Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Macquarie and Sydney

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Macquarie: $2,530 a month against $3,267 in Sydney, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Port Macquarie
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Port Macquarie Living Index
157

Cost of Living Index in Sydney
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Sydney Living Index

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Port Macquarie

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,530

/mo nomad

Sydney

🇦🇺 Australia

$3,267

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,530 per month in Port Macquarie vs $3,267 in Sydney, rent included.

Port Macquarie $2,530
Sydney $3,267

A couple spends around $3,581 per month in Port Macquarie vs $4,847 in Sydney, rent included.

Port Macquarie $3,581
Sydney $4,847

A family of three spends $4,633 per month in Port Macquarie vs $6,428 in Sydney, rent included.

Port Macquarie $4,633
Sydney $6,428

Port Macquarie is about 23% cheaper than Sydney, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Port Macquarie and Sydney sit above the global median – Port Macquarie by 86%, Sydney by 140%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.41 A$24.75

$17.50 A$24.88

-0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 A$125

$90.4 A$128

-2.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 A$14.86

$11.96 A$16.99

-12.63%

Cappuccino

$3.96 A$5.63

$4.00 A$5.69

-1.00%

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

$2.48 A$3.53

$2.81 A$4.00

-11.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 A$2.31

$2.22 A$3.16

-27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 A$8.75

$8.13 A$11.56

-24.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 A$8.84

$7.20 A$10.23

-13.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 A$3.07

$1.70 A$2.42

27.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 A$4.44

$2.94 A$4.17

6.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.08

$2.51 A$3.57

14.34%

Eggs

$5.24 A$7.45

$5.66 A$8.04

-7.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.33 A$7.57

$12.22 A$17.36

-56.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.33 A$14.68

$9.31 A$13.24

10.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.17 A$17.30

$16.87 A$23.98

-27.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 A$4.48

$3.90 A$5.55

-19.23%

Banana (1kg)

$4.21 A$5.99

$3.22 A$4.58

30.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 A$3.43

$3.43 A$4.88

-29.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 A$6.91

$4.33 A$6.16

12.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 A$3.46

$3.35 A$4.76

-27.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 A$3.39

$2.40 A$3.41

-0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 A$2.27

$2.34 A$3.32

-31.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 A$2.18

$1.16 A$1.65

31.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.83 A$60.9

$45.47 A$64.6

-5.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 A$14.67

$13.99 A$19.89

-26.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.34 A$6.17

$4.11 A$5.84

5.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 A$7.64

$4.18 A$5.94

28.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 A$4.01

$3.12 A$4.44

-9.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.2 A$131

$152 A$216

-39.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 A$4.80

$3.46 A$4.92

-2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 A$2.43

$1.56 A$2.22

9.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.86 A$52.4

$39.54 A$56.2

-6.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 A$1.79

$1.45 A$2.06

-13.10%

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

$26.4K A$37.5K

$29.9K A$42.5K

-11.71%

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

$22.1K A$31.4K

$27.5K A$39.1K

-19.80%

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

$210 A$298

$251 A$357

-16.31%

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

$30.48 A$43.32

$27.76 A$39.45

9.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 A$85.0

$58.0 A$82.4

3.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 A$73.8

$70.7 A$100

-26.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.97 A$14.17

$23.25 A$33.05

-57.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 A$15.33

$17.83 A$25.34

-39.48%

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

$2,172 A$3,087

$2,358 A$3,352

-7.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K A$30.7K

$27.2K A$38.6K

-20.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 A$123

$80.5 A$114

7.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 A$78.0

$69.3 A$98.5

-20.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$148

$111 A$157

-5.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 A$157

$127 A$181

-13.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 A$1,961

$2,566 A$3,647

-46.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 A$1,775

$1,792 A$2,548

-30.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,153 A$3,060

$5,202 A$7,394

-58.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 A$2,474

$3,156 A$4,487

-44.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,822 A$8,275

$13.4K A$19.0K

-56.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,964 A$7,055

$8,727 A$12.4K

-43.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,785 A$3,958

$4,118 A$5,853

-32.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.92

-9.97%

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

Last update for Port Macquarie: October 26, 2026

Last update for Sydney: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Port Macquarie

$1.2K 49.3%

Sydney

$1.8K 54.9% 43.6% $544

Groceries & Markets

Port Macquarie

$354 14%

Sydney

$382 11.7% 7.9% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Port Macquarie

$300 11.9%

Sydney

$337 10.3% 12.1% $36

Eating Out

Port Macquarie

$278 11%

Sydney

$299 9.2% 7.6% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Port Macquarie

$161 6.4%

Sydney

$175 5.3% 8.7% $14

Getting Around

Port Macquarie

$115 4.6%

Sydney

$176 5.4% 52.1% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Port Macquarie

$73 2.9%

Sydney

$106 3.3% 44.7% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,379 in Port Macquarie versus $2,566 in Sydney. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 48% higher in Sydney. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88 in Port Macquarie versus $90 in Sydney. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $382 – making Port Macquarie the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Port Macquarie

🇦🇺 Sydney

🕒 Local time

01:14 1:14 AM

Same time as Port Macquarie

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

47,793

4,840,600

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.704 USD

1 AUD = 0.63 EUR

1 AUD = 0.704 USD

1 AUD = 0.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Port Macquarie Sydney 310 km

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,530 in Port Macquarie, $3,267 in Sydney – Port Macquarie comes out roughly 23% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,795 per month in Port Macquarie and $4,900 in Sydney. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Macquarie, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,379 there versus $2,566 in Sydney.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,530 in Port Macquarie and $3,267 in Sydney. That makes Port Macquarie about 23% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,172 per month in Port Macquarie and $2,358 in Sydney. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Macquarie, where all-in costs run around $2,530, than in Sydney at $3,267. In Port Macquarie it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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