Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Broken Hill Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Broken Hill

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,352 in Sydney versus $2,610 in Broken Hill.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,870 in Sydney versus $3,779 in Broken Hill.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,389 in Sydney versus $4,948 in Broken Hill.

Living in Sydney is roughly 28% more expensive than in Broken Hill, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Broken Hill 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.36

$17.79 A$24.80

2.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$132

$85.0 A$119

11.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.24

$10.67 A$14.88

15.93%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.67

$4.05 A$5.64

0.49%

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

$2.82 A$3.93

$2.90 A$4.04

-2.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.26 A$3.15

-2.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.33

$7.80 A$10.87

4.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 A$10.29

$7.55 A$10.52

-2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.58

$1.64 A$2.29

12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.97

$2.84 A$3.96

0.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.42

$2.32 A$3.23

5.60%

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.90

$5.20 A$7.25

9.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$18.01

$9.51 A$13.26

35.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.42

$9.44 A$13.16

2.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.80

$14.99 A$20.90

13.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.29

$3.78 A$5.26

0.53%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.50

$3.11 A$4.34

3.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.70

$3.40 A$4.74

-0.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.58

$4.70 A$6.56

0.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.54

$2.77 A$3.86

17.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$2.52 A$3.51

1.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.42 A$3.37

2.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.84

$1.67 A$2.33

-20.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.5

$39.55 A$55.1

18.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.38

$14.37 A$20.03

1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.86

$5.15 A$7.18

-18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.65

$5.50 A$7.67

-26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.48

$3.05 A$4.25

5.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$219

$87.8 A$122

78.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.15

$3.54 A$4.94

4.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.67 A$2.32

-3.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.7

$40.96 A$57.1

-0.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.31 A$1.83

11.45%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$27.7K A$38.7K

10.45%

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

$30.4K A$42.5K

$30.5K A$42.5K

-0.12%

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

$224 A$313

$215 A$300

4.18%

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

$27.89 A$38.88

$27.99 A$39.02

-0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.9

$58.4 A$81.5

1.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$111

$58.3 A$81.3

36.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.34

$18.18 A$25.34

35.48%

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.62

$16.06 A$22.39

14.38%

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

$2,288 A$3,191

$2,223 A$3,100

2.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$20.9K A$29.2K

41.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$116

$78.2 A$109

6.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$106

$54.8 A$76.4

38.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

-0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$190

$128 A$179

6.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,676

$1,452 A$2,025

81.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,521

$1,303 A$1,817

38.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,129

$2,325 A$3,241

119.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,262

$1,899 A$2,648

60.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.9K

$6,583 A$9,177

106.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.9K

$5,215 A$7,271

63.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,911

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.85

-0.17%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 7, 2026

Last update for Broken Hill: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,637 in Sydney and $1,452 in Broken Hill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $95.0 in Sydney vs $85.0 in Broken Hill for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $379 per month, with Broken Hill 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 Broken Hill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Broken Hill is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,027 in Sydney and $3,914 in Broken Hill 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: $2,637 in Sydney versus $1,452 in Broken Hill. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,288 in Sydney versus $2,223 in Broken Hill. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Broken Hill is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Broken Hill 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 Broken Hill gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.