Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Douglas and Sydney Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Douglas and Sydney

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Port Douglas versus $2,824 in Sydney.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,290 in Port Douglas versus $4,241 in Sydney.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,357 in Port Douglas versus $5,658 in Sydney.

Living in Port Douglas costs roughly 21% less than in Sydney, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Douglas 66% above, Sydney 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 A$16.86

$16.22 A$23.22

-27.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 A$115

$79.3 A$114

1.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 A$15.08

$9.59 A$13.74

9.80%

Cappuccino

$3.80 A$5.44

$3.29 A$4.71

15.50%

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

$2.75 A$3.94

$2.46 A$3.52

11.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 A$3.17

$1.97 A$2.82

12.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 A$9.34

$6.63 A$9.50

-1.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 A$10.28

$7.12 A$10.20

0.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.49

$1.65 A$2.36

5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 A$3.42

$2.67 A$3.82

-10.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.90

$2.34 A$3.35

16.67%

Eggs

$3.90 A$5.58

$5.03 A$7.20

-22.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 A$11.52

$8.59 A$12.30

-6.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 A$13.19

$8.37 A$11.98

10.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 A$17.88

$14.03 A$20.09

-10.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.27

$3.23 A$4.62

-7.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 A$3.17

$2.75 A$3.93

-19.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.80

$3.18 A$4.55

-16.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.28 A$10.42

$4.36 A$6.25

66.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 A$3.18

$2.45 A$3.50

-9.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.29

$2.36 A$3.38

-2.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 A$3.35

$2.16 A$3.09

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 A$4.14

$1.29 A$1.84

124.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.85 A$41.31

$32.49 A$46.52

-11.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 A$18.35

$13.96 A$19.98

-8.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 A$4.70

$4.62 A$6.62

-29.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 A$5.25

$5.30 A$7.59

-30.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 A$3.68

$3.18 A$4.56

-19.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 A$92.9

$143 A$204

-54.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.55 A$9.37

$3.82 A$5.47

71.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.29

$3.03 A$4.34

-47.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.95 A$47.18

$52.3 A$74.9

-37.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.65

$1.20 A$1.71

-4.17%

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

$23.2K A$33.2K

$28.4K A$40.6K

-18.42%

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

$19.1K A$27.4K

$22.4K A$32.0K

-14.56%

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

$154 A$220

$198 A$284

-22.54%

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

$36.26 A$51.9

$24.17 A$34.60

50.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 A$84.7

$51.8 A$74.2

14.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.90 A$70.0

$60.4 A$86.4

-18.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.63 A$22.38

$21.22 A$30.38

-26.34%

Cinema Ticket

$12.76 A$18.27

$15.72 A$22.51

-18.83%

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

$1,638 A$2,345

$2,085 A$2,986

-21.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$17.5K

$18.8K A$26.9K

-35.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 A$122

$75.1 A$108

13.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 A$68.5

$59.3 A$84.9

-19.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 A$143

$106 A$152

-5.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$193

$131 A$188

2.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 A$1,786

$2,182 A$3,123

-42.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 A$1,538

$1,506 A$2,156

-28.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 A$2,839

$4,461 A$6,387

-55.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 A$2,391

$2,698 A$3,862

-38.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,596 A$8,011

$12.8K A$18.3K

-56.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,094 A$7,294

$7,341 A$10.5K

-30.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,038

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.96

6.34

9.78%

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

Last update for Port Douglas: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sydney: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,247 in Port Douglas and $2,182 in Sydney. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80.0 in Port Douglas vs $79.0 in Sydney for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $347 per month, with Sydney 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

Port Douglas vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Douglas and Sydney differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($2,223 vs $2,824 including rent). Port Douglas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,335 in Port Douglas and $4,235 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: $1,247 in Port Douglas versus $2,182 in Sydney. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sydney pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Port Douglas – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,223 in Port Douglas versus $2,824 in Sydney, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Port Douglas but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Port Douglas 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, Port Douglas 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 Port Douglas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.