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: $3,344 in Sydney versus $1,926 in Ballarat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,844 in Sydney versus $3,081 in Ballarat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,343 in Sydney versus $4,235 in Ballarat.

Living in Sydney is roughly 74% more expensive than in Ballarat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Ballarat 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 A$24.62

$17.68 A$24.74

-0.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 A$132

$72.7 A$102

30.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 A$16.90

$10.73 A$15.01

12.58%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.60

$3.83 A$5.36

4.70%

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

$2.87 A$4.01

$3.10 A$4.33

-7.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.01 A$2.81

13.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 A$11.32

$6.24 A$8.73

29.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 A$10.00

$6.55 A$9.16

9.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 A$2.55

$1.71 A$2.39

6.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 A$3.81

$2.86 A$4.00

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.28

$2.41 A$3.37

-2.90%

Eggs

$5.84 A$8.17

$4.36 A$6.10

33.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 A$18.04

$11.57 A$16.19

11.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 A$13.58

$9.48 A$13.27

2.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 A$23.47

$15.78 A$22.08

6.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 A$5.37

$3.68 A$5.15

4.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 A$4.31

$3.16 A$4.42

-2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.75

$3.19 A$4.46

6.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 A$6.41

$4.82 A$6.74

-4.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$3.30 A$4.62

-3.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.57

$2.63 A$3.68

-3.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.44

$2.41 A$3.37

2.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.79

$1.52 A$2.13

-15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.08 A$64.5

$35.19 A$49.22

30.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 A$19.75

$12.09 A$16.91

16.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 A$5.89

$2.35 A$3.29

79.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 A$5.71

$3.21 A$4.49

27.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.67

$2.76 A$3.86

21.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$153 A$214

$73.0 A$102

109.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$5.00

$2.65 A$3.71

34.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.24

$1.40 A$1.96

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.39 A$57.9

$27.81 A$38.90

48.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.92

$1.24 A$1.74

10.48%

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

$30.6K A$42.8K

$29.1K A$40.7K

5.21%

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

$30.9K A$43.2K

$25.8K A$36.1K

19.57%

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

$230 A$322

$216 A$302

6.65%

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

$27.25 A$38.12

$27.96 A$39.11

-2.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 A$79.4

$57.7 A$80.8

-1.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 A$105

$32.61 A$45.62

131.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.26 A$33.94

$11.33 A$15.85

114.12%

Cinema Ticket

$17.75 A$24.83

$15.86 A$22.19

11.92%

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

$2,234 A$3,124

$2,207 A$3,087

1.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.3K

$33.2K A$46.4K

-11.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 A$111

$72.2 A$101

10.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.2 A$102

$52.1 A$72.9

40.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$104 A$145

7.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$184

$138 A$193

-4.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 A$3,675

$936 A$1,309

180.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 A$2,530

$689 A$963

162.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,241 A$7,332

$1,289 A$1,803

306.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,037 A$4,248

$1,527 A$2,135

98.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.2K

$4,901 A$6,855

179.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,339 A$11.7K

$3,601 A$5,037

131.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 A$5,824

$3,339 A$4,671

24.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.55

5.23%

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

Last update for Sydney: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ballarat: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,627 in Sydney and $936 in Ballarat. 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 $73.0 in Ballarat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $362 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 74% 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 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: $2,627 in Sydney versus $936 in Ballarat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,234 in Sydney versus $2,207 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 $1,926 in Ballarat versus $3,344 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 74% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.