Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Sydney 

Indices DifferenceInfo
Cost of Living in Sydney is 9.4% higher than in Melbourne (without rent)
Cost of Living Including Rent in Sydney is 21.6% higher than in Melbourne
Rent Prices in Sydney are 47.3% higher than in Melbourne
Restaurant Prices in Sydney are 1.1% higher than in Melbourne
Groceries Prices in Sydney are 10.0% higher than in Melbourne
Local Purchasing Power in Sydney is 19.5% lower than in Melbourne
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 16.65 $
(25.00 A$)
16.14 $
(24.22 A$)
     -3.1 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 76.61 $
(115.00 A$)
79.94 $
(120.00 A$)
     +4.3 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 9.99 $
(15.00 A$)
9.99 $
(15.00 A$)
     0.0 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 6.66 $
(10.00 A$)
6.88 $
(10.32 A$)
     +3.2 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 6.66 $
(10.00 A$)
7.99 $
(12.00 A$)
     +20.0 %
Cappuccino (regular) 3.44 $
(5.17 A$)
3.36 $
(5.04 A$)
     -2.5 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 2.63 $
(3.95 A$)
2.54 $
(3.81 A$)
     -3.3 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.34 $
(3.51 A$)
2.12 $
(3.19 A$)
     -9.2 %
Markets
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 5.36 $
(8.05 A$)
5.99 $
(8.99 A$)
     +11.7 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 2.39 $
(3.59 A$)
2.52 $
(3.78 A$)
     +5.4 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 1.00 $
(1.50 A$)
1.05 $
(1.57 A$)
     +4.6 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 3.80 $
(5.70 A$)
4.07 $
(6.11 A$)
     +7.3 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 4.34 $
(6.51 A$)
5.09 $
(7.64 A$)
     +17.4 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 3.93 $
(5.90 A$)
3.84 $
(5.77 A$)
     -2.2 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 5.70 $
(8.55 A$)
6.42 $
(9.64 A$)
     +12.7 %
Apples (1 lb) 1.33 $
(2.00 A$)
1.47 $
(2.20 A$)
     +10.4 %
Banana (1 lb) 1.14 $
(1.72 A$)
1.28 $
(1.92 A$)
     +11.9 %
Oranges (1 lb) 1.16 $
(1.75 A$)
1.40 $
(2.09 A$)
     +19.9 %
Tomato (1 lb) 1.65 $
(2.47 A$)
1.95 $
(2.92 A$)
     +18.1 %
Potato (1 lb) 1.00 $
(1.50 A$)
1.11 $
(1.66 A$)
     +10.5 %
Onion (1 lb) 0.97 $
(1.45 A$)
1.03 $
(1.55 A$)
     +6.7 %
Lettuce (1 head) 2.16 $
(3.25 A$)
2.25 $
(3.37 A$)
     +3.9 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 1.38 $
(2.08 A$)
1.45 $
(2.17 A$)
     +4.6 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 11.99 $
(18.00 A$)
13.32 $
(20.00 A$)
     +11.1 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 4.75 $
(7.13 A$)
4.62 $
(6.94 A$)
     -2.7 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 5.43 $
(8.16 A$)
5.32 $
(7.99 A$)
     -2.0 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 29.98 $
(45.00 A$)
33.31 $
(50.00 A$)
     +11.1 %
Transportation
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 3.53 $
(5.30 A$)
3.33 $
(5.00 A$)
     -5.7 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 123.51 $
(185.40 A$)
144.83 $
(217.39 A$)
     +17.3 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 3.66 $
(5.50 A$)
4.66 $
(7.00 A$)
     +27.3 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 3.22 $
(4.83 A$)
5.36 $
(8.05 A$)
     +66.7 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 29.81 $
(44.74 A$)
56.63 $
(85.00 A$)
     +90.0 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 4.83 $
(7.25 A$)
5.12 $
(7.69 A$)
     +6.1 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 27,980.40 $
(42,000.00 A$)
29,594.60 $
(44,423.00 A$)
     +5.8 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 22,431.24 $
(33,670.44 A$)
23,140.91 $
(34,735.68 A$)
     +3.2 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 158.14 $
(237.38 A$)
201.06 $
(301.80 A$)
     +27.1 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 26.54 $
(39.84 A$)
25.76 $
(38.67 A$)
     -3.0 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 52.95 $
(79.48 A$)
51.72 $
(77.63 A$)
     -2.3 %
Sports And Leisure
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 54.35 $
(81.58 A$)
58.34 $
(87.57 A$)
     +7.3 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 14.66 $
(22.00 A$)
19.72 $
(29.59 A$)
     +34.5 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 14.66 $
(22.00 A$)
15.99 $
(24.00 A$)
     +9.1 %
Childcare
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 1,636.47 $
(2,456.42 A$)
2,055.89 $
(3,086.00 A$)
     +25.6 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 19,311.47 $
(28,987.50 A$)
17,704.75 $
(26,575.74 A$)
     -8.3 %
Clothing And Shoes
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 77.52 $
(116.36 A$)
73.90 $
(110.93 A$)
     -4.7 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 51.44 $
(77.21 A$)
59.96 $
(90.01 A$)
     +16.6 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 103.84 $
(155.87 A$)
108.54 $
(162.92 A$)
     +4.5 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 111.36 $
(167.16 A$)
127.97 $
(192.09 A$)
     +14.9 %
Rent Per Month
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 1,472.70 $
(2,210.59 A$)
2,179.78 $
(3,271.96 A$)
     +48.0 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,184.66 $
(1,778.23 A$)
1,519.90 $
(2,281.44 A$)
     +28.3 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 2,679.60 $
(4,022.22 A$)
4,297.62 $
(6,450.94 A$)
     +60.4 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 1,766.43 $
(2,651.50 A$)
2,463.26 $
(3,697.48 A$)
     +39.4 %
Buy Apartment Price
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 653.67 $
(981.19 A$)
1,413.47 $
(2,121.70 A$)
     +116.2 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 523.65 $
(786.02 A$)
887.11 $
(1,331.60 A$)
     +69.4 %
Salaries And Financing
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 4,206.99 $
(6,314.90 A$)
4,121.22 $
(6,186.17 A$)
     -2.0 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 6.32 6.35      +0.5 %
Last update: June 2024May 2024
Contributors in the past 12 months:407397
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