Cost of Living Comparison Between Parramatta and Salo Cost of Living Comparison Between Parramatta and Salo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,011 in Parramatta versus $1,122 in Salo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,241 in Parramatta versus $1,905 in Salo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,471 in Parramatta versus $2,689 in Salo.

Living in Parramatta is roughly 168% more expensive than in Salo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Parramatta is 118% above, Salo is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 A$25.08

$16.95 €14.62

6.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 A$130

$90.9 €78.4

2.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.61 A$16.18

$12.13 €10.46

-4.29%

Cappuccino

$4.21 A$5.87

$5.46 €4.71

-22.89%

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

$3.30 A$4.60

$3.03 €2.61

8.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 A$3.90

$2.08 €1.79

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.47 A$11.81

$3.96 €3.41

113.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 A$10.00

$9.47 €8.16

-24.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.12 €0.97

50.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 A$3.94

$2.78 €2.39

1.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.40

$2.49 €2.15

-2.01%

Eggs

$5.37 A$7.49

$3.39 €2.92

58.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 A$18.19

$9.04 €7.79

44.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.57 A$13.34

$14.93 €12.87

-35.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.19 A$22.58

$22.54 €19.43

-28.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 A$5.31

$2.39 €2.06

59.41%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 A$4.30

$2.12 €1.83

45.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 A$4.91

$2.56 €2.21

37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 A$7.25

$4.03 €3.47

29.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.56

$1.32 €1.13

147.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$1.98 €1.71

29.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 A$3.77

$3.03 €2.61

-10.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.12

$2.13 €1.84

-28.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.29 A$63.1

$11.87 €10.23

281.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 A$19.86

$16.55 €14.26

-13.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 A$5.99

$3.17 €2.73

35.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 A$5.63

$3.41 €2.94

18.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$201

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$4.98

$4.41 €3.80

-19.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.40 €1.20

15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.41 A$57.7

$68.3 €58.8

-39.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 A$1.90

$2.16 €1.86

-37.04%

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

$31.2K A$43.6K

$38.7K €33.4K

-19.27%

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

$30.9K A$43.1K

$39.1K €33.7K

-20.97%

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

$223 A$312

$135 €117

65.20%

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

$28.43 A$39.63

$25.55 €22.02

11.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 A$81.3

$25.04 €21.58

132.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.27 A$50.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 A$28.54

$21.97 €18.94

-6.83%

Cinema Ticket

$16.91 A$23.58

$18.40 €15.86

-8.10%

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

$2,240 A$3,123

$339 €293

559.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K A$29.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 A$114

$97.5 €84.1

-16.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 A$81.6

$50.4 €43.42

16.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 A$159

$105 €90.4

8.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$186

$157 €135

-14.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 A$2,598

$643 €554

189.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 A$2,214

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,131 A$5,760

$882 €761

368.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 A$3,043

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,412 A$6,152

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,490 A$4,866

$1,394 €1,202

150.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,197 A$5,851

$2,727 €2,350

53.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

3.51

66.38%

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

Last update for Parramatta: September 8, 2026

Last update for Salo: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,864 in Parramatta and $643 in Salo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Parramatta pays 54% 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: $93.0 in Parramatta vs $91.0 in Salo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $388 per month, with Salo 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

Parramatta vs Salo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 168% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 54% higher in Parramatta, 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: $1,864 in Parramatta versus $643 in Salo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,240 in Parramatta versus $339 in Salo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Salo – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $93.0 in Parramatta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,122 in Salo versus $3,011 in Parramatta, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Salo but tight or insufficient in Parramatta. The gap between the two cities makes Salo 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, Parramatta and Salo 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 Salo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 168% less than in Parramatta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.