Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Isa and Sydney Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Isa and Sydney

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,244 in Mount Isa versus $2,819 in Sydney.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,259 in Mount Isa versus $4,211 in Sydney.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,274 in Mount Isa versus $5,604 in Sydney.

Living in Mount Isa costs roughly 20% less than in Sydney, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mount Isa 67% above, Sydney 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.29 A$22.80

$16.18 A$22.65

0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 A$110

$77.7 A$109

1.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$13.79

$9.90 A$13.86

-0.51%

Cappuccino

$3.50 A$4.90

$3.42 A$4.79

2.34%

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

$2.51 A$3.51

$2.43 A$3.41

3.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 A$2.94

$1.94 A$2.71

8.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.38 A$8.93

$6.31 A$8.84

1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 A$10.00

$7.16 A$10.03

-0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.02

$1.62 A$2.27

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 A$3.26

$2.78 A$3.90

-16.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 A$2.85

$2.24 A$3.13

-8.93%

Eggs

$3.21 A$4.50

$5.13 A$7.19

-37.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 A$11.80

$8.96 A$12.54

-5.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 A$11.85

$8.42 A$11.79

0.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 A$19.48

$14.22 A$19.91

-2.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.62

$3.19 A$4.47

3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.85

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.15

$3.07 A$4.30

-3.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 A$5.66

$4.42 A$6.18

-8.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.49

$2.47 A$3.46

0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 A$2.91

$2.29 A$3.21

-9.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 A$2.96

$2.14 A$2.99

-1.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.22

$1.30 A$1.83

21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.79 A$43.11

$32.90 A$46.07

-6.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.63 A$21.88

$14.15 A$19.81

10.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.47

$4.72 A$6.61

-2.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.30

$5.31 A$7.44

-1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.57

$3.20 A$4.48

-20.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 A$90.4

$143 A$200

-54.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 A$4.94

$3.85 A$5.39

-8.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 A$2.23

$2.99 A$4.19

-46.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.09 A$47.73

$52.0 A$72.8

-34.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.59

$1.23 A$1.73

-8.13%

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

$28.7K A$40.2K

$28.4K A$39.8K

1.01%

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

$22.5K A$31.4K

$22.1K A$30.9K

1.65%

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

$181 A$254

$199 A$278

-8.68%

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

$27.79 A$38.91

$23.57 A$33.00

17.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.64 A$58.3

$53.5 A$74.9

-22.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.47 A$69.3

$59.7 A$83.6

-17.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 A$22.39

$21.29 A$29.81

-24.89%

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 A$18.48

$15.76 A$22.07

-16.24%

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

$1,612 A$2,256

$2,038 A$2,854

-20.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$17.1K

$18.3K A$25.6K

-33.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 A$95.0

$75.0 A$105

-9.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 A$71.9

$58.8 A$82.3

-12.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 A$139

$107 A$149

-6.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$148

$133 A$186

-20.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 A$1,790

$2,179 A$3,051

-41.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 A$1,483

$1,469 A$2,056

-27.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 A$2,862

$4,435 A$6,208

-53.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 A$2,358

$2,695 A$3,773

-37.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,002 A$8,403

$12.7K A$17.8K

-52.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,057 A$7,080

$7,816 A$10.9K

-35.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,545 A$6,363

$4,147 A$5,806

9.60%

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 Mount Isa: April 22, 2026

Last update for Sydney: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,278 in Mount Isa and $2,179 in Sydney. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mount Isa pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79 in Mount Isa vs $78 in Sydney. Groceries flip the comparison at $337 vs $351, with Mount Isa 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

Mount Isa vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mount Isa wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mount Isa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Mount Isa pays 10% 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: $1,278 in Mount Isa versus $2,179 in Sydney. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,612 in Mount Isa versus $2,038 in Sydney. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,244 in Mount Isa versus $2,819 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mount Isa but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Mount Isa 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, Mount Isa 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 Mount Isa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.