Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oamaru and Sydney

For one person, living is cheaper in Oamaru: $1,769 a month against $3,152 in Sydney, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Oamaru
Learn more

Oamaru Living Index
155

Cost of Living Index in Sydney
Learn more

Sydney Living Index

Jump to prices

Oamaru

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,769

/mo nomad

Sydney

🇦🇺 Australia

$3,152

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,769 in Oamaru versus $3,152 in Sydney.

Oamaru $1,769
Sydney $3,152

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,802 in Oamaru versus $4,710 in Sydney.

Oamaru $2,802
Sydney $4,710

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,834 in Oamaru versus $6,268 in Sydney.

Oamaru $3,834
Sydney $6,268

Living in Oamaru costs roughly 44% less than in Sydney, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oamaru 31% above, Sydney 133% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.87 NZ$24.53

$17.57 A$25.29

-21.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 NZ$120

$91.5 A$132

-25.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 NZ$16.23

$11.96 A$17.21

-23.24%

Cappuccino

$3.30 NZ$5.84

$4.07 A$5.85

-18.92%

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

$2.33 NZ$4.12

$2.85 A$4.10

-18.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 NZ$3.14

$2.25 A$3.24

-20.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.58 NZ$11.63

$7.60 A$10.94

-13.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 NZ$12.22

$7.43 A$10.69

-7.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.94

$1.66 A$2.38

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 NZ$2.27

$2.78 A$4.00

-53.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 NZ$2.65

$2.42 A$3.49

-38.02%

Eggs

$5.48 NZ$9.70

$5.64 A$8.12

-2.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 NZ$12.83

$11.71 A$16.85

-38.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.87 NZ$15.69

$9.66 A$13.89

-8.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.60 NZ$24.04

$16.75 A$24.10

-18.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 NZ$4.22

$4.07 A$5.85

-41.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.58

$3.25 A$4.68

-37.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 NZ$4.76

$3.44 A$4.96

-21.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.25

$4.28 A$6.16

-30.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 NZ$2.65

$3.28 A$4.72

-54.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 NZ$2.35

$2.30 A$3.30

-42.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 NZ$3.64

$2.30 A$3.31

-10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 NZ$1.24

$1.21 A$1.74

-42.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.24 NZ$42.87

$43.71 A$62.9

-44.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 NZ$9.63

$13.88 A$19.97

-60.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 NZ$5.96

$3.90 A$5.62

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 NZ$7.60

$3.91 A$5.63

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 NZ$2.64

$3.04 A$4.38

-50.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.0 NZ$157

$150 A$216

-40.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 NZ$4.52

$3.38 A$4.86

-24.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 NZ$3.00

$1.56 A$2.24

8.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.87 NZ$49.29

$40.01 A$57.6

-30.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 NZ$2.79

$1.40 A$2.01

12.86%

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

$25.2K NZ$44.6K

$29.1K A$41.9K

-13.31%

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

$23.9K NZ$42.2K

$30.1K A$43.4K

-20.76%

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

$158 NZ$279

$223 A$320

-29.07%

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

$19.36 NZ$34.24

$27.16 A$39.08

-28.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.43 NZ$80.3

$55.8 A$80.3

-18.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.08 NZ$69.1

$74.6 A$107

-47.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 A$34.52

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 NZ$17.65

$17.56 A$25.27

-43.17%

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

$668 NZ$1,181

$2,196 A$3,160

-69.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K NZ$38.4K

$28.2K A$40.6K

-23.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 NZ$99.7

$78.4 A$113

-28.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.83 NZ$29.77

$68.4 A$98.5

-75.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.83 NZ$79.3

$111 A$160

-59.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.3 NZ$88.9

$134 A$193

-62.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 NZ$1,720

$2,500 A$3,598

-61.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 NZ$1,398

$1,709 A$2,460

-53.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 NZ$3,051

$4,946 A$7,117

-65.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 NZ$2,884

$3,022 A$4,349

-46.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,751 NZ$8,403

$13.2K A$18.9K

-63.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,236 NZ$5,724

$8,370 A$12.0K

-61.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,926 NZ$3,405

$4,113 A$5,919

-53.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.91

5.84

1.20%

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

Last update for Oamaru: October 11, 2026

Last update for Sydney: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Oamaru

$790 44.7%

Sydney

$1.7K 54.2% 116% $919

Groceries & Markets

Oamaru

$274 15.5%

Sydney

$379 12% 38.1% $104

Eating Out

Oamaru

$241 13.6%

Sydney

$299 9.5% 23.7% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Oamaru

$223 12.6%

Sydney

$306 9.7% 37.2% $83

Getting Around

Oamaru

$106 6%

Sydney

$174 5.5% 63.8% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Oamaru

$76 4.3%

Sydney

$177 5.6% 133% $101

Sport & Entertainment

Oamaru

$59 3.3%

Sydney

$110 3.5% 85.8% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Oamaru and $2,500 in Sydney. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 114% 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: $68.0 in Oamaru vs $91.0 in Sydney for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $379 per month, with Oamaru cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Oamaru

🇦🇺 Sydney

🕒 Local time

16:21 4:21 PM

14:21 2:21 PM

2 h behind Oamaru

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,850

4,840,600

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Oamaru Sydney 2,100 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Oamaru
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

Oamaru vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oamaru is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 114% 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: $973 in Oamaru versus $2,500 in Sydney. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Oamaru – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $91.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,769 in Oamaru versus $3,152 in Sydney, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Oamaru but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Oamaru 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, Oamaru 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 Oamaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.