Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Coffs Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Coffs Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,292 in Sydney versus $2,526 in Coffs Harbour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,899 in Sydney versus $3,638 in Coffs Harbour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,505 in Sydney versus $4,750 in Coffs Harbour.

Living in Sydney is roughly 30% more expensive than in Coffs Harbour, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 141% above, Coffs Harbour 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 A$25.24

$14.46 A$20.40

23.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.0 A$131

$106 A$150

-12.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 A$17.01

$9.54 A$13.45

26.42%

Cappuccino

$3.96 A$5.58

$3.80 A$5.35

4.21%

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

$2.89 A$4.07

$2.77 A$3.91

4.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.19

$1.90 A$2.68

18.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 A$11.12

$5.30 A$7.47

48.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.22

$5.75 A$8.11

26.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 A$2.56

$1.66 A$2.34

9.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 A$3.89

$2.81 A$3.96

-2.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.41

$2.46 A$3.47

-1.63%

Eggs

$5.82 A$8.20

$3.39 A$4.79

71.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 A$17.67

$8.96 A$12.64

39.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.88 A$13.93

$7.01 A$9.89

40.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 A$23.34

$14.54 A$20.51

13.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 A$5.13

$4.00 A$5.64

-9.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.42

$3.11 A$4.39

0.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.82

$3.59 A$5.06

-4.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.66

$4.28 A$6.03

10.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.66

$1.45 A$2.04

127.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.52

$2.47 A$3.48

0.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.35

$2.56 A$3.61

-7.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.76

$2.45 A$3.46

-48.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.38 A$65.4

$33.00 A$46.54

40.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.44

$14.83 A$20.92

-2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 A$6.04

$5.80 A$8.18

-26.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 A$5.67

$6.96 A$9.81

-42.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.71

$4.94 A$6.97

-32.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 A$223

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.90

$2.17 A$3.06

59.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 A$2.36

$1.60 A$2.25

4.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 A$57.8

$37.41 A$52.8

9.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.03

$1.25 A$1.77

15.20%

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

$30.5K A$43.0K

$27.2K A$38.4K

12.01%

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

$30.4K A$42.9K

$34.3K A$48.4K

-11.35%

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

$229 A$323

$179 A$252

28.10%

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

$27.42 A$38.67

$10.55 A$14.88

159.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$80.4

$54.4 A$76.7

4.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 A$113

$109 A$154

-26.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.74

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 A$25.28

$14.29 A$20.16

25.40%

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

$2,317 A$3,267

$2,181 A$3,076

6.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K A$41.0K

$12.3K A$17.4K

135.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 A$113

$77.2 A$109

4.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 A$106

$55.5 A$78.2

35.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$156

$105 A$148

5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$190

$123 A$174

9.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 A$3,654

$1,421 A$2,003

82.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 A$2,675

$1,294 A$1,825

46.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,109 A$7,205

$2,156 A$3,041

136.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 A$4,420

$2,053 A$2,895

52.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.3K

$3,718 A$5,243

267.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,458 A$11.9K

$3,682 A$5,192

129.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 A$5,928

$3,686 A$5,198

14.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.73

2.44%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 12, 2026

Last update for Coffs Harbour: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,591 in Sydney and $1,421 in Coffs Harbour. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $93.0 in Sydney vs $106 in Coffs Harbour. Groceries flip the comparison at $387 vs $370, with Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Coffs Harbour is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Sydney, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,591 in Sydney versus $1,421 in Coffs Harbour. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,292 per month in Sydney versus $2,526 in Coffs Harbour – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,526 in Coffs Harbour versus $3,292 in Sydney, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Coffs Harbour but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.