Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Devonport Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Devonport

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,352 in Sydney versus $1,218 in Devonport.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,870 in Sydney versus $1,952 in Devonport.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,389 in Sydney versus $2,686 in Devonport.

Living in Sydney is roughly 175% more expensive than in Devonport, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sydney is 143% above, Devonport is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.36

$18.09 A$25.23

0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$132

$88.1 A$123

7.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.24

$8.40 A$11.71

47.26%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.67

$3.86 A$5.38

5.44%

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

$2.82 A$3.93

$2.11 A$2.94

33.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$1.81 A$2.53

22.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.33

$7.28 A$10.15

11.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 A$10.29

$9.45 A$13.18

-21.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.58

$1.92 A$2.68

-3.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.97

$2.58 A$3.60

10.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.42

$1.88 A$2.63

30.32%

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.90

$5.48 A$7.64

3.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$18.01

$9.97 A$13.90

29.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.42

$9.06 A$12.63

6.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.80

$13.08 A$18.23

30.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.29

$3.30 A$4.60

15.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.50

$3.39 A$4.72

-4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.70

$3.12 A$4.35

8.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.58

$4.75 A$6.63

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.54

$2.62 A$3.66

24.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$2.32 A$3.23

10.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.75 A$3.83

-9.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.84

$1.67 A$2.33

-20.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.5

$35.78 A$49.88

31.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.38

$14.16 A$19.74

3.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.86

$5.08 A$7.09

-17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.65

$5.83 A$8.13

-30.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.48

$2.59 A$3.61

23.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$219

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.15

$4.57 A$6.37

-19.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$2.19 A$3.06

-26.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.7

$27.76 A$38.70

46.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.31 A$1.83

11.45%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$27.8K A$38.7K

10.31%

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

$30.4K A$42.5K

$40.3K A$56.2K

-24.46%

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

$224 A$313

$233 A$324

-3.57%

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

$27.89 A$38.88

$29.28 A$40.82

-4.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.9

$62.1 A$86.6

-4.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$111

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.34

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.62

$17.24 A$24.04

6.55%

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

$2,288 A$3,191

$2,030 A$2,830

12.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$21.6K A$30.1K

36.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$116

$80.9 A$113

2.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$106

$56.4 A$78.6

34.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$109 A$152

2.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$190

$131 A$182

4.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,676

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,521

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,129

$1,134 A$1,580

351.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,262

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,911

$3,399 A$4,739

24.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

6.2

-5.81%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 7, 2026

Last update for Devonport: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Sydney pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $95.0 in Sydney vs $88.0 in Devonport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $371 per month, with Devonport 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 Devonport: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney and Devonport differ by about 175% in total monthly costs ($3,352 vs $1,218 including rent). Devonport is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Sydney, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,352 per month in Sydney versus $1,218 in Devonport – a 175% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,218 in Devonport versus $3,352 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Devonport but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Devonport 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 Devonport 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 Devonport gentler on the wallet – expenses run 175% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.