Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Castle Hill Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Castle Hill

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,352 per month in Sydney vs $2,571 in Castle Hill, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,870 per month in Sydney vs $3,695 in Castle Hill, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,389 per month in Sydney vs $4,818 in Castle Hill, rent included.

Sydney costs about 30% more than Castle Hill, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Castle Hill sit above the global median – Sydney by 143%, Castle Hill by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.36

$15.08 A$21.02

20.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$132

$68.7 A$95.8

38.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.24

$11.11 A$15.49

11.34%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.67

$3.98 A$5.55

2.26%

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

$2.82 A$3.93

$3.01 A$4.19

-6.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.33 A$3.25

-5.15%

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

$7.57 A$10.56

-2.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.58

$1.70 A$2.36

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.97

$2.40 A$3.35

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.42

$4.21 A$5.87

-41.81%

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.90

$5.85 A$8.15

-3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$18.01

$9.80 A$13.66

31.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.42

$9.48 A$13.21

1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.80

$15.15 A$21.13

12.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.29

$3.63 A$5.06

4.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.50

$3.15 A$4.39

2.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.70

$3.43 A$4.78

-1.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.58

$4.89 A$6.82

-3.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.54

$2.72 A$3.79

19.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$2.41 A$3.36

6.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.51 A$3.50

-1.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.84

$1.71 A$2.38

-22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.5

$38.70 A$54.0

21.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.38

$14.23 A$19.84

2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.86

$5.02 A$7.00

-16.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.65

$5.41 A$7.54

-25.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.48

$3.08 A$4.29

4.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$219

$86.3 A$120

81.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.15

$3.53 A$4.92

4.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.66 A$2.31

-3.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.7

$41.30 A$57.6

-1.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.31 A$1.82

11.45%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$27.6K A$38.5K

10.96%

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

$30.4K A$42.5K

$31.0K A$43.3K

-1.87%

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

$224 A$313

$210 A$293

6.80%

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

$27.89 A$38.88

$28.46 A$39.68

-2.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.9

$57.1 A$79.6

4.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$111

$56.9 A$79.3

39.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.34

$18.55 A$25.86

32.78%

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.62

$15.69 A$21.88

17.08%

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

$2,288 A$3,191

$2,171 A$3,027

5.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$20.7K A$28.9K

42.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$116

$80.5 A$112

3.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$106

$55.8 A$77.8

36.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$115 A$160

-2.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$190

$125 A$174

9.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,676

$1,447 A$2,017

82.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,521

$1,289 A$1,797

40.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,129

$2,274 A$3,170

124.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,262

$1,907 A$2,658

60.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.9K

$6,533 A$9,109

108.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.9K

$5,170 A$7,208

64.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,911

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.85

-0.17%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 7, 2026

Last update for Castle Hill: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,637 in Sydney versus $1,447 in Castle Hill. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Sydney versus $69.0 in Castle Hill. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $387 – making Castle Hill 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 Castle Hill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,352 in Sydney, $2,571 in Castle Hill – roughly 30% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,027 per month in Sydney and $3,856 in Castle Hill. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Sydney and $69.0 in Castle Hill. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,352 in Sydney and $2,571 in Castle Hill. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,352 in Sydney and $2,571 in Castle Hill. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Castle Hill – 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 Castle Hill. 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.