Cost of Living in Sydney
The average monthly cost of living in Sydney for a single person is over $4,000.
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To work out how expensive Sydney is, we've broken down the main costs of living and provided estimates of how much you're likely to pay. The sections include:
- Housing and Utilities: $4,900 in total a month.
- Transport: $30,000 for a standard car
- Food and Drink: Eating out for lunch? Expect to pay around $20.
- Clothes and Shoes: Need new shoes? You'll likely pay around $160.
- Entertainment: A night out to the cinema for two is upwards of $40.
- Personal Care and Hygiene: A trip to the doctors is around $70.
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Housing is easily the biggest expense living in Sydney. By comparison, housing in Melbourne is 24% cheaper than in Sydney. The average rent in an expensive area is $3,404, and utilities per month are almost 50% cheaper in Melbourne than in Sydney. Here's a breakdown of the housing expenses you'll need to budget for in Sydney.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 Sqft) furnished accommodation in EXPENSIVE area | AU$3,448 |
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 Sqft) furnished accommodation in NORMAL area | AU$2,360 |
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | AU$646 |
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 Sqft) furnished studio in EXPENSIVE area | AU$2,620 |
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 Sqft) furnished studio in NORMAL area | AU$1,813 |
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 Sqft) studio | AU$316 |
| Internet 8 Mbps (1 month) | AU$646 |
| 40” flat screen TV | AU$538 |
| Microwave 800/900 Watt (Bosch, Panasonic, LG, Sharp, or equivalent brands) | AU$227 |
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | AU$14 |
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | AU$32 |
If you drive in Sydney, a standard car is likely to set you back around $25,000 which is very similar to other major cities like Melbourne. Fuel costs work out at around $1.52 a litre, while public transport is more expensive than most other cities in Australia - $172 a month.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI 150 CV (or equivalent), with no extras, new | AU$26,275 |
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | AU$1.48 |
| Monthly ticket public transport | AU$176 |
| Taxi trip on a business day, basic tariff, 8 km. (5 miles) | AU$55 |
Food and Drinks
In comparison to Melbourne, Sydney fairs quite well in terms of food and drink costs. While milk costs a little more - 1 litre of whole fat milk is $1.31 compared to $1.24 in Melbourne - lunches, fast food restaurants and domestic beer is cheaper. In fact, beer in the supermarket is 17% cheaper in Sydney than in Melbourne.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | AU$16 |
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (Big Mac Meal or similar) | AU$13 |
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | AU$6 |
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | AU$1.38 |
| 12 eggs, large | AU$5.75 |
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | AU$4.71 |
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | AU$7 |
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | AU$4.40 |
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | AU$3.50 |
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | AU$6 |
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | AU$22 |
| 2 liters of Coca-Cola | AU$2.93 |
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | AU$2 |
Unless they're being made and sold in Australia, clothes and shoes are always going to be more expensive here than in other countries. On average, Sydney is 4% more expensive than Melbourne and other major cities in Australia for clothes and shoes.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 pair of jeans (Levis 501 or similar) | AU$103 |
| 1 summer dress in a High Street Store (Zara, H&M or similar retailers) | AU$84 |
| 1 pair of sport shoes (Nike, Adidas, or equivalent brands) | AU$138 |
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | AU$133 |
Entertainment is an integral part of any city. It can include a dinner for two at the local pub, cinema tickets, drinks at pubs and cocktails and more. In Sydney, 2 tickets to the movies will set you back around $40 bucks. A pint in a pub will cost you $9.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | AU$57 |
| 2 tickets to the movies | AU$37 |
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | AU$226 |
| Dinner for two at an Italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | AU$99 |
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | AU$19 |
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | AU$4.48 |
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | AU$9 |
| iPad Wi-Fi 128GB | AU$720 |
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | AU$0.28 |
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | AU$78 |
| 1 package of Marlboro cigarettes | AU$38 |
An important one not everyone considers when moving, personal care and hygiene includes everything from doctor appointments to haircuts and toiletries. A short visit to a private doctor might set you back as much as $70.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Cold medicine for 6 days (Tylenol, Frenadol, Coldrex, or equivalent brands) | AU$9 |
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | AU$13 |
| Short visit to private Doctor (15 minutes) | AU$72 |
| 1 box of 32 tampons (Tampax, OB, ...) | AU$8 |
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | AU$4.94 |
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | AU$5.44 |
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | AU$3.83 |
| Tube of toothpaste | AU$3.56 |
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | AU$25 |
If you skipped two takeaway lunches a month, or just one night out, you could afford life insurance.
| Type of insurance | Monthly cost | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Life insurance | $30* | Cost of life insurance guide |
| Car insurance | $76.51* | Cost of car insurance guide |
| Health insurance | $70.83* | Cost of health insurance guide |
*The monthly costs are an indicative guide. The actual cost will depend on your personal situation. Check out the guides for more information.
Images: Shutterstock and Unsplash
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