Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Epping Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Epping

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Sydney versus $2,173 in Epping.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,168 in Sydney versus $3,507 in Epping.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,578 in Sydney versus $4,841 in Epping.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 106% above, Epping 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$16.45 A$22.93

0.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$57.5 A$80.1

37.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$10.61 A$14.79

-6.41%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.01 A$4.19

12.29%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.23 A$3.10

14.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.19 A$3.05

-10.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$7.35 A$10.24

-9.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$7.57 A$10.54

-2.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.87 A$2.60

-12.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.62 A$3.65

3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$2.49 A$3.47

-8.43%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$5.15 A$7.18

-2.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$9.31 A$12.97

-4.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$10.74 A$14.97

-22.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$14.38 A$20.04

-1.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.44 A$4.80

-5.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.62 A$3.65

3.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$2.31 A$3.21

35.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.22 A$4.48

36.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.98 A$4.15

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.19 A$3.05

6.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$1.83 A$2.55

20.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.85 A$2.58

-32.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$25.77 A$35.91

25.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$8.66 A$12.07

62.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$4.17 A$5.80

11.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$4.57 A$6.37

16.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$3.17 A$4.41

3.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$64.6 A$90.0

117.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$3.52 A$4.90

13.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$0.99 A$1.38

195.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$34.12 A$47.55

53.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.37 A$1.91

-8.76%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$19.7K A$27.4K

49.42%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$17.0K A$23.7K

32.92%

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

$204 A$284

$129 A$180

57.96%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$29.03 A$40.46

-16.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$43.74 A$61.0

18.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$48.35 A$67.4

26.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.67 A$21.84

32.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$12.77 A$17.80

23.02%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,695 A$2,362

22.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$12.2K A$17.0K

55.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$58.3 A$81.2

25.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$45.85 A$63.9

26.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$103 A$143

5.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$105 A$147

26.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$1,276 A$1,779

71.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$1,052 A$1,467

41.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$2,570 A$3,582

71.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$2,372 A$3,306

10.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$5,668 A$7,898

33.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$4,283 A$5,969

-2.10%

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 Epping: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,194 in Sydney and $1,276 in Epping. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Epping pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $57.0 in Epping. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $349, with Sydney 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 Epping: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Epping wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Epping the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Epping earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,276 in Epping. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Epping – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,759 per month in Sydney versus $2,173 in Epping – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,173 in Epping versus $2,759 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Epping but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Epping 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 Epping 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 Epping 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.