Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Ballarat Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Ballarat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,824 in Sydney versus $1,676 in Ballarat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,241 in Sydney versus $2,749 in Ballarat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,658 in Sydney versus $3,823 in Ballarat.

Living in Sydney is roughly 68% more expensive than in Ballarat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, Ballarat 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 A$23.22

$14.18 A$20.29

14.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$114

$64.2 A$92.0

23.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.74

$9.73 A$13.94

-1.44%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.71

$3.55 A$5.09

-7.32%

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

$2.46 A$3.52

$2.53 A$3.62

-2.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.82

$2.02 A$2.89

-2.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.50

$6.03 A$8.63

9.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.20

$7.01 A$10.03

1.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.36

$1.46 A$2.09

13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.57 A$3.68

3.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.54 A$2.21

51.95%

Eggs

$5.03 A$7.20

$4.27 A$6.12

17.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.30

$8.82 A$12.62

-2.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.98

$9.47 A$13.56

-11.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.09

$14.55 A$20.83

-3.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.62

$3.26 A$4.67

-0.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.93

$2.81 A$4.03

-2.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.55

$2.89 A$4.13

10.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.25

$3.88 A$5.56

12.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.50

$2.69 A$3.85

-8.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.38

$2.33 A$3.33

1.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.09

$2.19 A$3.13

-1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$1.04 A$1.49

24.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$46.52

$31.14 A$44.58

4.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$19.98

$13.93 A$19.95

0.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.62

$2.14 A$3.07

115.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.59

$2.90 A$4.15

82.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 A$4.56

$1.71 A$2.45

85.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$204

$64.6 A$92.6

120.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 A$5.47

$2.32 A$3.33

64.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 A$4.34

$1.15 A$1.65

163.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 A$74.9

$24.91 A$35.67

110.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.14 A$1.64

5.26%

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

$28.4K A$40.6K

$27.8K A$39.8K

2.12%

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

$22.4K A$32.0K

$23.1K A$33.1K

-3.30%

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

$198 A$284

$153 A$219

29.74%

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

$24.17 A$34.60

$20.80 A$29.78

16.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.2

$50.2 A$71.8

3.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 A$86.4

$32.31 A$46.26

86.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 A$30.38

$15.46 A$22.14

37.26%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.51

$11.21 A$16.05

40.23%

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

$2,085 A$2,986

$321 A$460

549.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$26.9K

$19.0K A$27.2K

-1.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 A$108

$65.8 A$94.2

14.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$84.9

$53.1 A$76.0

11.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$152

$86.0 A$123

23.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$188

$90.8 A$130

44.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,123

$860 A$1,231

153.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 A$2,156

$632 A$904

138.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,461 A$6,387

$2,055 A$2,943

117.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 A$3,862

$1,339 A$1,918

101.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.3K

$4,630 A$6,629

176.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,341 A$10.5K

$3,407 A$4,877

115.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,038

$3,172 A$4,542

32.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.07

4.45%

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

Last update for Sydney: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ballarat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,182 in Sydney and $860 in Ballarat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 33% 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: $79.0 in Sydney vs $64.0 in Ballarat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $323 per month, with Ballarat 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 Ballarat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ballarat wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ballarat the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 33% 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: $2,182 in Sydney versus $860 in Ballarat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,085 in Sydney versus $321 in Ballarat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,676 in Ballarat versus $2,824 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ballarat but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Ballarat 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, Sydney and Ballarat 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 Ballarat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.