Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Double Bay and Sydney

For one person, living is cheaper in Double Bay: $2,715 a month against $3,267 in Sydney, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Double Bay, Australia
Sydney, Australia
Double Bay
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,715
/mo nomad
Sydney
🇦🇺 Australia
$3,267
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Double Bay and in Sydney

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Double Bay and in Sydney actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,715 per month in Double Bay vs $3,267 in Sydney, rent included.

  • Double Bay $2,715
  • Sydney $3,267

A couple spends around $3,760 per month in Double Bay vs $4,847 in Sydney, rent included.

  • Double Bay $3,760
  • Sydney $4,847

A family of three spends $4,804 per month in Double Bay vs $6,428 in Sydney, rent included.

  • Double Bay $4,804
  • Sydney $6,428

Double Bay is about 17% cheaper than Sydney, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Double Bay and Sydney sit above the global median – Double Bay by 100%, Sydney by 140%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Double Bay
Sydney
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.62 A$25.03
$17.50 A$24.87
0.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.7 A$126
$90.4 A$128
-1.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.49 A$14.90
$11.96 A$16.99
-12.29%
Cappuccino
$4.06 A$5.77
$4.00 A$5.68
1.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 A$3.94
$2.81 A$4.00
-1.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 A$3.17
$2.22 A$3.16
0.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.23 A$11.70
$8.13 A$11.56
1.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.24 A$10.29
$7.20 A$10.23
0.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Double Bay
Sydney
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 A$2.14
$1.70 A$2.42
-11.18%
White Bread (500g)
$2.82 A$4.01
$2.94 A$4.17
-4.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.41 A$3.43
$2.51 A$3.57
-3.98%
Eggs
$5.22 A$7.42
$5.66 A$8.04
-7.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.96 A$16.99
$12.22 A$17.36
-2.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.33 A$13.25
$9.31 A$13.24
0.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.10 A$21.45
$16.87 A$23.97
-10.49%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 A$5.75
$3.90 A$5.54
3.85%
Banana (1kg)
$3.22 A$4.57
$3.22 A$4.58
-
Oranges (1kg)
$3.41 A$4.84
$3.43 A$4.88
-0.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.23 A$6.01
$4.33 A$6.16
-2.31%
Potato (1kg)
$3.18 A$4.52
$3.35 A$4.75
-5.07%
Onion (1kg)
$2.50 A$3.55
$2.40 A$3.41
4.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.32 A$3.30
$2.34 A$3.32
-0.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 A$1.71
$1.16 A$1.65
4.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$44.37 A$63.0
$45.47 A$64.6
-2.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.95 A$19.82
$13.99 A$19.88
-0.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.04 A$5.74
$4.11 A$5.84
-1.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.17 A$5.93
$4.18 A$5.94
-0.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Double Bay
Sydney
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.85 A$4.05
$3.12 A$4.44
-8.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.0 A$135
$152 A$216
-37.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.43 A$4.87
$3.46 A$4.92
-0.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 A$2.26
$1.56 A$2.22
1.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.34 A$57.3
$39.54 A$56.2
2.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 A$1.86
$1.45 A$2.05
-9.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K A$40.4K
$29.9K A$42.5K
-4.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K A$36.9K
$27.5K A$39.1K
-5.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Double Bay
Sydney
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$181 A$258
$251 A$356
-27.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.08 A$38.48
$27.76 A$39.44
-2.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.2 A$79.8
$58.0 A$82.4
-3.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Double Bay
Sydney
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.6 A$90.3
$70.7 A$100
-10.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.23 A$23.06
$23.25 A$33.04
-30.19%
Cinema Ticket
$15.82 A$22.48
$17.83 A$25.33
-11.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Double Bay
Sydney
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,311 A$3,283
$2,358 A$3,351
-2.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.3K A$28.9K
$27.2K A$38.6K
-25.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Double Bay
Sydney
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.0 A$109
$80.5 A$114
-4.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.5 A$80.3
$69.3 A$98.5
-18.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 A$155
$111 A$157
-1.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 A$184
$127 A$181
1.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Double Bay
Sydney
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,338 A$1,902
$2,566 A$3,646
-47.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,403 A$1,993
$1,792 A$2,547
-21.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,300 A$3,269
$5,202 A$7,391
-55.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,807 A$2,568
$3,156 A$4,485
-42.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,555 A$7,893
$13.4K A$19.0K
-58.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,323 A$6,142
$8,727 A$12.4K
-50.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Double Bay
Sydney
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,118 A$5,851
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.92
5.92
-

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

Last update for Double Bay: October 25, 2026

Last update for Sydney: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Double Bay
$1.4K
Sydney
$1.8K 27.8% $390
Groceries & Markets
Double Bay
$371
Sydney
$382 3.1% $11
Eating Out
Double Bay
$297
Sydney
$299 0.8% $2.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Double Bay
$265
Sydney
$337 27.2% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Double Bay
$167
Sydney
$175 4.3% $7.2
Getting Around
Double Bay
$118
Sydney
$176 49% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Double Bay
$95
Sydney
$106 11.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,338 in Double Bay versus $2,566 in Sydney. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Double Bay versus $90 in Sydney. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $382 – making Double Bay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Double Bay
🇦🇺 Sydney
🕒 Local time
09:41 9:41 AM
09:41 9:41 AM
Same time as Double Bay
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,651
4,840,600
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.632 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Double Bay Sydney 3 km
From you
  • Double Bay
  • Sydney

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Double Bay vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Double Bay cheaper than Sydney?
Yes – Sydney is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,073 per month in Double Bay and $4,900 in Sydney. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Double Bay, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,338 there versus $2,566 in Sydney.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 37% less in Double Bay. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do food prices compare in Double Bay and in Sydney?
Groceries cost about 3% more in Sydney, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Double Bay or in Sydney?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,715 in Double Bay and $3,267 in Sydney. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Double Bay or in Sydney?
It depends on your priorities. Sydney has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,715 in Double Bay to $3,267 in Sydney. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Double Bay or Sydney?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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