Cost of Living Comparison Between Darwin and Sydney Cost of Living Comparison Between Darwin and Sydney

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,614 in Darwin versus $2,759 in Sydney.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,838 in Darwin versus $4,168 in Sydney.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,061 in Darwin versus $5,578 in Sydney.

Living in Darwin costs roughly 5% less than in Sydney, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Darwin 95% above, Sydney 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.98 A$25.06

$16.49 A$22.98

9.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 A$113

$78.9 A$110

3.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.54 A$17.48

$9.93 A$13.84

26.28%

Cappuccino

$3.48 A$4.84

$3.38 A$4.71

2.96%

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

$2.66 A$3.70

$2.55 A$3.55

4.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 A$4.32

$1.97 A$2.74

57.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 A$8.99

$6.67 A$9.30

-3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 A$10.96

$7.35 A$10.24

7.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.63 A$2.28

-26.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 A$3.77

$2.72 A$3.80

-0.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.28 A$3.17

-6.14%

Eggs

$4.09 A$5.71

$5.04 A$7.03

-18.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.82 A$13.69

$8.92 A$12.43

10.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.27 A$11.53

$8.34 A$11.63

-0.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.57 A$11.95

$14.12 A$19.68

-39.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 A$4.99

$3.24 A$4.51

10.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.07

$2.70 A$3.76

8.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 A$4.98

$3.13 A$4.36

14.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 A$6.28

$4.41 A$6.15

2.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.28

$2.44 A$3.41

25.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 A$3.15

$2.33 A$3.25

-3.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.01

$2.21 A$3.08

-2.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 A$3.43

$1.25 A$1.74

96.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.12 A$35.01

$32.36 A$45.10

-22.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.03 A$16.76

$14.11 A$19.67

-14.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$9.35 A$13.03

$4.66 A$6.49

100.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.11

$5.33 A$7.43

36.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 A$3.11

$3.28 A$4.57

-32.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.83 A$63.9

$141 A$196

-67.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.83

$3.99 A$5.56

-13.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 A$1.66

$2.93 A$4.08

-59.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.63 A$63.6

$52.5 A$73.1

-13.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.60

$1.25 A$1.74

-8.00%

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

$29.2K A$40.7K

$29.4K A$41.0K

-0.84%

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

$32.5K A$45.3K

$22.7K A$31.6K

43.47%

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

$235 A$327

$204 A$284

15.24%

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

$35.29 A$49.18

$24.13 A$33.62

46.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 A$83.5

$51.9 A$72.3

15.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.5 A$104

$61.1 A$85.2

21.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.92 A$22.18

$20.84 A$29.04

-23.61%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 A$21.66

$15.71 A$21.90

-1.08%

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

$1,544 A$2,152

$2,074 A$2,890

-25.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 A$11.0K

$18.9K A$26.4K

-58.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 A$110

$72.9 A$102

7.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.72 A$63.7

$58.1 A$81.0

-21.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$140

$108 A$151

-6.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$181

$133 A$186

-2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 A$2,238

$2,194 A$3,057

-26.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 A$1,836

$1,491 A$2,077

-11.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,784 A$3,880

$4,416 A$6,154

-36.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,232 A$3,111

$2,626 A$3,660

-14.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 A$5,459

$13.4K A$18.6K

-70.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,577 A$4,985

$7,589 A$10.6K

-52.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,263 A$5,941

$4,193 A$5,843

1.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.34

0.95%

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

Last update for Darwin: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,606 in Darwin and $2,194 in Sydney. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Darwin pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Darwin vs $79.0 in Sydney for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $349 per month, with Sydney cheaper across the board.

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

Darwin vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Darwin is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Darwin pays 2% 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: $1,606 in Darwin 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 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Darwin – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Darwin is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Darwin 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 Darwin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.