Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Cairns Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Cairns

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,344 per month in Sydney vs $2,583 in Cairns, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,844 per month in Sydney vs $3,813 in Cairns, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,343 per month in Sydney vs $5,042 in Cairns, rent included.

Sydney costs about 29% more than Cairns, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Cairns sit above the global median – Sydney by 143%, Cairns by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 A$24.62

$18.09 A$25.30

-2.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 A$132

$102 A$142

-6.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 A$16.90

$12.76 A$17.85

-5.33%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.60

$4.60 A$6.44

-12.83%

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

$2.87 A$4.01

$3.23 A$4.52

-11.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.76 A$3.87

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 A$11.32

$7.13 A$9.97

13.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 A$10.00

$8.38 A$11.72

-14.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 A$2.55

$1.97 A$2.76

-7.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 A$3.81

$2.77 A$3.87

-1.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.28

$2.62 A$3.66

-10.69%

Eggs

$5.84 A$8.17

$5.44 A$7.61

7.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 A$18.04

$9.54 A$13.34

35.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 A$13.58

$14.28 A$19.97

-32.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 A$23.47

$15.30 A$21.41

9.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 A$5.37

$4.09 A$5.72

-6.11%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 A$4.31

$2.83 A$3.96

8.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.75

$3.67 A$5.14

-7.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 A$6.41

$5.83 A$8.15

-21.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$2.68 A$3.74

18.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.57

$2.58 A$3.61

-1.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.44

$2.85 A$3.99

-13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.79

$2.59 A$3.62

-50.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.08 A$64.5

$44.99 A$62.9

2.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 A$19.75

$14.49 A$20.27

-2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 A$5.89

$3.56 A$4.98

18.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 A$5.71

$5.51 A$7.71

-25.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.67

$3.55 A$4.97

-5.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$153 A$214

$16.04 A$22.44

852.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$5.00

$2.70 A$3.77

32.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.24

$1.98 A$2.77

-19.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.39 A$57.9

$43.74 A$61.2

-5.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.92

$1.23 A$1.71

11.38%

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

$30.6K A$42.8K

$31.4K A$43.9K

-2.38%

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

$30.9K A$43.2K

$42.2K A$59.1K

-26.86%

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

$230 A$322

$165 A$231

39.14%

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

$27.25 A$38.12

$35.34 A$49.43

-22.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 A$79.4

$69.2 A$96.8

-18.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 A$105

$46.13 A$64.5

63.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.26 A$33.94

$28.53 A$39.91

-14.97%

Cinema Ticket

$17.75 A$24.83

$14.55 A$20.36

21.99%

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

$2,234 A$3,124

$2,156 A$3,016

3.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.3K

$14.2K A$19.9K

107.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 A$111

$93.2 A$130

-14.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.2 A$102

$73.3 A$102

-0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$124 A$174

-10.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$184

$137 A$191

-3.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 A$3,675

$1,517 A$2,122

73.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 A$2,530

$1,255 A$1,755

44.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,241 A$7,332

$2,315 A$3,239

126.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,037 A$4,248

$1,985 A$2,777

52.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.2K

$6,709 A$9,385

104.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,339 A$11.7K

$5,173 A$7,237

61.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 A$5,824

$4,565 A$6,385

-8.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

6.32

-7.59%

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

Last update for Sydney: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cairns: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,627 in Sydney versus $1,517 in Cairns. 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 10% higher in Cairns, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Sydney versus $102 in Cairns. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $420 – making Sydney 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 Cairns: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney costs about 29% more than Cairns, 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 $5,016 per month in Sydney and $3,875 in Cairns. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Sydney – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Sydney and $102 in Cairns. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,344 in Sydney and $2,583 in Cairns. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Cairns – 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 Cairns. 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.