Cost of Living Comparison Between Sale and Sydney Cost of Living Comparison Between Sale and Sydney

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,680 per month in Sale vs $3,344 in Sydney, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,783 per month in Sale vs $4,844 in Sydney, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,885 per month in Sale vs $6,343 in Sydney, rent included.

Sale is about 20% cheaper than Sydney, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sale and Sydney sit above the global median – Sale by 95%, Sydney by 143%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.06 A$22.41

$17.60 A$24.56

-8.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 A$104

$94.7 A$132

-21.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 A$15.90

$12.08 A$16.86

-5.71%

Cappuccino

$4.00 A$5.58

$4.01 A$5.59

-0.25%

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

$2.78 A$3.89

$2.87 A$4.00

-3.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.28 A$3.18

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.54 A$10.52

$8.09 A$11.29

-6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 A$10.62

$7.15 A$9.97

6.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.82 A$2.54

-11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.97

$2.73 A$3.80

4.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.93

$2.34 A$3.27

-10.26%

Eggs

$4.98 A$6.95

$5.84 A$8.15

-14.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 A$14.71

$12.90 A$18.00

-18.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.81 A$12.29

$9.71 A$13.55

-9.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 A$23.51

$16.78 A$23.41

0.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 A$5.78

$3.84 A$5.36

7.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.19

$3.08 A$4.30

-2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 A$4.39

$3.40 A$4.74

-7.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 A$7.54

$4.58 A$6.39

17.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.63

$3.17 A$4.43

-17.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.43

$2.55 A$3.56

-3.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.46 A$3.44

-13.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.34

$1.28 A$1.79

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$37.87 A$52.9

$46.08 A$64.3

-17.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 A$18.25

$14.12 A$19.70

-7.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.48 A$6.25

$4.21 A$5.88

6.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 A$6.68

$4.08 A$5.70

17.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 A$4.12

$3.34 A$4.66

-11.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.6 A$129

$153 A$213

-39.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.57 A$4.99

-6.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 A$2.08

$1.60 A$2.23

-6.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.76 A$62.5

$41.39 A$57.8

8.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 A$1.99

$1.37 A$1.91

3.65%

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

$25.4K A$35.4K

$30.6K A$42.7K

-17.16%

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

$32.9K A$45.9K

$30.9K A$43.1K

6.41%

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

$209 A$292

$230 A$321

-9.06%

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

$26.38 A$36.82

$27.25 A$38.03

-3.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 A$73.8

$56.8 A$79.2

-6.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 A$80.3

$75.3 A$105

-23.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 A$23.76

$24.26 A$33.86

-29.84%

Cinema Ticket

$16.94 A$23.64

$17.75 A$24.77

-4.56%

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

$2,166 A$3,023

$2,234 A$3,117

-3.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K A$25.8K

$29.5K A$41.2K

-37.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.0 A$106

$79.7 A$111

-4.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 A$76.9

$73.2 A$102

-24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 A$171

$112 A$156

9.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 A$201

$131 A$183

9.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,425 A$1,989

$2,627 A$3,666

-45.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 A$1,756

$1,809 A$2,524

-30.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 A$2,801

$5,241 A$7,314

-61.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 A$2,396

$3,037 A$4,238

-43.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,978 A$8,343

$13.7K A$19.1K

-56.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,332 A$7,441

$8,339 A$11.6K

-36.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 A$5,811

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

5.84

0.17%

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

Last update for Sale: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sydney: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,425 in Sale versus $2,627 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 $74.0 in Sale versus $95.0 in Sydney. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 vs $387 – making Sale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sale vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,680 in Sale, $3,344 in Sydney – roughly 25% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,020 per month in Sale and $5,016 in Sydney. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 3% more in Sydney, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Sale and $95.0 in Sydney. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,680 in Sale and $3,344 in Sydney. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Sale – 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 Sale. 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.