Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Bunbury Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Bunbury

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,827 in Sydney versus $1,988 in Bunbury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,192 in Sydney versus $3,082 in Bunbury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,557 in Sydney versus $4,176 in Bunbury.

Living in Sydney is roughly 42% more expensive than Bunbury, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, Bunbury 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 A$22.58

$16.31 A$22.83

-1.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 A$110

$76.8 A$107

2.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 A$13.86

$10.35 A$14.50

-4.35%

Cappuccino

$3.26 A$4.57

$3.77 A$5.28

-13.53%

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

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.49 A$3.49

2.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 A$2.75

$2.02 A$2.82

-2.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.85

$7.99 A$11.19

-20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 A$10.19

$6.66 A$9.32

9.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.27

$0.97 A$1.36

67.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.76

$1.04 A$1.46

157.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.25

$1.81 A$2.54

28.18%

Eggs

$4.97 A$6.96

$4.62 A$6.47

7.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 A$12.19

$8.58 A$12.01

1.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.67

$7.98 A$11.18

4.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 A$19.80

$7.79 A$10.91

81.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$3.50 A$4.90

-5.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.71

$3.02 A$4.23

-12.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$2.61 A$3.66

21.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$6.01

$4.42 A$6.19

-2.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.50 A$3.50

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.22

$1.78 A$2.50

29.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$3.00

$1.65 A$2.30

29.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.74

$0.72 A$1.01

72.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.15 A$45.01

$24.26 A$33.96

32.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 A$19.82

$7.26 A$10.16

95.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 A$6.58

$3.91 A$5.47

20.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.41

$4.06 A$5.68

30.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.60

$2.62 A$3.67

25.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$199

$52.7 A$73.8

169.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 A$5.48

$4.08 A$5.72

-3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 A$4.02

$2.22 A$3.11

29.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$74.0

$32.05 A$44.88

64.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.12 A$1.57

10.71%

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

$28.5K A$39.8K

$19.2K A$26.9K

48.16%

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

$22.2K A$31.0K

$17.7K A$24.7K

25.61%

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

$200 A$280

$151 A$211

32.52%

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

$23.54 A$32.95

$28.02 A$39.22

-15.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 A$73.2

$55.7 A$78.0

-6.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 A$84.8

$51.7 A$72.3

17.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 A$29.31

$10.03 A$14.05

108.77%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 A$22.07

$12.94 A$18.12

21.87%

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

$2,111 A$2,955

$1,792 A$2,509

17.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K A$26.0K

$12.1K A$17.0K

52.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 A$105

$70.7 A$99.0

5.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 A$80.4

$48.60 A$68.0

18.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$148

$101 A$141

4.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$183

$88.0 A$123

48.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 A$3,053

$893 A$1,251

144.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 A$2,072

$899 A$1,259

64.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,395 A$6,153

$1,682 A$2,355

161.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 A$3,755

$1,689 A$2,365

58.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K A$17.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,993 A$11.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,934

$4,789 A$6,705

-11.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.42

-1.25%

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

Last update for Sydney: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bunbury: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,181 in Sydney and $893 in Bunbury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bunbury pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $77.0 in Bunbury for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $272 per month, with Bunbury 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 Bunbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bunbury is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bunbury earns 13% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,181 in Sydney versus $893 in Bunbury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,111 in Sydney versus $1,792 in Bunbury. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,988 in Bunbury versus $2,827 in Sydney, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Bunbury but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Bunbury 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 Bunbury 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 Bunbury gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.