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: $2,824 in Sydney versus $2,257 in Canterbury-Bankstown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,241 in Sydney versus $3,304 in Canterbury-Bankstown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,658 in Sydney versus $4,351 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 111% above, Canterbury-Bankstown 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 A$23.24

$16.37 A$23.46

-0.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$114

$78.4 A$112

1.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.74

$9.77 A$14.00

-1.84%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.72

$3.32 A$4.76

-0.90%

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

$2.46 A$3.53

$2.45 A$3.51

0.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.82

$2.00 A$2.86

-1.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.50

$6.48 A$9.29

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.21

$7.33 A$10.51

-2.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.36

$1.63 A$2.33

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.79 A$4.00

-4.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.84 A$2.63

27.17%

Eggs

$5.03 A$7.21

$5.07 A$7.26

-0.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.31

$8.94 A$12.80

-3.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.99

$8.34 A$11.94

0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.10

$14.91 A$21.36

-5.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.63

$3.35 A$4.81

-3.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.94

$2.97 A$4.26

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.56

$3.12 A$4.47

1.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.25

$4.83 A$6.91

-9.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.51

$2.35 A$3.36

4.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.38

$2.34 A$3.36

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$2.12 A$3.04

1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$1.25 A$1.79

3.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$46.55

$30.37 A$43.51

6.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$20.00

$13.62 A$19.52

2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.62

$5.09 A$7.29

-9.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.60

$5.39 A$7.73

-1.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 A$4.56

$2.62 A$3.75

21.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$205

$65.2 A$93.4

119.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 A$5.48

$4.00 A$5.73

-4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 A$4.35

$1.63 A$2.33

85.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 A$75.0

$41.37 A$59.3

26.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.20 A$1.72

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

$29.1K A$41.7K

-2.50%

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

$22.4K A$32.1K

-0.00%

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

$198 A$284

$202 A$289

-1.68%

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

$24.17 A$34.62

$30.21 A$43.28

-19.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.2

$53.1 A$76.0

-2.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 A$86.5

$48.45 A$69.4

24.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 A$30.40

$15.57 A$22.31

36.29%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.52

$15.34 A$21.98

2.48%

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

$2,085 A$2,988

$1,756 A$2,516

18.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$27.0K

$13.4K A$19.3K

40.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 A$108

$71.5 A$102

5.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$85.0

$58.2 A$83.4

1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$152

$105 A$150

1.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$188

$133 A$191

-1.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,126

$1,244 A$1,782

75.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 A$2,157

$1,085 A$1,554

38.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,461 A$6,391

$2,000 A$2,865

123.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 A$3,865

$1,675 A$2,400

61.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.4K

$6,537 A$9,365

95.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,341 A$10.5K

$4,655 A$6,669

57.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,042

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.29

0.79%

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

Last update for Sydney: July 13, 2026

Last update for Canterbury-Bankstown: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,182 in Sydney and $1,244 in Canterbury-Bankstown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $78.0 in Canterbury-Bankstown. Groceries flip the comparison at $347 vs $355, 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 ($2,824 vs $2,257 including rent). Canterbury-Bankstown is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,235 in Sydney and $3,385 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: $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,244 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 $78.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,824 per month in Sydney versus $2,257 in Canterbury-Bankstown – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,257 in Canterbury-Bankstown versus $2,824 in Sydney, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Canterbury-Bankstown but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Canterbury-Bankstown the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.