Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penrith and Sydney

For one person, living is cheaper in Penrith: $2,604 a month against $3,152 in Sydney, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Penrith
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Penrith Living Index
155

Cost of Living Index in Sydney
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Sydney Living Index

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Penrith

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,604

/mo nomad

Sydney

🇦🇺 Australia

$3,152

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,604 per month in Penrith vs $3,152 in Sydney, rent included.

Penrith $2,604
Sydney $3,152

A couple spends around $3,652 per month in Penrith vs $4,710 in Sydney, rent included.

Penrith $3,652
Sydney $4,710

A family of three spends $4,701 per month in Penrith vs $6,268 in Sydney, rent included.

Penrith $4,701
Sydney $6,268

Penrith is about 17% cheaper than Sydney, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Penrith and Sydney sit above the global median – Penrith by 93%, Sydney by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.03 A$30.26

$17.57 A$25.29

19.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.7 A$129

$91.5 A$132

-2.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 A$15.19

$11.96 A$17.21

-11.71%

Cappuccino

$2.04 A$2.93

$4.07 A$5.85

-49.88%

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

$3.16 A$4.54

$2.85 A$4.10

10.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 A$3.69

$2.25 A$3.24

13.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.57 A$12.33

$7.60 A$10.94

12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 A$7.14

$7.43 A$10.69

-33.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 A$2.26

$1.66 A$2.38

-5.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 A$4.78

$2.78 A$4.00

19.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.65

$2.42 A$3.49

4.96%

Eggs

$5.16 A$7.42

$5.64 A$8.12

-8.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 A$18.82

$11.71 A$16.85

11.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 A$14.02

$9.66 A$13.89

0.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.40 A$22.16

$16.75 A$24.10

-8.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 A$5.65

$4.07 A$5.85

-3.44%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 A$4.43

$3.25 A$4.68

-5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$5.04

$3.44 A$4.96

1.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.31 A$7.65

$4.28 A$6.16

24.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.56

$3.28 A$4.72

-3.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 A$4.02

$2.30 A$3.30

21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.57

$2.30 A$3.31

7.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 A$1.93

$1.21 A$1.74

10.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.42 A$65.4

$43.71 A$62.9

3.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.07 A$20.24

$13.88 A$19.97

1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.65

$3.90 A$5.62

18.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 A$8.11

$3.91 A$5.63

44.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.17 A$4.57

$3.04 A$4.38

4.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.5 A$113

$150 A$216

-47.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 A$5.92

$3.38 A$4.86

21.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 A$2.26

$1.56 A$2.24

0.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.63 A$61.3

$40.01 A$57.6

6.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.70

$1.40 A$2.01

-15.71%

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

$27.1K A$39.0K

$29.1K A$41.9K

-6.97%

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

$30.0K A$43.2K

$30.1K A$43.4K

-0.38%

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

$183 A$263

$223 A$320

-17.92%

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

$26.16 A$37.65

$27.16 A$39.08

-3.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 A$79.7

$55.8 A$80.3

-0.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 A$73.4

$74.6 A$107

-31.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.66 A$25.42

$23.99 A$34.52

-26.39%

Cinema Ticket

$15.88 A$22.86

$17.56 A$25.27

-9.57%

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

$2,390 A$3,439

$2,196 A$3,160

8.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K A$28.7K

$28.2K A$40.6K

-29.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.3 A$108

$78.4 A$113

-3.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 A$80.8

$68.4 A$98.5

-18.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$155

$111 A$160

-3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$193

-0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 A$1,973

$2,500 A$3,598

-45.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 A$1,855

$1,709 A$2,460

-24.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,142 A$3,082

$4,946 A$7,117

-56.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 A$2,427

$3,022 A$4,349

-44.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,992 A$7,184

$13.2K A$18.9K

-62.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,361 A$6,275

$8,370 A$12.0K

-47.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,113 A$5,919

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

5.84

1.88%

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

Last update for Penrith: 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

Penrith

$1.3K 49.5%

Sydney

$1.7K 54.2% 32.6% $420

Groceries & Markets

Penrith

$396 15.2%

Sydney

$379 12% 4.4% $18

Eating Out

Penrith

$300 11.5%

Sydney

$299 9.5% 0.5% $1.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penrith

$264 10.2%

Sydney

$306 9.7% 15.6% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Penrith

$168 6.5%

Sydney

$177 5.6% 5.1% $8.6

Getting Around

Penrith

$103 4%

Sydney

$174 5.5% 68.3% $70

Sport & Entertainment

Penrith

$83 3.2%

Sydney

$110 3.5% 32.6% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,371 in Penrith versus $2,500 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 $90.0 in Penrith versus $91.0 in Sydney. Groceries tell a different story – $396 in Penrith vs $379 in Sydney – so Sydney wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Penrith

🇦🇺 Sydney

🕒 Local time

06:49 6:49 AM

Same time as Penrith

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,343

4,840,600

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Penrith vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney costs about 21% more than Penrith, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,905 per month in Penrith and $4,728 in Sydney. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Penrith, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 91% less in Penrith. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,390 per month in Penrith and $2,196 in Sydney. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,604 in Penrith and $3,152 in Sydney. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Penrith – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Penrith. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sydney makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.