Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Derby Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Derby

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,352 in Sydney versus $2,641 in Derby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,870 in Sydney versus $3,719 in Derby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,389 in Sydney versus $4,797 in Derby.

Living in Sydney is roughly 27% more expensive than in Derby, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Derby 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.36

$17.62 A$24.56

3.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$132

$84.4 A$118

12.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.24

$10.94 A$15.26

13.07%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.67

$4.08 A$5.69

-0.25%

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

$2.82 A$3.93

$2.99 A$4.17

-5.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.26 A$3.16

-2.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.33

$7.87 A$10.97

3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 A$10.29

$7.58 A$10.57

-2.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.58

$1.65 A$2.30

12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.97

$2.84 A$3.95

0.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.42

$2.34 A$3.27

4.70%

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.90

$4.92 A$6.86

15.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$18.01

$9.41 A$13.12

37.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.42

$9.37 A$13.07

2.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.80

$15.29 A$21.32

11.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.29

$3.72 A$5.19

2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.50

$3.15 A$4.39

2.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.70

$3.33 A$4.65

1.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.58

$4.90 A$6.83

-3.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.54

$2.62 A$3.65

24.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$2.46 A$3.44

4.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.51 A$3.50

-1.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.84

$1.64 A$2.28

-19.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.5

$39.79 A$55.5

18.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.38

$14.30 A$19.94

2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.86

$5.24 A$7.30

-19.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.65

$5.24 A$7.31

-22.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.48

$3.09 A$4.31

3.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$219

$86.6 A$121

81.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.15

$3.66 A$5.10

0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.7

$40.68 A$56.7

-0.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.29 A$1.80

13.18%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$28.3K A$39.5K

8.11%

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

$30.4K A$42.5K

$30.9K A$43.0K

-1.34%

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

$224 A$313

$217 A$302

3.54%

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

$27.89 A$38.88

$28.21 A$39.33

-1.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.9

$57.8 A$80.6

2.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$111

$56.4 A$78.7

40.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.34

$18.68 A$26.04

31.85%

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.62

$15.81 A$22.04

16.19%

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

$2,288 A$3,191

$2,223 A$3,099

2.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$21.1K A$29.4K

40.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$116

$77.5 A$108

7.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$106

$55.2 A$77.0

37.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$113 A$158

-1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$190

$125 A$175

8.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,676

$1,459 A$2,033

80.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,521

$1,291 A$1,799

40.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,129

$2,293 A$3,197

123.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,262

$1,848 A$2,576

65.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.9K

$6,749 A$9,410

101.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.9K

$5,167 A$7,203

64.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,911

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.85

-0.17%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 7, 2026

Last update for Derby: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,637 in Sydney and $1,459 in Derby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $95.0 in Sydney vs $84.0 in Derby for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $378 per month, with Derby 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 Derby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney and Derby differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($3,352 vs $2,641 including rent). Derby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,027 in Sydney and $3,961 in Derby to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,637 in Sydney versus $1,459 in Derby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Derby – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $95.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Derby 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 Derby 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 Derby gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.