Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Dubbo Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Dubbo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,824 per month in Sydney vs $2,258 in Dubbo, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,241 per month in Sydney vs $3,307 in Dubbo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,658 per month in Sydney vs $4,357 in Dubbo, rent included.

Sydney costs about 25% more than Dubbo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Dubbo sit above the global median – Sydney by 111%, Dubbo by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 A$23.24

$16.51 A$23.65

-1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$114

$78.9 A$113

0.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.74

$9.57 A$13.71

0.21%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.72

$3.36 A$4.81

-2.08%

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

$2.46 A$3.53

$3.28 A$4.70

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.82

$2.56 A$3.67

-23.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.50

$6.60 A$9.46

0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.21

$7.21 A$10.33

-1.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.36

$2.24 A$3.21

-26.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.91 A$4.17

-8.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$2.15 A$3.08

8.84%

Eggs

$5.03 A$7.21

$3.19 A$4.56

57.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.31

$8.65 A$12.39

-0.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.99

$11.53 A$16.52

-27.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.10

$13.57 A$19.44

3.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.63

$3.09 A$4.43

4.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.94

$2.98 A$4.27

-7.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.56

$2.40 A$3.44

32.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.25

$5.05 A$7.23

-13.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.51

$2.27 A$3.25

7.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.38

$1.89 A$2.70

24.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$2.16 A$3.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$1.95 A$2.80

-33.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$46.55

$26.21 A$37.56

23.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$20.00

$13.76 A$19.72

1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.62

$4.34 A$6.22

6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.60

$4.51 A$6.46

17.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 A$4.56

$2.57 A$3.68

23.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$205

$65.1 A$93.3

119.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 A$5.48

$2.97 A$4.25

28.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 A$4.35

$1.62 A$2.33

87.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 A$75.0

$34.11 A$48.87

53.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.27 A$1.83

-5.51%

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

$29.4K A$42.1K

-3.35%

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

$22.4K A$32.1K

$22.3K A$31.9K

0.41%

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

$198 A$284

$186 A$266

6.79%

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

$24.17 A$34.62

$27.53 A$39.44

-12.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.2

$77.1 A$110

-32.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 A$86.5

$48.50 A$69.5

24.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 A$30.40

$15.83 A$22.68

34.05%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.52

$12.98 A$18.60

21.11%

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

$2,085 A$2,988

$1,611 A$2,309

29.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$27.0K

$12.1K A$17.3K

56.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 A$108

$67.8 A$97.1

10.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$85.0

$51.4 A$73.7

15.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$152

$101 A$144

5.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$188

$106 A$151

24.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,126

$892 A$1,278

144.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 A$2,157

$1,049 A$1,503

43.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,461 A$6,391

$1,513 A$2,168

194.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 A$3,865

$1,683 A$2,411

60.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.4K

$1,685 A$2,414

660.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,341 A$10.5K

$4,888 A$7,003

50.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,042

$1,867 A$2,675

125.87%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Dubbo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,182 in Sydney versus $892 in Dubbo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 126% higher in Sydney, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $79.0 in Dubbo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $366 – making Sydney the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Dubbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,824 in Sydney, $2,258 in Dubbo – roughly 25% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,235 per month in Sydney and $3,386 in Dubbo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,085 per month in Sydney and $1,611 in Dubbo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Sydney – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Dubbo, where all-in costs run around $2,258, than in Sydney at $2,824. In Dubbo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dubbo – 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 Dubbo. 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.