Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Blacktown

For one person, living is cheaper in Blacktown: $2,459 a month against $3,267 in Sydney, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sydney, Australia
Blacktown, Australia
Sydney
🇦🇺 Australia
$3,267
/mo nomad
Blacktown
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,459
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sydney and in Blacktown

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 Blacktown actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,267 in Sydney versus $2,459 in Blacktown.

  • Sydney $3,267
  • Blacktown $2,459

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,847 in Sydney versus $3,687 in Blacktown.

  • Sydney $4,847
  • Blacktown $3,687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,428 in Sydney versus $4,915 in Blacktown.

  • Sydney $6,428
  • Blacktown $4,915

Living in Sydney is roughly 33% more expensive than in Blacktown, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 140% above, Blacktown 81% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sydney
Blacktown
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.50 A$24.87
$20.72 A$29.45
-15.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.4 A$128
$90.5 A$129
-0.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.96 A$16.99
$10.70 A$15.21
11.78%
Cappuccino
$4.00 A$5.68
$4.02 A$5.71
-0.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 A$4.00
$3.06 A$4.34
-8.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 A$3.16
$2.54 A$3.60
-12.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.13 A$11.56
$8.47 A$12.04
-4.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.20 A$10.23
$9.84 A$13.98
-26.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sydney
Blacktown
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 A$2.42
$1.55 A$2.20
9.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 A$4.17
$3.25 A$4.62
-9.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 A$3.57
$2.49 A$3.54
0.80%
Eggs
$5.66 A$8.04
$5.39 A$7.66
5.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.22 A$17.36
$12.92 A$18.36
-5.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.31 A$13.24
$9.66 A$13.72
-3.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.87 A$23.97
$15.16 A$21.54
11.28%
Apples (1kg)
$3.90 A$5.54
$4.02 A$5.71
-2.99%
Banana (1kg)
$3.22 A$4.58
$3.23 A$4.59
-0.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.43 A$4.88
$3.61 A$5.14
-4.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.33 A$6.16
$4.98 A$7.08
-13.05%
Potato (1kg)
$3.35 A$4.75
$3.20 A$4.55
4.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.40 A$3.41
$2.83 A$4.03
-15.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 A$3.32
$2.49 A$3.54
-6.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 A$1.65
$1.40 A$1.99
-17.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$45.47 A$64.6
$44.08 A$62.6
3.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.99 A$19.88
$14.13 A$20.07
-0.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.11 A$5.84
$4.83 A$6.87
-14.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.18 A$5.94
$5.72 A$8.13
-26.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Sydney
Blacktown
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.12 A$4.44
$2.42 A$3.44
28.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$152 A$216
$84.2 A$120
80.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.46 A$4.92
$4.16 A$5.91
-16.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 A$2.22
$1.56 A$2.22
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.54 A$56.2
$42.76 A$60.8
-7.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 A$2.05
$1.38 A$1.97
5.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K A$42.5K
$27.6K A$39.2K
8.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K A$39.1K
$26.0K A$37.0K
5.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney
Blacktown
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$251 A$356
$181 A$257
38.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.76 A$39.44
$27.34 A$38.85
1.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.0 A$82.4
$56.4 A$80.1
2.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sydney
Blacktown
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.7 A$100
$64.2 A$91.2
10.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.25 A$33.04
$19.91 A$28.30
16.78%
Cinema Ticket
$17.83 A$25.33
$15.55 A$22.10
14.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sydney
Blacktown
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,358 A$3,351
$2,531 A$3,596
-6.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$27.2K A$38.6K
$20.6K A$29.3K
32.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sydney
Blacktown
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.5 A$114
$76.5 A$109
5.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.3 A$98.5
$57.6 A$81.9
20.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 A$157
$110 A$156
1.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 A$181
$134 A$190
-4.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sydney
Blacktown
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,566 A$3,646
$1,483 A$2,107
73.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,792 A$2,547
$1,097 A$1,558
63.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,202 A$7,391
$2,191 A$3,114
137.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,156 A$4,485
$1,798 A$2,555
75.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$13.4K A$19.0K
$6,217 A$8,834
115.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,727 A$12.4K
$4,514 A$6,413
93.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sydney
Blacktown
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,118 A$5,851
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.92
5.95
-0.50%

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

Last update for Sydney: October 24, 2026

Last update for Blacktown: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sydney
$1.8K
Blacktown
$1.1K 38.8% $696
Groceries & Markets
Sydney
$382
Blacktown
$397 3.8% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney
$337
Blacktown
$264 21.5% $72
Eating Out
Sydney
$299
Blacktown
$331 10.5% $31
Getting Around
Sydney
$176
Blacktown
$106 39.7% $70
Clothing & Footwear
Sydney
$175
Blacktown
$170 2.6% $4.6
Sport & Entertainment
Sydney
$106
Blacktown
$95 10.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,566 in Sydney and $1,483 in Blacktown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $90 in Sydney vs $91 in Blacktown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $397 per month, with Sydney cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Sydney
🇦🇺 Blacktown
🕒 Local time
04:40 4:40 AM
04:40 4:40 AM
Same time as Sydney
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,840,600
46,942
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.632 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sydney Blacktown 35 km
From you
  • Sydney
  • Blacktown

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 Blacktown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blacktown cheaper than Sydney?
Blacktown is cheaper overall, especially in transport, leisure, and clothing. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $4,900 in Sydney and $3,689 in Blacktown 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.
What is the rent difference between Sydney and Blacktown?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,566 in Sydney versus $1,483 in Blacktown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Sydney and in Blacktown?
Shoppers in Sydney pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Sydney and in Blacktown?
All in, you’ll spend $3,267 per month in Sydney versus $2,459 in Blacktown – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is it better to live in Sydney or in Blacktown?
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.
Which city is safer, Sydney or Blacktown?
Safety-wise, Sydney and Blacktown are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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