Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Geraldton and Sydney

For one person, living is cheaper in Geraldton: $2,504 a month against $3,267 in Sydney, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Geraldton, Australia
Sydney, Australia
Geraldton
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,504
/mo nomad
Sydney
🇦🇺 Australia
$3,267
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Geraldton 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 Geraldton and in Sydney actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,504 per month in Geraldton vs $3,267 in Sydney, rent included.

  • Geraldton $2,504
  • Sydney $3,267

A couple spends around $3,618 per month in Geraldton vs $4,847 in Sydney, rent included.

  • Geraldton $3,618
  • Sydney $4,847

A family of three spends $4,732 per month in Geraldton vs $6,428 in Sydney, rent included.

  • Geraldton $4,732
  • Sydney $6,428

Geraldton is about 23% cheaper than Sydney, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Geraldton and Sydney sit above the global median – Geraldton by 84%, Sydney by 140%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Geraldton
Sydney
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.24 A$21.67
$17.50 A$24.88
-12.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.1 A$120
$90.4 A$128
-6.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.92 A$15.53
$11.96 A$17.00
-8.70%
Cappuccino
$4.11 A$5.85
$4.00 A$5.69
2.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 A$4.20
$2.81 A$4.00
4.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 A$3.36
$2.22 A$3.16
6.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.53 A$10.71
$8.13 A$11.57
-7.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.44 A$10.58
$7.20 A$10.24
3.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Geraldton
Sydney
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 A$2.16
$1.70 A$2.42
-10.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.74 A$3.90
$2.94 A$4.18
-6.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.23 A$3.18
$2.51 A$3.58
-11.16%
Eggs
$5.15 A$7.33
$5.66 A$8.05
-9.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.91 A$12.67
$12.22 A$17.37
-27.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.44 A$13.42
$9.31 A$13.24
1.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.64 A$23.65
$16.87 A$23.99
-1.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.68 A$5.23
$3.90 A$5.55
-5.64%
Banana (1kg)
$3.10 A$4.41
$3.22 A$4.58
-3.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.20 A$4.55
$3.43 A$4.88
-6.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.76 A$6.76
$4.33 A$6.16
9.93%
Potato (1kg)
$2.63 A$3.73
$3.35 A$4.76
-21.49%
Onion (1kg)
$2.49 A$3.54
$2.40 A$3.41
3.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.41 A$3.42
$2.34 A$3.33
2.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 A$2.25
$1.16 A$1.65
36.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$41.78 A$59.4
$45.47 A$64.7
-8.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.82 A$19.65
$13.99 A$19.89
-1.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.13 A$5.88
$4.11 A$5.84
0.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.28 A$7.51
$4.18 A$5.94
26.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Geraldton
Sydney
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.68 A$3.81
$3.12 A$4.44
-14.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$82.6 A$117
$152 A$216
-45.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.71 A$5.28
$3.46 A$4.92
7.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 A$2.57
$1.56 A$2.22
15.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$45.10 A$64.1
$39.54 A$56.2
14.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 A$2.10
$1.45 A$2.06
2.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.3K A$44.6K
$29.9K A$42.5K
4.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K A$37.9K
$27.5K A$39.1K
-3.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Geraldton
Sydney
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$204 A$290
$251 A$357
-18.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.36 A$38.90
$27.76 A$39.47
-1.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.6 A$81.9
$58.0 A$82.5
-0.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Geraldton
Sydney
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.50 A$69.0
$70.7 A$100
-31.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 A$25.99
$23.25 A$33.06
-21.38%
Cinema Ticket
$15.72 A$22.35
$17.83 A$25.35
-11.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Geraldton
Sydney
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,841 A$2,618
$2,358 A$3,353
-21.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.7K A$25.2K
$27.2K A$38.7K
-34.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Geraldton
Sydney
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.2 A$95.6
$80.5 A$114
-16.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.8 A$82.2
$69.3 A$98.5
-16.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 A$144
$111 A$157
-8.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 A$179
$127 A$181
-1.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Geraldton
Sydney
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,417 A$2,015
$2,566 A$3,648
-44.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 A$1,738
$1,792 A$2,549
-31.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,242 A$3,188
$5,202 A$7,396
-56.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,851 A$2,633
$3,156 A$4,488
-41.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,661 A$8,050
$13.4K A$19.0K
-57.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,640 A$6,597
$8,727 A$12.4K
-46.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Geraldton
Sydney
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,118 A$5,856
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
5.92
-0.34%

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

Last update for Geraldton: October 24, 2026

Last update for Sydney: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Geraldton
$1.2K
Sydney
$1.8K 46.7% $570
Groceries & Markets
Geraldton
$370
Sydney
$382 3.3% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Geraldton
$289
Sydney
$337 16.5% $48
Eating Out
Geraldton
$278
Sydney
$299 7.7% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Geraldton
$159
Sydney
$175 10% $16
Getting Around
Geraldton
$106
Sydney
$176 65.6% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Geraldton
$80
Sydney
$106 33% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,417 in Geraldton 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 $84 in Geraldton versus $90 in Sydney. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $382 – making Geraldton the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Geraldton
🇦🇺 Sydney
🕒 Local time
19:35 7:35 PM
22:35 10:35 PM
3 h ahead of Geraldton
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
32,717
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 = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.632 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Geraldton Sydney 3,500 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Geraldton
  • 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
Geraldton vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Geraldton and in Sydney compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,504 in Geraldton, $3,267 in Sydney – roughly 30% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Geraldton compared to Sydney?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,755 per month in Geraldton and $4,900 in Sydney. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Geraldton and Sydney?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Geraldton, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,417 there versus $2,566 in Sydney.
Which city is more expensive overall: Geraldton or Sydney?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,504 in Geraldton and $3,267 in Sydney. That’s a gap of about 30%.
How do commuting costs compare in Geraldton and in Sydney?
Public transport costs about 46% less in Geraldton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Geraldton, where all-in costs run around $2,504, than in Sydney at $3,267. In Geraldton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Geraldton or Sydney?
Families tend to lean toward Geraldton – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Geraldton or Sydney safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Where should expats move: Geraldton or Sydney?
For expats, Geraldton is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 30% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Geraldton vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?