Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Burnie Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Burnie

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,344 in Sydney versus $1,852 in Burnie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,844 in Sydney versus $2,778 in Burnie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,343 in Sydney versus $3,705 in Burnie.

Living in Sydney is roughly 81% more expensive than in Burnie, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Burnie 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 A$24.62

$18.94 A$26.49

-7.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 A$132

$91.4 A$128

3.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 A$16.90

$5.62 A$7.86

114.95%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.60

$3.98 A$5.56

0.75%

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

$2.87 A$4.01

$3.60 A$5.03

-20.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.18

$1.74 A$2.44

31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 A$11.32

$4.25 A$5.95

90.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 A$10.00

$6.01 A$8.41

18.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 A$2.55

$1.85 A$2.58

-1.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 A$3.81

$2.54 A$3.55

7.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.28

$1.93 A$2.70

21.24%

Eggs

$5.84 A$8.17

$5.08 A$7.11

14.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 A$18.04

$10.15 A$14.20

27.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 A$13.58

$6.31 A$8.82

53.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 A$23.47

$18.02 A$25.21

-6.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 A$5.37

$2.79 A$3.90

37.63%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 A$4.31

$2.83 A$3.96

8.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.75

$2.17 A$3.04

56.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 A$6.41

$2.89 A$4.04

58.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$2.59 A$3.63

22.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.57

$2.14 A$2.99

19.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.44

$2.21 A$3.10

11.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.79

$1.73 A$2.42

-26.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.08 A$64.5

$37.31 A$52.2

23.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 A$19.75

$15.13 A$21.17

-6.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 A$5.89

$3.55 A$4.97

18.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 A$5.71

$5.71 A$7.99

-28.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.67

$3.19 A$4.46

4.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$153 A$214

$87.8 A$123

74.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$5.00

$2.74 A$3.83

30.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.24

$2.11 A$2.96

-24.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.39 A$57.9

$42.64 A$59.7

-2.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.92

$1.29 A$1.80

6.20%

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

$30.6K A$42.8K

$27.8K A$38.8K

10.33%

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

$30.9K A$43.2K

$32.8K A$45.9K

-5.93%

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

$230 A$322

$214 A$300

7.37%

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

$27.25 A$38.12

$21.61 A$30.22

26.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 A$79.4

$49.98 A$69.9

13.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 A$105

$54.7 A$76.6

37.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.26 A$33.94

$15.86 A$22.19

52.96%

Cinema Ticket

$17.75 A$24.83

$14.32 A$20.02

23.95%

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

$2,234 A$3,124

$2,062 A$2,885

8.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.3K

$21.4K A$29.9K

37.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 A$111

$78.3 A$110

1.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.2 A$102

$24.84 A$34.74

194.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$109 A$152

2.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$184

$98.6 A$138

33.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 A$3,675

$815 A$1,140

222.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 A$2,530

$586 A$819

208.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,241 A$7,332

$1,185 A$1,658

342.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,037 A$4,248

$870 A$1,217

249.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.2K

$6,452 A$9,025

112.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,339 A$11.7K

$4,775 A$6,679

74.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 A$5,824

$5,264 A$7,363

-20.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.6

4.29%

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

Last update for Sydney: August 29, 2026

Last update for Burnie: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,627 in Sydney and $815 in Burnie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burnie pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $95.0 in Sydney vs $91.0 in Burnie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $343 per month, with Burnie 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 Burnie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burnie is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Burnie. 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: $2,627 in Sydney versus $815 in Burnie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Burnie – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $95.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,852 in Burnie versus $3,344 in Sydney, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Burnie but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Burnie 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 Burnie 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 Burnie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.