Cost of Living Comparison Between Northam and Sydney Cost of Living Comparison Between Northam and Sydney

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,149 in Northam versus $2,819 in Sydney.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,223 in Northam versus $4,211 in Sydney.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,296 in Northam versus $5,604 in Sydney.

Living in Northam costs roughly 24% less than in Sydney, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Northam 60% above, Sydney 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.31 A$22.83

$16.18 A$22.65

0.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$77.7 A$109

1.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 A$14.31

$9.90 A$13.86

3.23%

Cappuccino

$3.72 A$5.21

$3.42 A$4.79

8.77%

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

$2.59 A$3.62

$2.43 A$3.41

6.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.77

$1.94 A$2.71

2.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 A$10.61

$6.31 A$8.84

20.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.62 A$9.27

$7.16 A$10.03

-7.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.03

$1.62 A$2.27

-10.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 A$3.39

$2.78 A$3.90

-12.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.74

$2.24 A$3.13

-12.50%

Eggs

$4.14 A$5.80

$5.13 A$7.19

-19.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 A$8.36

$8.96 A$12.54

-33.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.56 A$11.99

$8.42 A$11.79

1.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.60 A$19.04

$14.22 A$19.91

-4.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 A$3.61

$3.19 A$4.47

-19.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.05

$2.75 A$3.85

5.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.16

$3.07 A$4.30

-3.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 A$6.42

$4.42 A$6.18

3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.54

$2.47 A$3.46

2.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.48

$2.29 A$3.21

-22.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 A$2.71

$2.14 A$2.99

-9.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 A$0.92

$1.30 A$1.83

-49.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.91 A$44.67

$32.90 A$46.07

-3.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.61 A$5.05

$14.15 A$19.81

-74.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.78 A$5.29

$4.72 A$6.61

-19.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 A$5.76

$5.31 A$7.44

-22.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 A$3.70

$3.20 A$4.48

-17.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 A$89.3

$143 A$200

-55.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 A$5.68

$3.85 A$5.39

5.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 A$3.11

$2.99 A$4.19

-25.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.53 A$67.9

$52.0 A$72.8

-6.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.62

$1.23 A$1.73

-5.69%

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

$29.1K A$40.7K

$28.4K A$39.8K

2.24%

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

$24.5K A$34.3K

$22.1K A$30.9K

10.86%

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

$155 A$218

$199 A$278

-21.81%

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

$22.72 A$31.81

$23.57 A$33.00

-3.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 A$76.2

$53.5 A$74.9

1.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.22 A$68.9

$59.7 A$83.6

-17.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.51 A$21.71

$21.29 A$29.81

-27.15%

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 A$22.74

$15.76 A$22.07

3.05%

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

$1,803 A$2,524

$2,038 A$2,854

-11.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.7K

$18.3K A$25.6K

-34.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 A$100

$75.0 A$105

-4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.27 A$67.6

$58.8 A$82.3

-17.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$143

$107 A$149

-3.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$133 A$186

-20.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 A$1,782

$2,179 A$3,051

-41.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 A$1,463

$1,469 A$2,056

-28.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 A$2,803

$4,435 A$6,208

-54.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 A$2,391

$2,695 A$3,773

-36.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,236 A$8,730

$12.7K A$17.8K

-51.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,040 A$7,056

$7,816 A$10.9K

-35.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,147 A$5,806

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.34

1.26%

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

Last update for Northam: April 22, 2026

Last update for Sydney: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,273 in Northam and $2,179 in Sydney. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79 in Northam vs $78 in Sydney. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $351, with Northam 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

Northam vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Northam wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Northam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,224 in Northam and $4,228 in Sydney to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,273 in Northam versus $2,179 in Sydney. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Northam – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $78.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,149 per month in Northam versus $2,819 in Sydney – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,149 in Northam versus $2,819 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Northam but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Northam 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, Northam 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 Northam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.