Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Darwin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Darwin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Sydney versus $2,614 in Darwin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,168 in Sydney versus $3,838 in Darwin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,578 in Sydney versus $5,061 in Darwin.

Living in Sydney is roughly 6% more expensive than Darwin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 106% above, Darwin 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$17.98 A$25.06

-8.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$81.3 A$113

-2.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$12.54 A$17.48

-20.81%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.48 A$4.84

-2.87%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.66 A$3.70

-4.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$3.10 A$4.32

-36.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$6.45 A$8.99

3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$7.87 A$10.96

-6.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.19 A$1.66

36.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.70 A$3.77

0.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$2.14 A$2.98

6.54%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$4.09 A$5.71

23.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$9.82 A$13.69

-9.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$8.27 A$11.53

0.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$8.57 A$11.95

64.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.58 A$4.99

-9.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.92 A$4.07

-7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$3.57 A$4.98

-12.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.51 A$6.28

-2.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$3.07 A$4.28

-20.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.26 A$3.15

3.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.16 A$3.01

2.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$2.46 A$3.43

-49.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$25.12 A$35.01

28.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$12.03 A$16.76

17.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$9.35 A$13.03

-50.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$7.25 A$10.11

-26.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$2.23 A$3.11

47.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$45.83 A$63.9

207.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$3.47 A$4.83

14.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.19 A$1.66

146.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$45.63 A$63.6

15.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.15 A$1.60

8.70%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.2K A$40.7K

0.84%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$32.5K A$45.3K

-30.30%

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

$204 A$284

$235 A$327

-13.23%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$35.29 A$49.18

-31.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$60.0 A$83.5

-13.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$74.5 A$104

-17.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.92 A$22.18

30.90%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$15.54 A$21.66

1.09%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,544 A$2,152

34.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$7,895 A$11.0K

139.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$78.7 A$110

-7.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$45.72 A$63.7

27.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$101 A$140

7.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$130 A$181

2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$1,606 A$2,238

36.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$1,318 A$1,836

13.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$2,784 A$3,880

58.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$2,232 A$3,111

17.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$3,918 A$5,459

241.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$3,577 A$4,985

112.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$4,263 A$5,941

-1.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.4

-0.94%

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Darwin: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,194 in Sydney and $1,606 in Darwin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Darwin pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $81.0 in Darwin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $370 per month, with Sydney cheaper across the board.

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 Darwin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Darwin is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Darwin earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,606 in Darwin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sydney pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Darwin – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Darwin is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Darwin 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 Darwin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.