Cost of Living Comparison Between Alice Springs and Sydney Cost of Living Comparison Between Alice Springs and Sydney

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,824 in Alice Springs versus $2,759 in Sydney.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,629 in Alice Springs versus $4,168 in Sydney.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,433 in Alice Springs versus $5,578 in Sydney.

Living in Alice Springs costs roughly 34% less than in Sydney, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alice Springs 36% above, Sydney 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.83 A$17.87

$16.49 A$22.98

-22.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$109

$78.9 A$110

-0.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.61 A$13.39

$9.93 A$13.84

-3.22%

Cappuccino

$3.76 A$5.23

$3.38 A$4.71

11.24%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.55 A$3.55

-1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 A$3.60

$1.97 A$2.74

31.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 A$8.45

$6.67 A$9.30

-9.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.27 A$12.92

$7.35 A$10.24

26.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 A$1.93

$1.63 A$2.28

-14.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 A$3.00

$2.72 A$3.80

-20.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.73

$2.28 A$3.17

-14.04%

Eggs

$4.71 A$6.56

$5.04 A$7.03

-6.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 A$11.92

$8.92 A$12.43

-4.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 A$17.37

$8.34 A$11.63

49.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 A$18.70

$14.12 A$19.68

-4.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 A$4.84

$3.24 A$4.51

7.41%

Banana (1kg)

$4.12 A$5.75

$2.70 A$3.76

52.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 A$5.58

$3.13 A$4.36

27.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.27 A$10.14

$4.41 A$6.15

64.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.55

$2.44 A$3.41

34.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.33

$2.33 A$3.25

2.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 A$2.93

$2.21 A$3.08

-4.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.35

$1.25 A$1.74

35.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.29 A$24.10

$32.36 A$45.10

-46.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.93 A$22.20

$14.11 A$19.67

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 A$4.36

$4.66 A$6.49

-32.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 A$7.47

$5.33 A$7.43

0.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 A$2.25

$3.28 A$4.57

-50.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 A$90.4

$141 A$196

-53.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 A$4.72

$3.99 A$5.56

-15.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 A$1.71

$2.93 A$4.08

-58.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.57 A$49.56

$52.5 A$73.1

-32.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.82

$1.25 A$1.74

4.80%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.9K A$41.7K

$29.4K A$41.0K

1.69%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.9K A$29.2K

$22.7K A$31.6K

-7.62%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$196 A$272

$204 A$284

-4.08%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.29 A$38.02

$24.13 A$33.62

13.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 A$91.3

$51.9 A$72.3

26.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 A$90.8

$61.1 A$85.2

6.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.28 A$22.68

$20.84 A$29.04

-21.88%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 A$18.40

$15.71 A$21.90

-15.91%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,354 A$1,887

$2,074 A$2,890

-34.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,798 A$3,899

$18.9K A$26.4K

-85.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.5 A$101

$72.9 A$102

-0.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.23 A$15.65

$58.1 A$81.0

-80.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 A$195

$108 A$151

29.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 A$148

$133 A$186

-20.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 A$862

$2,194 A$3,057

-71.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 A$799

$1,491 A$2,077

-61.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 A$2,063

$4,416 A$6,154

-66.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 A$879

$2,626 A$3,660

-75.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,661 A$6,495

$13.4K A$18.6K

-65.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,928 A$6,867

$7,589 A$10.6K

-35.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,508 A$6,282

$4,193 A$5,843

7.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Alice Springs: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Alice Springs and $2,194 in Sydney. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alice Springs pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78.0 in Alice Springs vs $79.0 in Sydney. Groceries flip the comparison at $386 vs $349, with Sydney cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Alice Springs vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alice Springs wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alice Springs the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Alice Springs pays 8% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Alice Springs versus $2,194 in Sydney. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sydney pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Alice Springs – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,824 in Alice Springs versus $2,759 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alice Springs but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Alice Springs the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Alice Springs and Sydney are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Alice Springs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.