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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,344 per month in Sydney vs $2,000 in Caboolture, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,844 per month in Sydney vs $2,926 in Caboolture, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,343 per month in Sydney vs $3,852 in Caboolture, rent included.

Sydney costs about 67% more than Caboolture, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sydney and Caboolture sit above the global median – Sydney by 143%, Caboolture by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 A$24.43

$11.03 A$15.31

59.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 A$131

$50.2 A$69.6

88.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 A$16.77

$10.79 A$14.97

11.96%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.56

$2.82 A$3.91

42.20%

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

$2.87 A$3.98

$1.88 A$2.61

52.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.16

$1.58 A$2.20

44.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 A$11.23

$7.38 A$10.24

9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 A$9.92

$7.80 A$10.82

-8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 A$2.53

$1.21 A$1.68

50.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 A$3.78

$2.18 A$3.02

25.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.25

$1.94 A$2.70

20.62%

Eggs

$5.84 A$8.11

$4.30 A$5.97

35.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 A$17.90

$9.16 A$12.71

40.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 A$13.48

$9.65 A$13.40

0.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 A$23.29

$12.69 A$17.61

32.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 A$5.33

$3.15 A$4.37

21.90%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 A$4.28

$2.64 A$3.67

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.72

$3.56 A$4.94

-4.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 A$6.36

$4.24 A$5.88

8.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.40

$2.08 A$2.89

52.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.54

$1.93 A$2.67

32.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.42

$2.13 A$2.96

15.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.78

$0.95 A$1.32

34.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.08 A$64.0

$30.42 A$42.22

51.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 A$19.59

$14.09 A$19.56

0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 A$5.85

$3.96 A$5.49

6.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 A$5.67

$6.94 A$9.63

-41.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.63

$1.65 A$2.29

102.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$153 A$212

$87.6 A$122

74.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$4.96

$2.26 A$3.14

57.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.22

$1.14 A$1.58

40.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.39 A$57.5

$34.81 A$48.31

18.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.90

$1.25 A$1.74

9.60%

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

$30.6K A$42.5K

$25.3K A$35.2K

20.81%

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

$30.9K A$42.9K

$25.3K A$35.2K

21.93%

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

$230 A$320

$179 A$248

28.95%

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

$27.25 A$37.82

$12.31 A$17.09

121.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 A$78.8

$49.82 A$69.1

13.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 A$105

$23.15 A$32.13

225.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.26 A$33.68

$18.08 A$25.10

34.18%

Cinema Ticket

$17.75 A$24.64

$14.06 A$19.52

26.24%

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

$2,234 A$3,100

$1,766 A$2,452

26.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$40.9K

$4,226 A$5,866

597.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 A$111

$34.18 A$47.44

133.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.2 A$102

$52.7 A$73.2

38.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$155

$102 A$141

9.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$182

$74.7 A$104

75.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 A$3,646

$1,106 A$1,535

137.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 A$2,511

$897 A$1,244

101.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,241 A$7,275

$1,538 A$2,135

240.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,037 A$4,215

$1,507 A$2,091

101.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.0K

$6,172 A$8,566

122.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,339 A$11.6K

$4,624 A$6,418

80.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 A$5,779

$1,866 A$2,590

123.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.73

1.92%

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

Last update for Sydney: August 29, 2026

Last update for Caboolture: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,627 in Sydney versus $1,106 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 123% 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 $95.0 in Sydney versus $50.0 in Caboolture. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $332 – 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 67% more than Caboolture, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,016 per month in Sydney and $3,000 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 $2,234 per month in Sydney and $1,766 in Caboolture. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $2,000, than in Sydney at $3,344. 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.