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: $2,759 in Sydney versus $1,663 in Ballarat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,168 in Sydney versus $2,699 in Ballarat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,578 in Sydney versus $3,734 in Ballarat.

Living in Sydney is roughly 66% more expensive than Ballarat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 106% above, Ballarat 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$13.78 A$19.20

19.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$66.0 A$91.9

19.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.60 A$13.38

3.44%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.48 A$4.84

-2.87%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.61 A$3.64

-2.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.09 A$2.91

-5.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$6.15 A$8.57

8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$6.79 A$9.47

8.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.44 A$2.01

13.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.49 A$3.47

9.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$1.57 A$2.19

45.22%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$4.03 A$5.62

25.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$9.10 A$12.68

-1.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$9.04 A$12.60

-7.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$14.67 A$20.44

-3.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.22 A$4.49

0.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.81 A$3.91

-3.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$2.84 A$3.96

10.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.87 A$5.40

13.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.69 A$3.74

-9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.26 A$3.15

3.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.14 A$2.98

3.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.00 A$1.40

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$31.17 A$43.43

3.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$14.07 A$19.61

0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$2.15 A$3.00

116.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$3.01 A$4.20

77.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$1.66 A$2.31

97.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$65.3 A$91.0

115.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$2.36 A$3.28

69.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.21 A$1.69

142.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$25.03 A$34.88

109.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.11 A$1.55

12.61%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$27.6K A$38.5K

6.51%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$22.8K A$31.8K

-0.72%

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

$204 A$284

$153 A$213

33.22%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$21.26 A$29.63

13.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$50.5 A$70.3

2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$32.00 A$44.59

91.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.80 A$22.02

31.90%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$10.86 A$15.13

44.66%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$329 A$458

531.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$19.5K A$27.1K

-2.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$65.1 A$90.7

12.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$52.9 A$73.8

9.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$87.3 A$122

23.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$93.8 A$131

42.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$861 A$1,199

154.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$638 A$888

133.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$2,015 A$2,808

119.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,350 A$1,881

94.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$4,884 A$6,806

173.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$3,585 A$4,995

111.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$3,249 A$4,527

29.07%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ballarat: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,194 in Sydney and $861 in Ballarat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 29% 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 $66.0 in Ballarat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $320 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 66% 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.

Sydney pays 29% more on average, 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: $2,194 in Sydney versus $861 in Ballarat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,074 in Sydney versus $329 in Ballarat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,663 in Ballarat versus $2,759 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 66% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.