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: $2,789 in Sydney versus $2,225 in Derby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,138 in Sydney versus $3,268 in Derby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,488 in Sydney versus $4,311 in Derby.

Living in Sydney is roughly 25% more expensive than in Derby, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 109% above, Derby 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 A$22.72

$16.38 A$23.34

-2.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 A$110

$77.1 A$110

0.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.82

$9.96 A$14.20

-2.61%

Cappuccino

$3.42 A$4.88

$3.41 A$4.86

0.29%

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

$2.46 A$3.50

$2.52 A$3.60

-2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 A$2.75

$2.14 A$3.05

-9.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.38 A$9.10

$6.49 A$9.25

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 A$10.05

$7.26 A$10.34

-2.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.32

$1.48 A$2.11

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 A$3.94

$2.39 A$3.41

15.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 A$3.21

$1.96 A$2.79

14.80%

Eggs

$5.08 A$7.24

$4.46 A$6.36

13.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 A$12.37

$8.72 A$12.43

-0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 A$11.74

$8.36 A$11.92

-1.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 A$20.29

$13.76 A$19.61

3.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.60

$3.29 A$4.69

-1.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.79

$2.74 A$3.90

-2.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.38

$2.86 A$4.07

7.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 A$6.35

$4.15 A$5.91

7.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.49

$2.51 A$3.58

-2.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.32

$2.10 A$3.00

10.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 A$3.18

$2.17 A$3.09

2.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 A$1.79

$1.56 A$2.23

-19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.93 A$45.51

$30.41 A$43.34

5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.84

$14.09 A$20.09

-1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.82 A$6.87

$4.47 A$6.37

7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 A$7.52

$5.31 A$7.57

-0.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 A$4.70

$2.55 A$3.63

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$202

$65.7 A$93.7

115.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 A$5.72

$3.67 A$5.23

9.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 A$4.12

$1.59 A$2.27

81.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$75.5

$34.00 A$48.46

55.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.78

$1.18 A$1.68

5.93%

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

$28.5K A$40.6K

$28.7K A$40.9K

-0.70%

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

$22.6K A$32.2K

$22.9K A$32.7K

-1.52%

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

$201 A$286

$180 A$256

11.65%

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

$24.26 A$34.58

$27.53 A$39.25

-11.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$76.0

$53.5 A$76.2

-0.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 A$85.8

$49.35 A$70.4

21.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.89 A$29.78

$15.69 A$22.36

33.14%

Cinema Ticket

$15.62 A$22.27

$12.80 A$18.25

22.03%

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

$2,069 A$2,950

$1,636 A$2,332

26.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K A$26.6K

$12.2K A$17.4K

52.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 A$107

$66.8 A$95.2

12.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$84.5

$50.9 A$72.6

16.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$153

$101 A$144

6.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 A$185

$106 A$151

22.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,110

$1,262 A$1,798

72.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 A$2,118

$1,069 A$1,523

39.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,464 A$6,364

$1,984 A$2,827

125.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 A$3,837

$1,710 A$2,437

57.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K A$18.7K

$5,631 A$8,027

133.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,449 A$10.6K

$5,393 A$7,688

38.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,209 A$5,999

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Derby: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,182 in Sydney and $1,262 in Derby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Sydney vs $77.0 in Derby. Groceries flip the comparison at $348 vs $339, with Derby cheaper for home cooking.

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 25% in total monthly costs ($2,789 vs $2,225 including rent). Derby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,183 in Sydney and $3,337 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: $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,262 in Derby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% 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 $77.0 versus $77.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,225 in Derby versus $2,789 in Sydney, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Derby but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Derby the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 25% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.