Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Sydney 

Indices DifferenceInfo
Cost of Living in Sydney is 12.9% higher than in Melbourne (without rent)
Cost of Living Including Rent in Sydney is 21.7% higher than in Melbourne
Rent Prices in Sydney are 41.4% higher than in Melbourne
Restaurant Prices in Sydney are 1.2% lower than in Melbourne
Groceries Prices in Sydney are 8.5% higher than in Melbourne
Local Purchasing Power in Sydney is 18.7% lower than in Melbourne
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 16.05 $
(24.50 A$)
15.73 $
(24.00 A$)
     -2.0 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 78.63 $
(120.00 A$)
78.63 $
(120.00 A$)
     0.0 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 9.83 $
(15.00 A$)
9.83 $
(15.00 A$)
     0.0 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 7.86 $
(12.00 A$)
6.85 $
(10.45 A$)
     -12.9 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 6.55 $
(10.00 A$)
7.86 $
(12.00 A$)
     +20.0 %
Cappuccino (regular) 3.44 $
(5.25 A$)
3.30 $
(5.04 A$)
     -4.0 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 2.64 $
(4.03 A$)
2.50 $
(3.81 A$)
     -5.5 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.31 $
(3.52 A$)
2.07 $
(3.16 A$)
     -10.3 %
Markets
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 5.30 $
(8.09 A$)
6.12 $
(9.34 A$)
     +15.5 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 2.36 $
(3.60 A$)
2.51 $
(3.84 A$)
     +6.5 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 0.98 $
(1.50 A$)
1.03 $
(1.57 A$)
     +4.8 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 3.90 $
(5.95 A$)
4.03 $
(6.15 A$)
     +3.3 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 4.17 $
(6.36 A$)
5.11 $
(7.80 A$)
     +22.7 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 3.89 $
(5.94 A$)
3.74 $
(5.71 A$)
     -3.9 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 6.21 $
(9.48 A$)
6.28 $
(9.58 A$)
     +1.1 %
Apples (1 lb) 1.36 $
(2.08 A$)
1.44 $
(2.20 A$)
     +6.0 %
Banana (1 lb) 1.18 $
(1.80 A$)
1.27 $
(1.93 A$)
     +7.5 %
Oranges (1 lb) 1.13 $
(1.73 A$)
1.38 $
(2.10 A$)
     +21.6 %
Tomato (1 lb) 1.62 $
(2.47 A$)
1.94 $
(2.97 A$)
     +20.0 %
Potato (1 lb) 0.98 $
(1.50 A$)
1.10 $
(1.68 A$)
     +12.1 %
Onion (1 lb) 0.95 $
(1.45 A$)
1.02 $
(1.55 A$)
     +7.2 %
Lettuce (1 head) 2.13 $
(3.24 A$)
2.23 $
(3.40 A$)
     +4.8 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 1.41 $
(2.15 A$)
1.45 $
(2.21 A$)
     +2.6 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 12.61 $
(19.25 A$)
13.10 $
(20.00 A$)
     +3.9 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 4.52 $
(6.90 A$)
4.71 $
(7.19 A$)
     +4.2 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 5.27 $
(8.05 A$)
5.52 $
(8.43 A$)
     +4.7 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 29.48 $
(45.00 A$)
32.76 $
(50.00 A$)
     +11.1 %
Transportation
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 3.47 $
(5.30 A$)
3.28 $
(5.00 A$)
     -5.7 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 124.49 $
(190.00 A$)
142.44 $
(217.39 A$)
     +14.4 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 3.60 $
(5.50 A$)
4.52 $
(6.90 A$)
     +25.5 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 3.16 $
(4.83 A$)
5.27 $
(8.05 A$)
     +66.7 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 25.87 $
(39.48 A$)
55.69 $
(85.00 A$)
     +115.3 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 4.81 $
(7.34 A$)
5.08 $
(7.75 A$)
     +5.6 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 27,585.94 $
(42,102.00 A$)
29,106.70 $
(44,423.00 A$)
     +5.5 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 22,061.44 $
(33,670.44 A$)
23,237.08 $
(35,464.71 A$)
     +5.3 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 151.47 $
(231.17 A$)
191.44 $
(292.17 A$)
     +26.4 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 25.47 $
(38.88 A$)
26.68 $
(40.72 A$)
     +4.7 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 52.02 $
(79.39 A$)
51.53 $
(78.64 A$)
     -1.0 %
Sports And Leisure
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 53.64 $
(81.86 A$)
56.86 $
(86.78 A$)
     +6.0 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 14.88 $
(22.71 A$)
19.41 $
(29.63 A$)
     +30.5 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 14.41 $
(22.00 A$)
15.73 $
(24.00 A$)
     +9.1 %
Childcare
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 1,762.15 $
(2,689.41 A$)
2,028.05 $
(3,095.24 A$)
     +15.1 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 19,288.64 $
(29,438.56 A$)
18,730.50 $
(28,586.72 A$)
     -2.9 %
Clothing And Shoes
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 78.00 $
(119.04 A$)
71.40 $
(108.96 A$)
     -8.5 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 50.95 $
(77.76 A$)
58.49 $
(89.27 A$)
     +14.8 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 106.59 $
(162.68 A$)
107.06 $
(163.40 A$)
     +0.4 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 113.76 $
(173.62 A$)
128.89 $
(196.72 A$)
     +13.3 %
Rent Per Month
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 1,481.01 $
(2,260.33 A$)
2,164.25 $
(3,303.11 A$)
     +46.1 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,258.33 $
(1,920.48 A$)
1,477.67 $
(2,255.23 A$)
     +17.4 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 2,785.65 $
(4,251.50 A$)
4,265.11 $
(6,509.47 A$)
     +53.1 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 1,812.76 $
(2,766.65 A$)
2,471.50 $
(3,772.04 A$)
     +36.3 %
Buy Apartment Price
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 663.71 $
(1,012.96 A$)
1,407.06 $
(2,147.47 A$)
     +112.0 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 513.46 $
(783.65 A$)
852.20 $
(1,300.63 A$)
     +66.0 %
Salaries And Financing
Melbourne Edit Sydney Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 4,142.98 $
(6,323.06 A$)
4,100.47 $
(6,258.18 A$)
     -1.0 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 6.33 6.36      +0.5 %
Last update: July 2024July 2024
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