Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Brookvale Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Brookvale

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,292 in Sydney versus $2,617 in Brookvale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,899 in Sydney versus $3,714 in Brookvale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,505 in Sydney versus $4,810 in Brookvale.

Living in Sydney is roughly 26% more expensive than in Brookvale, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 141% above, Brookvale 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 A$25.07

$18.16 A$25.43

-1.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.0 A$130

$90.8 A$127

2.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 A$16.89

$10.68 A$14.96

12.92%

Cappuccino

$3.96 A$5.54

$3.99 A$5.59

-0.75%

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

$2.89 A$4.05

$2.87 A$4.03

0.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.17

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 A$11.04

$7.80 A$10.93

1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.15

$7.09 A$9.93

2.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 A$2.54

$1.59 A$2.23

13.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 A$3.86

$2.72 A$3.81

1.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.39

$2.34 A$3.28

3.42%

Eggs

$5.82 A$8.14

$5.59 A$7.83

4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 A$17.54

$12.64 A$17.70

-0.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.88 A$13.83

$9.69 A$13.58

1.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 A$23.18

$16.13 A$22.59

2.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 A$5.09

$4.10 A$5.74

-11.22%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.39

$3.07 A$4.30

2.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.79

$3.49 A$4.89

-2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.62

$5.07 A$7.10

-6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$3.24 A$4.54

1.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.49

$2.83 A$3.96

-12.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.33

$2.37 A$3.32

0.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.75

$1.46 A$2.04

-14.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.38 A$65.0

$45.78 A$64.1

1.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.30

$14.52 A$20.33

-0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 A$6.00

$4.12 A$5.77

3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 A$5.63

$4.04 A$5.66

-0.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.68

$3.28 A$4.59

1.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 A$222

$81.3 A$114

94.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.86

$3.49 A$4.89

-0.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 A$2.35

$1.61 A$2.25

3.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 A$57.4

$40.51 A$56.7

1.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.02

$1.34 A$1.88

7.46%

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

$30.5K A$42.7K

$27.9K A$39.1K

9.28%

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

$30.4K A$42.6K

$30.5K A$42.7K

-0.08%

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

$229 A$321

$187 A$262

22.75%

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

$27.42 A$38.41

$27.88 A$39.04

-1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$79.8

$58.6 A$82.1

-2.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 A$112

$61.0 A$85.5

31.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.50

$19.72 A$27.61

24.90%

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 A$25.10

$16.86 A$23.62

6.29%

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

$2,317 A$3,244

$2,266 A$3,173

2.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K A$40.7K

$21.2K A$29.7K

37.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 A$113

$77.3 A$108

4.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 A$105

$56.8 A$79.6

32.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$155

$109 A$153

1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$188

$130 A$182

3.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 A$3,629

$1,009 A$1,412

156.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 A$2,657

$1,245 A$1,744

52.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,109 A$7,155

$2,235 A$3,131

128.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 A$4,389

$1,830 A$2,563

71.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.2K

$6,268 A$8,778

118.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,458 A$11.8K

$5,121 A$7,172

65.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 A$5,887

$1,436 A$2,011

192.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.84

0.51%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 12, 2026

Last update for Brookvale: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,591 in Sydney and $1,009 in Brookvale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 193% 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: $93.0 in Sydney vs $91.0 in Brookvale. Groceries flip the comparison at $387 vs $388, with Sydney 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 Brookvale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney and Brookvale differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($3,292 vs $2,617 including rent). Brookvale is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 193% 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: $2,591 in Sydney versus $1,009 in Brookvale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,292 per month in Sydney versus $2,617 in Brookvale – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Brookvale runs roughly 94% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,617 in Brookvale versus $3,292 in Sydney, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Brookvale but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Brookvale 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 Brookvale 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 Brookvale gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.