Italy, France, Germany, Finland and Spain can access 185 countries visa-free, while Swedes can visit a total of 186 countries visa-free.
While Australians enjoy visa-free access to 182 countries worldwide, the cost per visa-free country is AU$2.32, the most expensive in the world.
| Rank | Nation | Number of countries accessible visa-free | Cost per visa-free country (AUD) |
| 1 | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 192 | $0.41 |
| 2 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 187 | $0.36 |
| 3 | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 187 | $1.04 |
| 4 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 186 | $0.41 |
| 5 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 185 | $1.03 |
| 6 | 🇫🇷 France | 185 | $0.77 |
| 7 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 185 | $0.62 |
| 8 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 185 | $0.43 |
| 9 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 185 | $0.27 |
| 10 | 🇦🇹 Austria | 184 | $1.00 |
Globally, the value of passports around the world is generally decreasing. Compare the Market found that in many of the countries researched, the number of countries passport holders can travel to without a visa had fallen since 2025.
As passport power falls and costs grow, Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor said that travel insurance is often cheaper than passport replacement costs.“With the Australian passport being so expensive, its best to be covered in case your passport is lost, damaged or stolen while overseas,” Mr Taylor said.
“Along with travel documents, travel insurance can cover stolen, damaged or lost luggage, valuables and other personal items.”
Before purchasing any policy, it’s important to check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) so that you are aware of any limits, restrictions or exclusions of the insurance.
If you encounter any issues with your passport while travelling, the Australian Passport Office or the nearest Australian diplomatic or consular mission can help you figure out the next steps.
The cost (in local currency) and validity of each passport was researched manually, by using official government websites and sources where possible.
When multiple, mandatory fees were involved in obtaining a passport, they were combined into one total cost.
When passports had multiple options with different page counts, or with different prices depending on method of application or shipping, the cheapest option was used.
All passports recorded are reflective of a first time, adult applicant (not children or seniors) with no special requirements or concessions.
The cost of a passport was converted from each local currency to AUD using Google Currency Converter on 23/03/26.
The visa-free accessibility of each country analysed was sourced from the Henley Passport Index.