Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,352 in Sydney versus $2,689 in Canterbury-Bankstown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,870 in Sydney versus $3,880 in Canterbury-Bankstown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,389 in Sydney versus $5,071 in Canterbury-Bankstown.

Living in Sydney is roughly 25% more expensive than in Canterbury-Bankstown, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Canterbury-Bankstown 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.36

$17.80 A$24.81

2.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$132

$92.6 A$129

2.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.24

$10.57 A$14.74

17.03%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.67

$4.13 A$5.76

-1.45%

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

$2.82 A$3.93

$2.93 A$4.08

-3.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.28 A$3.18

-3.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.33

$8.07 A$11.25

0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 A$10.29

$7.11 A$9.92

3.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.58

$1.75 A$2.44

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.97

$3.20 A$4.47

-10.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.42

$2.45 A$3.41

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.90

$5.74 A$8.01

-1.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$18.01

$12.59 A$17.55

2.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.42

$9.61 A$13.39

0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.80

$16.56 A$23.09

3.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.29

$3.81 A$5.31

-0.26%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.50

$3.17 A$4.43

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.70

$3.36 A$4.68

0.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.58

$5.16 A$7.20

-8.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.54

$3.24 A$4.52

0.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$2.52 A$3.51

1.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.41 A$3.36

2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.84

$1.33 A$1.85

-0.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.5

$45.11 A$62.9

4.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.38

$14.10 A$19.65

3.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.86

$4.96 A$6.91

-15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.65

$5.51 A$7.69

-26.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.48

$3.17 A$4.42

1.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$219

$85.7 A$120

83.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.15

$3.54 A$4.94

4.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.65 A$2.31

-2.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.7

$41.85 A$58.4

-2.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.39 A$1.94

5.04%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$28.0K A$39.0K

9.40%

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

$30.4K A$42.5K

$30.2K A$42.1K

0.95%

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

$224 A$313

$189 A$263

19.00%

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

$27.89 A$38.88

$28.16 A$39.26

-0.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.9

$56.4 A$78.6

5.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$111

$56.4 A$78.7

40.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.34

$18.25 A$25.44

34.96%

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.62

$18.03 A$25.13

1.89%

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

$2,288 A$3,191

$2,297 A$3,203

-0.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$20.8K A$29.0K

41.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$116

$77.8 A$108

7.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$106

$72.0 A$100

5.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$125 A$174

-10.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$190

$137 A$192

-1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,676

$1,443 A$2,012

82.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,521

$1,292 A$1,801

39.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,129

$2,281 A$3,181

124.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,262

$1,854 A$2,584

64.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.9K

$6,646 A$9,266

104.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.9K

$5,296 A$7,384

60.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,911

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

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

Last update for Sydney: September 7, 2026

Last update for Canterbury-Bankstown: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,637 in Sydney and $1,443 in Canterbury-Bankstown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $95.0 in Sydney vs $93.0 in Canterbury-Bankstown. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $399, with Sydney cheaper for home cooking.

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 Canterbury-Bankstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($3,352 vs $2,689 including rent). Canterbury-Bankstown is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,027 in Sydney and $4,034 in Canterbury-Bankstown to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,637 in Sydney versus $1,443 in Canterbury-Bankstown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Canterbury-Bankstown – a meal for two runs $93.0 versus $95.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,352 per month in Sydney versus $2,689 in Canterbury-Bankstown – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Canterbury-Bankstown is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Canterbury-Bankstown 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 Canterbury-Bankstown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.