Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Denver Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Denver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,799 per month in Sydney vs $2,278 in Denver, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,217 per month in Sydney vs $3,284 in Denver, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,636 per month in Sydney vs $4,289 in Denver, rent included.

Sydney costs about 23% more than Denver, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Denver sit above the global median – Sydney by 110%, Denver by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.02 A$23.01

$16.28 A$23.39

-1.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$112

$78.1 A$112

0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.61 A$13.81

$9.69 A$13.92

-0.83%

Cappuccino

$3.33 A$4.78

$3.45 A$4.95

-3.48%

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

$2.44 A$3.50

$2.50 A$3.58

-2.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 A$2.86

$2.13 A$3.06

-6.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.58 A$9.45

$6.64 A$9.54

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 A$10.12

$7.24 A$10.40

-2.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.35

$1.45 A$2.08

12.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 A$3.99

$2.41 A$3.46

15.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.37

$1.95 A$2.80

20.51%

Eggs

$5.14 A$7.38

$4.26 A$6.12

20.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 A$12.40

$8.54 A$12.26

1.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 A$12.41

$8.18 A$11.75

5.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.15

$13.62 A$19.57

3.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.68

$3.17 A$4.55

2.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.92

$2.77 A$3.98

-1.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.54

$3.01 A$4.32

4.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 A$6.36

$4.05 A$5.82

9.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.62

$2.41 A$3.46

4.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 A$3.42

$2.17 A$3.12

9.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.05

$2.16 A$3.10

-1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.80

$1.51 A$2.17

-17.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.62 A$46.86

$30.92 A$44.41

5.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.07 A$20.21

$12.45 A$17.88

13.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.78 A$6.87

$4.47 A$6.43

6.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 A$7.80

$5.41 A$7.78

0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 A$4.77

$2.58 A$3.71

28.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$207

$65.1 A$93.5

120.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 A$5.64

$3.55 A$5.10

10.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.21

$1.60 A$2.30

83.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$75.4

$33.63 A$48.31

56.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 A$1.73

$1.19 A$1.70

1.68%

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

$28.8K A$41.3K

$29.0K A$41.6K

-0.72%

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

$22.9K A$32.9K

$22.3K A$32.1K

2.47%

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

$205 A$295

$180 A$259

13.85%

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

$24.05 A$34.55

$26.97 A$38.73

-10.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 A$77.0

$51.7 A$74.2

3.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 A$88.5

$49.21 A$70.7

25.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 A$30.54

$15.47 A$22.22

37.43%

Cinema Ticket

$15.43 A$22.16

$12.89 A$18.51

19.71%

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

$2,064 A$2,965

$1,601 A$2,300

28.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$27.0K

$11.9K A$17.1K

57.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$105

$69.1 A$99.2

5.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 A$83.7

$50.9 A$73.2

14.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$154

$97.7 A$140

9.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$191

$107 A$153

24.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 A$3,059

$1,254 A$1,802

69.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 A$2,131

$1,051 A$1,510

41.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,449 A$6,391

$2,013 A$2,892

120.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,639 A$3,790

$1,685 A$2,421

56.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K A$18.9K

$6,211 A$8,921

111.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,985 A$11.5K

$5,245 A$7,534

52.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,200 A$6,033

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

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

Last update for Sydney: July 27, 2026

Last update for Denver: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,130 in Sydney versus $1,254 in Denver. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Sydney versus $78.0 in Denver. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Sydney vs $332 in Denver – so Denver wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Denver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,799 in Sydney, $2,278 in Denver – roughly 23% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,198 per month in Sydney and $3,417 in Denver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 121% less in Denver. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,064 per month in Sydney and $1,601 in Denver. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Denver, where all-in costs run around $2,278, than in Sydney at $2,799. In Denver it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Denver – 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 Denver. 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.