Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Bega NSW Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Bega NSW

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Sydney vs $2,260 in Bega NSW, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,168 per month in Sydney vs $3,260 in Bega NSW, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,578 per month in Sydney vs $4,259 in Bega NSW, rent included.

Sydney costs about 22% more than Bega NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Bega NSW sit above the global median – Sydney by 106%, Bega NSW by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$16.22 A$22.60

1.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$76.6 A$107

2.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.90 A$13.80

0.30%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.52 A$4.90

-3.98%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.52 A$3.51

1.19%

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

$6.54 A$9.11

1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$6.94 A$9.67

5.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.48 A$2.07

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.41 A$3.36

12.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$2.05 A$2.85

11.22%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$4.22 A$5.88

19.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$8.72 A$12.16

2.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$8.45 A$11.77

-1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$13.59 A$18.94

3.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.31 A$4.61

-2.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.82 A$3.93

-4.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$3.00 A$4.18

4.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.21 A$5.87

4.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.44 A$3.40

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.17 A$3.02

7.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.11 A$2.95

4.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.57 A$2.19

-20.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$31.24 A$43.54

3.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$14.30 A$19.93

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$4.68 A$6.52

-0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.45 A$7.59

-2.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$2.52 A$3.52

30.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$64.5 A$89.9

118.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$3.68 A$5.12

8.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.59 A$2.22

84.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$32.93 A$45.89

59.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.17 A$1.63

6.84%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.5K A$39.7K

3.30%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$22.5K A$31.3K

0.72%

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

$204 A$284

$186 A$259

9.75%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$27.79 A$38.72

-13.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

-0.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$48.04 A$67.0

27.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.43 A$21.50

35.06%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$13.08 A$18.22

20.11%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,619 A$2,256

28.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$12.2K A$17.0K

54.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$66.9 A$93.2

9.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$49.67 A$69.2

16.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$98.0 A$137

10.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$107 A$149

24.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$1,260 A$1,756

74.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$1,060 A$1,478

40.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$2,033 A$2,832

117.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,646 A$2,294

59.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$6,211 A$8,655

115.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$5,722 A$7,973

32.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bega NSW: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,260 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 $79.0 in Sydney versus $77.0 in Bega NSW. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $342 – making Bega NSW the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Sydney is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,138 per month in Sydney and $3,390 in Bega NSW. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bega NSW, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $2,074 per month in Sydney and $1,619 in Bega NSW. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Sydney, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bega NSW, where all-in costs run around $2,260, than in Sydney at $2,759. In Bega NSW it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bega NSW. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sydney makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.