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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Sydney vs $2,271 in Dubbo, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,168 per month in Sydney vs $3,314 in Dubbo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,578 per month in Sydney vs $4,357 in Dubbo, rent included.

Sydney costs about 21% more than Dubbo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Dubbo sit above the global median – Sydney by 106%, Dubbo by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$16.12 A$22.47

2.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$77.5 A$108

1.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.50 A$13.24

4.53%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.37 A$4.69

0.30%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$3.19 A$4.45

-20.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.63 A$3.67

-25.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$6.49 A$9.04

2.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$7.33 A$10.21

0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$2.15 A$3.00

-24.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.85 A$3.98

-4.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$2.13 A$2.96

7.04%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$3.20 A$4.46

57.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$8.39 A$11.70

6.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$11.48 A$16.00

-27.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$13.74 A$19.14

2.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.07 A$4.28

5.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.97 A$4.14

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$2.35 A$3.28

33.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.87 A$6.78

-9.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.26 A$3.14

7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$1.89 A$2.63

23.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.16 A$3.01

2.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.88 A$2.61

-33.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$26.40 A$36.78

22.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$14.09 A$19.64

0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$4.32 A$6.01

7.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$4.47 A$6.23

19.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$2.67 A$3.72

22.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$64.4 A$89.7

118.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$2.89 A$4.03

38.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.54 A$2.15

90.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$33.41 A$46.55

57.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.29 A$1.80

-3.10%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.0K A$40.4K

1.47%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$22.1K A$30.7K

2.71%

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

$204 A$284

$185 A$258

10.22%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$27.68 A$38.57

-12.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$77.2 A$108

-32.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$47.92 A$66.8

27.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.81 A$22.03

31.82%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$13.15 A$18.32

19.47%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,611 A$2,245

28.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$12.2K A$17.0K

55.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$68.3 A$95.1

6.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$50.5 A$70.3

15.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$99.9 A$139

8.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$107 A$149

24.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$900 A$1,253

143.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$1,077 A$1,500

38.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$1,486 A$2,071

197.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,700 A$2,369

54.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$1,787 A$2,490

648.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$5,289 A$7,371

43.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$1,926 A$2,684

117.75%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dubbo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,194 in Sydney versus $900 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 118% 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 $77.0 in Dubbo. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Sydney vs $362 in Dubbo – so Sydney 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 Dubbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,759 in Sydney, $2,271 in Dubbo – roughly 21% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,138 per month in Sydney and $3,407 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 $2,074 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 4% 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 $2,271, than in Sydney at $2,759. 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.