Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Balga Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Balga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,352 in Sydney versus $2,653 in Balga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,870 in Sydney versus $3,898 in Balga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,389 in Sydney versus $5,142 in Balga.

Living in Sydney is roughly 26% more expensive than in Balga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Balga 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.36

$21.74 A$30.31

-16.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$132

$86.3 A$120

10.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.24

$10.67 A$14.87

15.93%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.67

$4.55 A$6.34

-10.55%

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

$2.82 A$3.93

$2.90 A$4.04

-2.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.36 A$3.30

-6.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.33

$8.75 A$12.19

-7.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 A$10.29

$8.40 A$11.72

-12.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.58

$1.76 A$2.45

5.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.97

$3.21 A$4.47

-11.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.42

$2.05 A$2.86

19.51%

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.90

$5.31 A$7.41

6.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$18.01

$9.02 A$12.57

43.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.42

$9.50 A$13.24

1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.80

$14.71 A$20.50

16.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.29

$4.55 A$6.35

-16.48%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.50

$3.22 A$4.49

0.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.70

$3.45 A$4.82

-2.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.58

$5.42 A$7.56

-12.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.54

$2.96 A$4.13

9.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$1.98 A$2.77

29.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.29 A$3.20

8.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.84

$1.37 A$1.91

-3.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.5

$43.33 A$60.4

8.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.38

$12.68 A$17.68

15.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.86

$4.35 A$6.06

-3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.65

$3.59 A$5.01

12.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.48

$3.03 A$4.23

5.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$219

$85.1 A$119

84.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.15

$3.80 A$5.30

-2.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.49 A$2.08

8.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.7

$41.15 A$57.4

-1.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.29 A$1.80

13.18%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$28.6K A$39.8K

7.19%

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

$30.4K A$42.5K

$30.6K A$42.7K

-0.48%

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

$224 A$313

$208 A$290

8.01%

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

$27.89 A$38.88

$33.30 A$46.43

-16.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.9

$63.5 A$88.5

-6.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$111

$56.7 A$79.0

39.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.34

$18.68 A$26.04

31.85%

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.62

$17.35 A$24.19

5.88%

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

$2,288 A$3,191

$2,349 A$3,276

-2.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$23.5K A$32.8K

25.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$116

$79.0 A$110

5.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$106

$69.6 A$97.0

9.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$124 A$173

-10.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$190

$157 A$219

-13.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,676

$1,466 A$2,044

79.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,521

$1,272 A$1,773

42.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,129

$2,288 A$3,190

123.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,262

$1,845 A$2,573

65.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.9K

$6,657 A$9,281

104.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.9K

$5,166 A$7,202

64.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,911

$3,383 A$4,716

25.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.92

-1.35%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 7, 2026

Last update for Balga: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,637 in Sydney and $1,466 in Balga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $95.0 in Sydney vs $86.0 in Balga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $373 per month, with Balga 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

Sydney vs Balga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney and Balga differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($3,352 vs $2,653 including rent). Balga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Sydney, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,637 in Sydney versus $1,466 in Balga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Balga – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $95.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,352 per month in Sydney versus $2,653 in Balga – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Balga is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Sydney and Balga 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 Balga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.