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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,789 per month in Sydney vs $2,171 in Dandenong, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,138 per month in Sydney vs $3,054 in Dandenong, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,488 per month in Sydney vs $3,937 in Dandenong, rent included.

Sydney costs about 28% more than Dandenong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Dandenong sit above the global median – Sydney by 109%, Dandenong by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 A$22.55

$19.27 A$27.26

-17.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 A$109

$32.25 A$45.63

139.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.72

$9.86 A$13.95

-1.62%

Cappuccino

$3.42 A$4.84

$3.72 A$5.27

-8.06%

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

$2.46 A$3.48

$2.35 A$3.32

4.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 A$2.73

$2.23 A$3.16

-13.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.38 A$9.03

$5.05 A$7.14

26.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 A$9.97

$3.32 A$4.70

112.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.30

$1.29 A$1.82

26.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 A$3.91

$1.33 A$1.88

107.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 A$3.19

$2.31 A$3.27

-2.60%

Eggs

$5.08 A$7.18

$4.60 A$6.51

10.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 A$12.27

$7.68 A$10.86

13.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 A$11.65

$7.11 A$10.06

15.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 A$20.14

$11.27 A$15.94

26.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.57

$3.28 A$4.64

-1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.76

$2.62 A$3.71

1.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.35

$1.91 A$2.71

60.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 A$6.30

$1.98 A$2.81

124.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.46

$1.90 A$2.68

28.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.29

$2.30 A$3.25

1.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 A$3.15

$0.67 A$0.94

232.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 A$1.78

$1.63 A$2.30

-22.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.93 A$45.17

$32.99 A$46.68

-3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.69

$10.42 A$14.74

33.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.82 A$6.81

$4.70 A$6.65

2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 A$7.47

$3.31 A$4.68

59.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 A$4.67

$2.64 A$3.73

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$200

$64.9 A$91.9

118.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 A$5.68

$3.54 A$5.01

13.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 A$4.09

$1.34 A$1.89

115.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$74.9

$27.50 A$38.91

92.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.77

$1.18 A$1.67

5.93%

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

$28.5K A$40.3K

$28.8K A$40.7K

-0.86%

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

$22.6K A$31.9K

$22.5K A$31.9K

0.21%

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

$201 A$284

$153 A$216

31.13%

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

$24.26 A$34.32

$15.97 A$22.60

51.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$75.5

$39.34 A$55.7

35.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 A$85.1

$47.97 A$67.9

25.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.89 A$29.56

$15.68 A$22.18

33.23%

Cinema Ticket

$15.62 A$22.10

$15.99 A$22.62

-2.31%

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

$2,069 A$2,928

$1,723 A$2,437

20.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K A$26.4K

$19.7K A$27.9K

-5.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 A$106

$68.8 A$97.4

8.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$83.9

$52.5 A$74.3

12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$152

$107 A$151

0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 A$183

$106 A$150

22.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,087

$1,257 A$1,779

73.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 A$2,103

$1,067 A$1,509

39.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,464 A$6,316

$2,044 A$2,892

118.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 A$3,808

$1,646 A$2,329

63.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K A$18.6K

$6,029 A$8,531

117.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,449 A$10.5K

$4,843 A$6,851

53.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,209 A$5,955

$4,171 A$5,901

0.91%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Dandenong: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,257 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 1% higher in Sydney, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Sydney versus $32.00 in Dandenong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 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 28%, 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 $4,183 per month in Sydney and $3,257 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 $77.0 in Sydney and $32.00 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 $2,171, than in Sydney at $2,789. 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.