Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rockhampton and Sydney

For one person, living is cheaper in Rockhampton: $1,987 a month against $3,267 in Sydney, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

95

Cost of Living Index in Rockhampton
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Rockhampton Living Index
157

Cost of Living Index in Sydney
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Sydney Living Index

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Rockhampton

🇦🇺 Australia

$1,987

/mo nomad

Sydney

🇦🇺 Australia

$3,267

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,987 per month in Rockhampton vs $3,267 in Sydney, rent included.

Rockhampton $1,987
Sydney $3,267

A couple spends around $3,229 per month in Rockhampton vs $4,847 in Sydney, rent included.

Rockhampton $3,229
Sydney $4,847

A family of three spends $4,471 per month in Rockhampton vs $6,428 in Sydney, rent included.

Rockhampton $4,471
Sydney $6,428

Rockhampton is about 39% cheaper than Sydney, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Rockhampton and Sydney sit above the global median – Rockhampton by 46%, Sydney by 140%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.51 A$29.27

$17.50 A$24.98

17.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 A$120

$90.4 A$129

-7.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 A$14.14

$11.96 A$17.07

-17.22%

Cappuccino

$5.01 A$7.15

$4.00 A$5.71

25.25%

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

$2.40 A$3.43

$2.81 A$4.01

-14.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 A$3.96

$2.22 A$3.17

24.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.66 A$10.94

$8.13 A$11.61

-5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 A$9.23

$7.20 A$10.28

-10.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 A$3.40

$1.70 A$2.43

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.34

$2.94 A$4.19

-20.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 A$3.09

$2.51 A$3.59

-13.55%

Eggs

$3.84 A$5.48

$5.66 A$8.08

-32.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.86 A$9.79

$12.22 A$17.44

-43.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.15 A$15.92

$9.31 A$13.29

19.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 A$22.46

$16.87 A$24.08

-6.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.80

$3.90 A$5.57

-31.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 A$2.94

$3.22 A$4.60

-36.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 A$2.67

$3.43 A$4.90

-45.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 A$7.07

$4.33 A$6.18

14.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 A$2.84

$3.35 A$4.78

-40.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.32

$2.40 A$3.43

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 A$2.75

$2.34 A$3.34

-17.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 A$3.18

$1.16 A$1.65

92.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$37.33 A$53.3

$45.47 A$64.9

-17.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 A$21.66

$13.99 A$19.97

8.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 A$5.02

$4.11 A$5.86

-14.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 A$8.47

$4.18 A$5.96

41.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 A$2.46

$3.12 A$4.46

-44.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 A$90.2

$152 A$217

-58.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 A$4.93

$3.46 A$4.94

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 A$2.51

$1.56 A$2.23

12.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.29 A$56.1

$39.54 A$56.4

-0.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 A$1.73

$1.45 A$2.06

-16.55%

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

$29.8K A$42.6K

$29.9K A$42.7K

-0.23%

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

$22.9K A$32.7K

$27.5K A$39.3K

-16.86%

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

$203 A$290

$251 A$358

-18.89%

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

$23.89 A$34.10

$27.76 A$39.61

-13.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 A$96.5

$58.0 A$82.8

16.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.77 A$56.8

$70.7 A$101

-43.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 A$20.31

$23.25 A$33.19

-38.80%

Cinema Ticket

$15.89 A$22.68

$17.83 A$25.44

-10.88%

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

$1,776 A$2,535

$2,358 A$3,366

-24.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,584 A$9,398

$27.2K A$38.8K

-75.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 A$182

$80.5 A$115

58.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 A$85.0

$69.3 A$98.9

-14.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 A$202

$111 A$158

27.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.0 A$91.3

$127 A$182

-49.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$819 A$1,169

$2,566 A$3,662

-68.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 A$968

$1,792 A$2,558

-62.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 A$2,319

$5,202 A$7,425

-68.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 A$2,211

$3,156 A$4,505

-50.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$19.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,727 A$12.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,315 A$4,731

$4,118 A$5,878

-19.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

5.92

5.91%

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

Last update for Rockhampton: October 25, 2026

Last update for Sydney: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rockhampton

$678 34.1%

Sydney

$1.8K 54.9% 164% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Rockhampton

$358 18%

Sydney

$382 11.7% 6.9% $25

Eating Out

Rockhampton

$326 16.4%

Sydney

$299 9.2% 8.2% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rockhampton

$295 14.8%

Sydney

$337 10.3% 14.1% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Rockhampton

$176 8.9%

Sydney

$175 5.3% 1.1% $1.9

Getting Around

Rockhampton

$82 4.2%

Sydney

$176 5.4% 113% $93

Sport & Entertainment

Rockhampton

$72 3.6%

Sydney

$106 3.3% 48.6% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $819 in Rockhampton 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 24% higher in Sydney, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84 in Rockhampton versus $90 in Sydney. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $382 – making Rockhampton the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Rockhampton

🇦🇺 Sydney

🕒 Local time

23:52 11:52 PM

00:52 12:52 AM

1 h ahead of Rockhampton

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

63,151

4,840,600

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.701 USD

1 AUD = 0.628 EUR

1 AUD = 0.701 USD

1 AUD = 0.628 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Rockhampton Sydney 1,170 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Rockhampton
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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

Rockhampton vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sydney is pricier by about 64%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,981 per month in Rockhampton 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 Rockhampton, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $819 there versus $2,566 in Sydney.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,987 in Rockhampton and $3,267 in Sydney. That makes Rockhampton about 39% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 58% less in Rockhampton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Rockhampton, where all-in costs run around $1,987, than in Sydney at $3,267. In Rockhampton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rockhampton – 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 Rockhampton. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sydney makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.