Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Caboolture Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Caboolture

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Sydney vs $1,827 in Caboolture, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,168 per month in Sydney vs $2,614 in Caboolture, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,578 per month in Sydney vs $3,401 in Caboolture, rent included.

Sydney costs about 51% more than Caboolture, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Caboolture sit above the global median – Sydney by 106%, Caboolture by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$10.48 A$14.60

57.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$45.75 A$63.8

72.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.61 A$13.39

3.33%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$2.97 A$4.14

13.80%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$1.62 A$2.26

57.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$1.66 A$2.31

18.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$6.33 A$8.82

5.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$8.01 A$11.16

-8.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.16 A$1.62

40.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.05 A$2.86

32.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$2.23 A$3.10

2.24%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$4.03 A$5.62

25.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$7.19 A$10.02

24.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$7.91 A$11.03

5.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$11.36 A$15.84

24.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.07 A$4.27

5.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.49 A$3.47

8.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$3.55 A$4.94

-11.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.81 A$5.31

15.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.08 A$2.90

17.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$1.82 A$2.53

28.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$1.98 A$2.75

11.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$0.84 A$1.17

48.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$25.79 A$35.94

25.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$14.41 A$20.08

-2.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$3.72 A$5.19

25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$6.63 A$9.24

-19.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$2.94 A$4.10

11.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$53.0 A$73.9

165.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$2.01 A$2.80

98.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.19 A$1.66

146.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$31.43 A$43.79

67.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.15 A$1.60

8.70%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$20.4K A$28.5K

44.15%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$19.7K A$27.5K

14.84%

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

$204 A$284

$211 A$294

-3.48%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$11.04 A$15.38

118.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$40.36 A$56.3

28.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$26.68 A$37.18

129.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$26.33 A$36.70

-20.85%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$13.12 A$18.28

19.74%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,263 A$1,760

64.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$3,968 A$5,529

376.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$31.10 A$43.34

134.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$47.43 A$66.1

22.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$86.4 A$120

25.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$68.2 A$95.1

95.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$955 A$1,331

129.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$814 A$1,134

83.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$1,492 A$2,079

195.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,347 A$1,877

95.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$6,449 A$8,987

107.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$5,273 A$7,348

43.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$1,849 A$2,577

126.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

5.92

7.09%

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Caboolture: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,194 in Sydney versus $955 in Caboolture. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 127% higher in Sydney, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $46.00 in Caboolture. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $304 – making Caboolture the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Caboolture: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney costs about 51% more than Caboolture, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,138 per month in Sydney and $2,741 in Caboolture. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Caboolture, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $2,074 per month in Sydney and $1,263 in Caboolture. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Sydney, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Caboolture, where all-in costs run around $1,827, than in Sydney at $2,759. In Caboolture it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Caboolture – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Caboolture. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sydney makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.