Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Dandenong Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Dandenong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,827 per month in Sydney vs $2,145 in Dandenong, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,192 per month in Sydney vs $3,064 in Dandenong, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,557 per month in Sydney vs $3,983 in Dandenong, rent included.

Sydney costs about 32% more than Dandenong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Dandenong sit above the global median – Sydney by 111%, Dandenong by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 A$22.58

$19.89 A$27.85

-18.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 A$110

$32.95 A$46.13

139.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 A$13.86

$9.70 A$13.57

2.06%

Cappuccino

$3.26 A$4.57

$3.62 A$5.07

-9.94%

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

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.22 A$3.11

14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 A$2.75

$2.30 A$3.21

-14.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.85

$5.05 A$7.06

25.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 A$10.19

$3.19 A$4.47

128.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.27

$1.32 A$1.85

22.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.76

$1.27 A$1.78

111.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.25

$2.35 A$3.29

-1.28%

Eggs

$4.97 A$6.96

$4.58 A$6.41

8.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 A$12.19

$7.91 A$11.08

10.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.67

$7.27 A$10.18

14.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 A$19.80

$11.28 A$15.79

25.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$3.19 A$4.47

3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.71

$2.56 A$3.58

3.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$1.98 A$2.77

60.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$6.01

$1.90 A$2.66

125.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.58

$1.97 A$2.76

29.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.22

$2.31 A$3.23

-0.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$3.00

$0.67 A$0.94

219.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.74

$1.57 A$2.20

-21.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.15 A$45.01

$32.37 A$45.31

-0.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 A$19.82

$10.70 A$14.98

32.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 A$6.58

$4.52 A$6.32

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.41

$3.19 A$4.46

65.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.60

$2.53 A$3.54

30.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$199

$65.7 A$92.0

116.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 A$5.48

$3.53 A$4.95

11.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 A$4.02

$1.39 A$1.94

106.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$74.0

$27.18 A$38.05

94.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.18 A$1.65

5.08%

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

$28.5K A$39.8K

$29.1K A$40.7K

-2.21%

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

$22.2K A$31.0K

$23.0K A$32.2K

-3.55%

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

$200 A$280

$149 A$209

34.21%

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

$23.54 A$32.95

$16.42 A$22.99

43.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 A$73.2

$38.94 A$54.5

34.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 A$84.8

$48.20 A$67.5

25.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 A$29.31

$15.45 A$21.62

35.53%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 A$22.07

$16.24 A$22.74

-2.89%

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

$2,111 A$2,955

$1,741 A$2,437

21.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K A$26.0K

$19.2K A$26.9K

-3.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 A$105

$68.7 A$96.2

8.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 A$80.4

$53.9 A$75.4

6.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$148

$107 A$149

-1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$183

$105 A$146

24.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 A$3,053

$1,265 A$1,771

72.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 A$2,072

$1,066 A$1,492

38.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,395 A$6,153

$1,994 A$2,791

120.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 A$3,755

$1,659 A$2,323

61.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K A$17.8K

$5,393 A$7,550

135.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,993 A$11.2K

$4,935 A$6,909

61.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,934

$4,359 A$6,103

-2.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.19

2.42%

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

Last update for Sydney: April 26, 2026

Last update for Dandenong: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,181 in Sydney versus $1,265 in Dandenong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Dandenong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $33.00 in Dandenong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $279 – making Dandenong 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 Dandenong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sydney is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,240 per month in Sydney and $3,217 in Dandenong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 25% more in Sydney, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney and $33.00 in Dandenong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Dandenong, where all-in costs run around $2,145, than in Sydney at $2,827. In Dandenong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dandenong – 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 Dandenong. 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.