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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,824 per month in Sydney vs $2,298 in Cairns, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,241 per month in Sydney vs $3,379 in Cairns, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,658 per month in Sydney vs $4,460 in Cairns, rent included.

Sydney costs about 23% more than Cairns, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Cairns sit above the global median – Sydney by 111%, Cairns by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 A$23.22

$11.67 A$16.71

38.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$114

$80.5 A$115

-1.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.74

$10.67 A$15.28

-10.12%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.71

$3.88 A$5.55

-15.21%

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

$2.46 A$3.52

$2.88 A$4.12

-14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.82

$2.25 A$3.22

-12.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.50

$6.38 A$9.14

3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.20

$7.30 A$10.45

-2.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.36

$1.64 A$2.35

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.40 A$3.43

11.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$2.77 A$3.97

-15.52%

Eggs

$5.03 A$7.20

$4.09 A$5.85

22.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.30

$8.03 A$11.50

6.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.98

$9.12 A$13.05

-8.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.09

$12.54 A$17.95

11.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.62

$2.94 A$4.22

9.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.93

$2.28 A$3.26

20.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.55

$2.66 A$3.81

19.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.25

$7.05 A$10.09

-38.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.50

$2.21 A$3.17

10.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.38

$2.24 A$3.20

5.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.09

$2.28 A$3.26

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$2.89 A$4.13

-55.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$46.52

$29.51 A$42.26

10.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$19.98

$12.88 A$18.45

8.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.62

$3.23 A$4.63

43.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.59

$3.62 A$5.18

46.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 A$4.56

$3.29 A$4.71

-3.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$204

$65.4 A$93.6

118.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 A$5.47

$6.63 A$9.50

-42.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 A$4.34

$3.13 A$4.47

-3.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 A$74.9

$33.87 A$48.49

54.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.10 A$1.57

9.09%

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

$28.4K A$40.6K

$22.6K A$32.3K

25.67%

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

$22.4K A$32.0K

$19.6K A$28.1K

14.00%

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

$198 A$284

$153 A$218

29.97%

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

$24.17 A$34.60

$37.28 A$53.4

-35.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.2

$60.5 A$86.6

-14.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 A$86.4

$38.42 A$55.0

57.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 A$30.38

$15.78 A$22.59

34.47%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.51

$13.13 A$18.80

19.73%

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

$2,085 A$2,986

$1,636 A$2,342

27.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$26.9K

$12.0K A$17.2K

56.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 A$108

$85.4 A$122

-12.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$84.9

$66.8 A$95.7

-11.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$152

$99.0 A$142

7.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$188

$135 A$193

-2.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,123

$1,235 A$1,768

76.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 A$2,156

$1,092 A$1,563

37.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,461 A$6,387

$2,041 A$2,922

118.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 A$3,862

$1,870 A$2,677

44.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.3K

$6,338 A$9,074

102.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,341 A$10.5K

$4,904 A$7,021

49.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,038

$4,324 A$6,191

-2.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.96

-8.91%

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

Last update for Sydney: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cairns: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,235 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 3% 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 $79.0 in Sydney versus $81.0 in Cairns. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $353 – 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 23% 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 $4,235 per month in Sydney and $3,447 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 2% 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 $79.0 in Sydney and $81.0 in Cairns. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cairns, where all-in costs run around $2,298, than in Sydney at $2,824. In Cairns it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.