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: $3,292 in Sydney versus $2,686 in Epping.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,899 in Sydney versus $3,785 in Epping.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,505 in Sydney versus $4,884 in Epping.

Living in Sydney is roughly 23% more expensive than in Epping, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 141% above, Epping 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 A$25.24

$12.77 A$18.01

40.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.0 A$131

$64.3 A$90.7

44.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 A$17.01

$11.60 A$16.36

3.97%

Cappuccino

$3.96 A$5.58

$3.19 A$4.49

24.14%

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

$2.89 A$4.07

$2.44 A$3.44

18.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.19

$2.54 A$3.58

-11.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 A$11.12

$8.11 A$11.44

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.22

$8.77 A$12.36

-17.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 A$2.56

$1.63 A$2.30

11.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 A$3.89

$2.88 A$4.06

-4.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.41

$2.83 A$3.99

-14.49%

Eggs

$5.82 A$8.20

$5.73 A$8.08

1.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 A$17.67

$10.23 A$14.43

22.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.88 A$13.93

$9.68 A$13.66

2.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 A$23.34

$15.43 A$21.77

7.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 A$5.13

$3.73 A$5.26

-2.41%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.42

$2.96 A$4.18

6.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.82

$2.53 A$3.56

35.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.66

$3.48 A$4.90

35.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.66

$3.09 A$4.36

6.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.52

$2.51 A$3.54

-0.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.35

$2.02 A$2.85

17.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.76

$1.69 A$2.38

-26.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.38 A$65.4

$28.68 A$40.44

61.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.44

$8.68 A$12.24

67.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 A$6.04

$4.71 A$6.64

-9.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 A$5.67

$4.97 A$7.02

-19.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.71

$3.54 A$4.99

-5.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 A$223

$97.4 A$137

62.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.90

$3.49 A$4.92

-0.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 A$2.36

$1.19 A$1.68

40.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 A$57.8

$28.50 A$40.19

43.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.03

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

$30.5K A$43.0K

$21.2K A$29.9K

44.07%

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

$30.4K A$42.9K

$18.7K A$26.3K

63.12%

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

$229 A$323

$140 A$198

63.63%

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

$27.42 A$38.67

$27.88 A$39.32

-1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$80.4

$47.82 A$67.4

19.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 A$113

$56.2 A$79.2

42.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.74

$18.39 A$25.94

33.93%

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 A$25.28

$14.27 A$20.12

25.58%

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

$2,317 A$3,267

$1,874 A$2,643

23.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K A$41.0K

$22.6K A$31.8K

28.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 A$113

$63.7 A$89.8

26.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 A$106

$50.2 A$70.8

49.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$156

$115 A$163

-3.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$190

$108 A$152

24.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 A$3,654

$1,525 A$2,151

69.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 A$2,675

$1,513 A$2,134

25.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,109 A$7,205

$2,426 A$3,421

110.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 A$4,420

$2,244 A$3,164

39.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.3K

$5,800 A$8,180

135.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,458 A$11.9K

$5,157 A$7,272

64.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 A$5,928

$4,214 A$5,943

-0.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.5

6.73%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 12, 2026

Last update for Epping: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,591 in Sydney and $1,525 in Epping. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Epping pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $93.0 in Sydney vs $64.0 in Epping for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $362 per month, with Epping 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 Epping: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Epping wins on cost – living expenses run 23% 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, salaries run 0% lower in Epping. 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: $2,591 in Sydney versus $1,525 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 $64.0 versus $93.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,292 per month in Sydney versus $2,686 in Epping – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,686 in Epping versus $3,292 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 23% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.