Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Blacktown Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Blacktown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,824 in Sydney versus $2,192 in Blacktown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,241 in Sydney versus $3,228 in Blacktown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,658 in Sydney versus $4,263 in Blacktown.

Living in Sydney is roughly 29% more expensive than in Blacktown, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, Blacktown 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 A$23.24

$9.85 A$14.11

64.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$114

$88.2 A$126

-10.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.74

$6.77 A$9.70

41.65%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.72

$3.00 A$4.30

9.67%

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

$2.46 A$3.53

$1.74 A$2.49

41.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.82

$1.61 A$2.30

22.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.50

$6.69 A$9.58

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.21

$7.64 A$10.95

-6.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.36

$1.00 A$1.43

65.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.82

$0.92 A$1.31

190.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$0.88 A$1.26

165.91%

Eggs

$5.03 A$7.21

$2.56 A$3.67

96.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.31

$10.17 A$14.57

-15.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.99

$9.21 A$13.19

-9.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.10

$14.93 A$21.40

-6.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.63

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.94

$2.95 A$4.22

-6.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.56

$2.96 A$4.24

7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.25

$3.98 A$5.70

9.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.51

$2.30 A$3.30

6.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.38

$1.33 A$1.90

77.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$1.72 A$2.46

25.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$0.32 A$0.46

303.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$46.55

$26.07 A$37.35

24.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$20.00

$13.87 A$19.87

0.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.62

$5.07 A$7.27

-8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.60

$5.92 A$8.48

-10.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 A$4.56

$2.61 A$3.74

21.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$205

$65.8 A$94.2

117.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 A$5.48

$4.11 A$5.89

-7.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 A$4.35

$1.73 A$2.47

75.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 A$75.0

$40.25 A$57.7

29.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.19 A$1.71

0.84%

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

$21.2K A$30.4K

33.89%

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

$22.4K A$32.1K

$16.5K A$23.7K

35.47%

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

$198 A$284

$219 A$314

-9.44%

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

$24.17 A$34.62

$29.34 A$42.04

-17.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.2

$45.22 A$64.8

14.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 A$86.5

$48.63 A$69.7

24.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 A$30.40

$15.49 A$22.20

36.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.52

$13.08 A$18.73

20.18%

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

$2,085 A$2,988

$1,711 A$2,452

21.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$27.0K

$13.0K A$18.6K

44.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 A$108

$71.2 A$102

5.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$85.0

$56.6 A$81.1

4.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$152

$98.9 A$142

7.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$188

$114 A$163

15.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,126

$1,259 A$1,803

73.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 A$2,157

$1,073 A$1,537

40.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,461 A$6,391

$2,050 A$2,937

117.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 A$3,865

$1,659 A$2,376

62.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.4K

$6,348 A$9,094

101.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,341 A$10.5K

$5,474 A$7,843

34.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,042

$1,913 A$2,741

120.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.29

0.79%

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

Last update for Sydney: July 13, 2026

Last update for Blacktown: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,182 in Sydney and $1,259 in Blacktown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 120% 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 $88.0 in Blacktown. Groceries flip the comparison at $347 vs $305, with Blacktown cheaper for home cooking.

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

Blacktown is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 120% higher in Sydney, 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: $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,259 in Blacktown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Blacktown runs roughly 117% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,085 in Sydney versus $1,711 in Blacktown. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,192 in Blacktown versus $2,824 in Sydney, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Blacktown but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Blacktown 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 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.

Expats usually find Blacktown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.