Cost of Living Comparison Between Geelong and Sydney Cost of Living Comparison Between Geelong and Sydney

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,411 in Geelong versus $2,824 in Sydney.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,150 in Geelong versus $4,241 in Sydney.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,890 in Geelong versus $5,658 in Sydney.

Living in Geelong costs roughly 15% less than in Sydney, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Geelong 80% above, Sydney 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 A$24.01

$16.22 A$23.22

3.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$113

$79.3 A$114

-0.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 A$13.95

$9.59 A$13.74

1.56%

Cappuccino

$3.39 A$4.85

$3.29 A$4.71

3.04%

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

$2.62 A$3.76

$2.46 A$3.52

6.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 A$2.98

$1.97 A$2.82

5.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.36 A$9.11

$6.63 A$9.50

-4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 A$7.04

$7.12 A$10.20

-30.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.09

$1.65 A$2.36

-11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 A$3.10

$2.67 A$3.82

-18.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 A$1.36

$2.34 A$3.35

-59.40%

Eggs

$2.88 A$4.12

$5.03 A$7.20

-42.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 A$11.08

$8.59 A$12.30

-9.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 A$13.55

$8.37 A$11.98

13.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 A$21.03

$14.03 A$20.09

4.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 A$4.12

$3.23 A$4.62

-10.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.96

$2.75 A$3.93

0.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.21

$3.18 A$4.55

-7.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 A$3.14

$4.36 A$6.25

-49.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 A$3.58

$2.45 A$3.50

2.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 A$2.91

$2.36 A$3.38

-13.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 A$2.31

$2.16 A$3.09

-25.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.33

$1.29 A$1.84

26.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.58 A$43.79

$32.49 A$46.52

-5.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.65 A$19.54

$13.96 A$19.98

-2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 A$4.83

$4.62 A$6.62

-26.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 A$4.14

$5.30 A$7.59

-45.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.82 A$9.76

$3.18 A$4.56

114.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$119 A$171

$143 A$204

-16.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 A$5.15

$3.82 A$5.47

-5.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$3.03 A$4.34

-53.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.58 A$39.48

$52.3 A$74.9

-47.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.69

$1.20 A$1.71

-1.67%

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

$28.5K A$40.8K

$28.4K A$40.6K

0.49%

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

$23.3K A$33.4K

$22.4K A$32.0K

4.27%

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

$140 A$200

$198 A$284

-29.57%

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

$20.86 A$29.87

$24.17 A$34.60

-13.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.0 A$71.6

$51.8 A$74.2

-3.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 A$75.3

$60.4 A$86.4

-12.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.58 A$20.88

$21.22 A$30.38

-31.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 A$16.97

$15.72 A$22.51

-24.62%

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

$1,762 A$2,522

$2,085 A$2,986

-15.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K A$28.2K

$18.8K A$26.9K

4.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.4 A$99.3

$75.1 A$108

-7.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 A$63.8

$59.3 A$84.9

-24.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$144

$106 A$152

-5.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 A$127

$131 A$188

-32.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 A$2,055

$2,182 A$3,123

-34.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 A$1,738

$1,506 A$2,156

-19.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 A$1,777

$4,461 A$6,387

-72.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 A$1,696

$2,698 A$3,862

-56.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,440 A$9,221

$12.8K A$18.3K

-49.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,175 A$7,409

$7,341 A$10.5K

-29.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,105 A$4,445

$4,217 A$6,038

-26.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.34

-2.37%

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

Last update for Geelong: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sydney: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,435 in Geelong and $2,182 in Sydney. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $79.0 in Geelong vs $79.0 in Sydney for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $347 per month, with Geelong 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

Geelong vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Geelong and Sydney differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,411 vs $2,824 including rent). Geelong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Sydney. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,435 in Geelong versus $2,182 in Sydney. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,411 per month in Geelong versus $2,824 in Sydney – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Geelong runs roughly 20% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Geelong 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, Geelong 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 Geelong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.