Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Bega NSW

For one person, living is cheaper in Bega NSW: $2,563 a month against $3,267 in Sydney, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sydney, Australia
Bega NSW, Australia
Sydney
🇦🇺 Australia
$3,267
/mo nomad
Bega NSW
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,563
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sydney and in Bega NSW

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sydney and in Bega NSW actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,267 per month in Sydney vs $2,563 in Bega NSW, rent included.

  • Sydney $3,267
  • Bega NSW $2,563

A couple spends around $4,847 per month in Sydney vs $3,832 in Bega NSW, rent included.

  • Sydney $4,847
  • Bega NSW $3,832

A family of three spends $6,428 per month in Sydney vs $5,101 in Bega NSW, rent included.

  • Sydney $6,428
  • Bega NSW $5,101

Sydney costs about 27% more than Bega NSW, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Sydney and Bega NSW sit above the global median – Sydney by 140%, Bega NSW by 88%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sydney
Bega NSW
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.50 A$24.99
$19.71 A$28.14
-11.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.4 A$129
$88.2 A$126
2.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.96 A$17.07
$10.87 A$15.52
10.03%
Cappuccino
$4.00 A$5.71
$4.42 A$6.32
-9.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 A$4.02
$2.96 A$4.22
-5.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 A$3.17
$1.98 A$2.82
12.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.13 A$11.62
$8.51 A$12.15
-4.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.20 A$10.28
$6.95 A$9.93
3.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sydney
Bega NSW
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 A$2.43
$1.40 A$1.99
21.43%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 A$4.19
$3.07 A$4.38
-4.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 A$3.59
$2.38 A$3.40
5.46%
Eggs
$5.66 A$8.08
$5.38 A$7.68
5.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.22 A$17.44
$8.40 A$12.00
45.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.31 A$13.30
$8.01 A$11.44
16.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.87 A$24.09
$16.92 A$24.17
-0.30%
Apples (1kg)
$3.90 A$5.57
$3.51 A$5.01
11.11%
Banana (1kg)
$3.22 A$4.60
$3.19 A$4.56
0.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.43 A$4.90
$3.18 A$4.54
7.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.33 A$6.19
$4.92 A$7.03
-11.99%
Potato (1kg)
$3.35 A$4.78
$2.87 A$4.10
16.72%
Onion (1kg)
$2.40 A$3.43
$2.12 A$3.03
13.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 A$3.34
$2.33 A$3.33
0.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 A$1.65
$1.49 A$2.13
-22.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$45.47 A$64.9
$47.68 A$68.1
-4.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.99 A$19.98
$12.07 A$17.24
15.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.11 A$5.87
$4.35 A$6.21
-5.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.18 A$5.97
$5.68 A$8.11
-26.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Sydney
Bega NSW
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.12 A$4.46
$3.02 A$4.32
3.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$152 A$217
$83.9 A$120
80.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.46 A$4.94
$3.58 A$5.11
-3.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 A$2.23
$1.51 A$2.16
3.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.54 A$56.5
$42.04 A$60.0
-5.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 A$2.06
$1.34 A$1.92
8.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K A$42.7K
$26.4K A$37.8K
13.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K A$39.3K
$25.8K A$36.9K
6.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney
Bega NSW
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$251 A$358
$217 A$309
15.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.76 A$39.64
$24.85 A$35.49
11.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.0 A$82.8
$54.7 A$78.1
6.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sydney
Bega NSW
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.7 A$101
$53.0 A$75.7
33.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.25 A$33.20
$15.80 A$22.56
47.15%
Cinema Ticket
$17.83 A$25.46
$16.11 A$23.01
10.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sydney
Bega NSW
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,358 A$3,368
$2,121 A$3,029
11.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$27.2K A$38.8K
$20.0K A$28.6K
35.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sydney
Bega NSW
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.5 A$115
$87.7 A$125
-8.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.3 A$99.0
$54.9 A$78.4
26.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 A$158
$116 A$165
-4.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 A$182
$118 A$169
7.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sydney
Bega NSW
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,566 A$3,664
$1,255 A$1,792
104.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,792 A$2,560
$1,222 A$1,746
46.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,202 A$7,429
$2,541 A$3,629
104.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,156 A$4,508
$2,084 A$2,977
51.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$13.4K A$19.1K
$6,268 A$8,951
113.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,727 A$12.5K
$4,704 A$6,718
85.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sydney
Bega NSW
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,118 A$5,881
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.92
5.9
0.34%

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

Last update for Sydney: October 24, 2026

Last update for Bega NSW: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sydney
$1.8K
Bega NSW
$1.2K 31.8% $570
Groceries & Markets
Sydney
$382
Bega NSW
$363 5% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney
$337
Bega NSW
$296 12% $40
Eating Out
Sydney
$299
Bega NSW
$320 6.8% $20
Getting Around
Sydney
$176
Bega NSW
$107 39% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Sydney
$175
Bega NSW
$169 2.9% $5.1
Sport & Entertainment
Sydney
$106
Bega NSW
$85 19.8% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,566 in Sydney versus $1,255 in Bega NSW. 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 $90 in Sydney versus $88 in Bega NSW. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $363 – making Bega NSW the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Sydney
🇦🇺 Bega NSW
🕒 Local time
21:50 9:50 PM
21:50 9:50 PM
Same time as Sydney
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,840,600
4,683
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sydney Bega NSW 340 km
From you
  • Sydney
  • Bega NSW

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bega NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bega NSW cheaper than Sydney?
Yes – Sydney is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,900 per month in Sydney and $3,844 in Bega NSW. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bega NSW, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,255 there versus $2,566 in Sydney.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 45% less in Bega NSW. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do food prices compare in Sydney and in Bega NSW?
Groceries cost about 5% more in Sydney, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Sydney or in Bega NSW?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,267 in Sydney and $2,563 in Bega NSW. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Sydney or Bega NSW more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bega NSW – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Sydney or Bega NSW?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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