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: $2,789 in Sydney versus $2,292 in Coffs Harbour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,138 in Sydney versus $3,406 in Coffs Harbour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,488 in Sydney versus $4,521 in Coffs Harbour.

Living in Sydney is roughly 22% more expensive than Coffs Harbour, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 109% above, Coffs Harbour 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 A$22.55

$16.52 A$23.37

-3.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 A$109

$97.2 A$138

-20.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.72

$9.98 A$14.12

-2.81%

Cappuccino

$3.42 A$4.84

$3.31 A$4.69

3.32%

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

$2.46 A$3.48

$2.60 A$3.67

-5.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 A$2.73

$1.96 A$2.78

-1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.38 A$9.03

$6.44 A$9.11

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 A$9.97

$7.83 A$11.08

-9.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.30

$1.48 A$2.09

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 A$3.91

$2.60 A$3.68

6.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 A$3.19

$2.24 A$3.17

0.45%

Eggs

$5.08 A$7.18

$3.18 A$4.49

59.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 A$12.27

$7.23 A$10.23

20.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 A$11.65

$6.31 A$8.93

30.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 A$20.14

$12.18 A$17.23

16.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.57

$3.60 A$5.10

-10.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.76

$2.82 A$3.99

-5.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.35

$3.78 A$5.35

-18.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 A$6.30

$3.91 A$5.54

13.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.46

$1.30 A$1.84

88.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.29

$2.39 A$3.37

-2.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 A$3.15

$1.93 A$2.73

15.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 A$1.78

$2.36 A$3.34

-46.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.93 A$45.17

$20.76 A$29.37

53.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.69

$14.23 A$20.14

-2.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.82 A$6.81

$6.38 A$9.02

-24.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 A$7.47

$6.77 A$9.57

-22.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 A$4.67

$4.40 A$6.23

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$200

$65.3 A$92.4

116.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 A$5.68

$2.07 A$2.93

93.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 A$4.09

$1.45 A$2.06

99.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$74.9

$33.29 A$47.09

59.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.77

$1.20 A$1.70

4.17%

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

$28.5K A$40.3K

$29.4K A$41.6K

-3.05%

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

$22.6K A$31.9K

$21.9K A$30.9K

3.21%

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

$201 A$284

$166 A$234

21.15%

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

$24.26 A$34.32

$9.81 A$13.88

147.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$75.5

$51.1 A$72.3

4.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 A$85.1

$48.84 A$69.1

23.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.89 A$29.56

$15.69 A$22.20

33.14%

Cinema Ticket

$15.62 A$22.10

$13.24 A$18.73

17.98%

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

$2,069 A$2,928

$2,105 A$2,978

-1.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K A$26.4K

$7,085 A$10.0K

163.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 A$106

$60.5 A$85.6

23.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$83.9

$48.69 A$68.9

21.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$152

$89.0 A$126

20.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 A$183

$126 A$178

3.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,087

$1,288 A$1,823

69.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 A$2,103

$1,193 A$1,688

24.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,464 A$6,316

$1,981 A$2,803

125.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 A$3,808

$1,810 A$2,561

48.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K A$18.6K

$3,605 A$5,101

264.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,449 A$10.5K

$3,577 A$5,061

108.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,209 A$5,955

$3,669 A$5,190

14.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.35

-0.16%

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

Last update for Sydney: June 15, 2026

Last update for Coffs Harbour: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,182 in Sydney and $1,288 in Coffs Harbour. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 15% 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: $77.0 in Sydney vs $97.0 in Coffs Harbour. Groceries flip the comparison at $348 vs $340, 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, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sydney pays 15% more on average, 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: $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,288 in Coffs Harbour. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Coffs Harbour runs roughly 117% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,069 in Sydney versus $2,105 in Coffs Harbour. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,292 in Coffs Harbour versus $2,789 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 22% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.