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 creeping 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 is the only other country that’s upped its passport’s price in 2026, rising from AU$335.95 (MX$4,120) in 2025 to AU$355.76 (MX$4,280) this year.
| Rank | Nation | Cost of passport 2026 (AUD) | Valid for (years) | AUD/year |
| 1 | 🇦🇺 Australia | $422.00 | 10 | $42.20 |
| 2 | 🇲🇽 Mexico | $355.67 | 10 | $35.57 |
| 3 | 🇺🇸 USA | $290.26 | 10 | $29.03 |
| 4 | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | $213.16 | 10 | $21.32 |
| 5 | 🇮🇹 Italy | $202.47 | 10 | $20.25 |
| 6 | 🇦🇹 Austria | $195.48 | 10 | $19.55 |
| 7 | 🇬🇧 UK | $190.50 | 10 | $19.05 |
| 8 | 🇨🇦 Canada | $172.96 | 10 | $17.30 |
| 9 | 🇫🇷 France | $150.07 | 10 | $15.01 |
| 10 | 🇩🇪 Germany | $122.16 | 10 | $12.22 |
On the other end of the spectrum, Brazilians were found to have the best deal, with a 10-year passport costing AU$16.38 (R$180.00). However, it is important to note that the cost of the Brazilian passport in the local currency is the same as 2025. Its promotion to world’s cheapest passport in Australian Dollars is primarily due to the recent depreciation of the Brazilian Real.
India, the United Arab of Emirates, Spain and South Africa are also among the cheapest, with each costing less than AU$55.00 for passports with 10-years’ validity.
| Rank | Nation | Cost of passport 2026 (AUD) | Valid for (years) | AUD/year |
| 1 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | $16.38 | 10 | $1.64 |
| 2 | 🇮🇳 India | $24.72 | 10 | $2.47 |
| 3 | 🇦🇪 UAE | $40.39 | 10 | $4.04 |
| 4 | 🇪🇸 Spain | $52.35 | 10 | $5.24 |
| 5 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | $54.60 | 10 | $5.46 |
| 6 | 🇫🇯 Fiji | $55.89 | 10 | $5.59 |
| 7 | 🇵🇱 Poland | $57.97 | 10 | $5.80 |
| 8 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | $69.74 | 10 | $6.97 |
| 9 | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | $73.34 | 5 | $14.67 |
| 10 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | $81.20 | 5 | $16.24 |
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 193 countries around the world without a visa. South Korea is a close second, with 190 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 187 countries visa-free, tied with Fiji.
While Australians enjoy visa-free access to 184 countries worldwide, the cost per visa-free country is AU$2.29, the most expensive in the world.
The best value passports around the world are Brazil, the United Arab Emirates and Spain, with each country’s cost per visa-free country AU$0.10, AU$0.22 and AU$0.28 respectively.
| Rank | Nation | Number of countries accessible visa-free | Cost per visa-free country (AUD) |
| 1 | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 193 | $0.42 |
| 2 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 190 | $0.37 |
| 3 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 187 | $1.08 |
| 4 | 🇫🇷 France | 187 | $0.80 |
| 5 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 187 | $0.65 |
| 6 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 187 | $0.45 |
| 7 | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 187 | $0.30 |
| 8 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 187 | $0.28 |
| 9 | 🇦🇹 Austria | 186 | $1.05 |
| 10 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 186 | $0.44 |
Globally, the value of passports around the world is generally decreasing. Compare the Market found that in 17 of the 25 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 06/01/26.
The visa-free accessibility of each country analysed was sourced from the Henley Passport Index.