Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Berwick Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Berwick

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,292 in Sydney versus $2,630 in Berwick.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,899 in Sydney versus $3,696 in Berwick.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,505 in Sydney versus $4,763 in Berwick.

Living in Sydney is roughly 25% more expensive than in Berwick, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 141% above, Berwick 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 A$25.24

$17.54 A$24.73

2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.0 A$131

$87.4 A$123

6.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 A$17.01

$10.54 A$14.87

14.42%

Cappuccino

$3.96 A$5.58

$3.75 A$5.29

5.60%

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

$2.89 A$4.07

$3.01 A$4.25

-3.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.19

$2.30 A$3.25

-1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 A$11.12

$7.80 A$11.00

1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.22

$7.81 A$11.01

-7.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 A$2.56

$1.77 A$2.50

2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 A$3.89

$3.09 A$4.36

-11.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.41

$2.44 A$3.45

-0.82%

Eggs

$5.82 A$8.20

$5.67 A$8.00

2.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 A$17.67

$8.69 A$12.25

44.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.88 A$13.93

$9.89 A$13.95

-0.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 A$23.34

$14.14 A$19.94

17.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 A$5.13

$3.33 A$4.69

9.31%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.42

$3.28 A$4.62

-4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.82

$2.94 A$4.14

16.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.66

$4.21 A$5.93

12.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.66

$2.51 A$3.55

31.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.52

$2.18 A$3.08

14.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.35

$2.59 A$3.66

-8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.76

$1.60 A$2.25

-21.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.38 A$65.4

$42.83 A$60.4

8.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.44

$15.93 A$22.46

-8.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 A$6.04

$4.49 A$6.34

-4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 A$5.67

$4.77 A$6.73

-15.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.71

$3.47 A$4.90

-3.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 A$223

$86.1 A$121

83.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.90

$3.20 A$4.52

8.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 A$2.36

$1.48 A$2.09

12.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 A$57.8

$36.00 A$50.8

13.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.03

$1.19 A$1.68

21.01%

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

$30.5K A$43.0K

$31.8K A$44.8K

-4.04%

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

$30.4K A$42.9K

$32.8K A$46.2K

-7.12%

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

$229 A$323

$210 A$296

9.21%

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

$27.42 A$38.67

$32.19 A$45.40

-14.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$80.4

$50.7 A$71.6

12.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 A$113

$49.75 A$70.2

61.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.74

$16.40 A$23.14

50.18%

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 A$25.28

$14.83 A$20.92

20.84%

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

$2,317 A$3,267

$2,225 A$3,138

4.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K A$41.0K

$19.4K A$27.4K

49.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 A$113

$72.5 A$102

10.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 A$106

$61.2 A$86.3

22.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$156

$107 A$150

3.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$190

$119 A$167

13.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 A$3,654

$1,381 A$1,948

87.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 A$2,675

$1,156 A$1,631

64.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,109 A$7,205

$2,162 A$3,050

136.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 A$4,420

$1,705 A$2,404

83.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.3K

$5,860 A$8,265

133.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,458 A$11.9K

$5,277 A$7,442

60.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 A$5,928

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

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

Last update for Sydney: September 12, 2026

Last update for Berwick: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,591 in Sydney and $1,381 in Berwick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $93.0 in Sydney vs $87.0 in Berwick for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $374 per month, with Berwick 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 Berwick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Berwick is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,939 in Sydney and $3,945 in Berwick to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,591 in Sydney versus $1,381 in Berwick. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Berwick – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $93.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,292 per month in Sydney versus $2,630 in Berwick – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,630 in Berwick versus $3,292 in Sydney, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Berwick but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Berwick 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 Berwick 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 Berwick gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.