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: $2,824 in Sydney versus $2,176 in Epping.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,241 in Sydney versus $3,473 in Epping.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,658 in Sydney versus $4,770 in Epping.

Living in Sydney is roughly 30% more expensive than in Epping, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, Epping 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 A$23.24

$16.48 A$23.61

-1.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$114

$59.6 A$85.5

32.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.74

$10.74 A$15.39

-10.71%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.72

$2.98 A$4.27

10.40%

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

$2.46 A$3.53

$2.24 A$3.21

9.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.82

$2.11 A$3.03

-6.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.50

$7.66 A$10.97

-13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.21

$7.87 A$11.28

-9.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.36

$1.87 A$2.69

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.51 A$3.59

6.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$2.55 A$3.66

-8.24%

Eggs

$5.03 A$7.21

$5.25 A$7.52

-4.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.31

$9.66 A$13.84

-11.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.99

$10.92 A$15.64

-23.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.10

$14.36 A$20.58

-2.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.63

$3.34 A$4.78

-3.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.94

$2.68 A$3.84

2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.56

$2.30 A$3.30

38.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.25

$3.18 A$4.56

37.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.51

$2.89 A$4.14

-15.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.38

$2.27 A$3.26

3.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$1.80 A$2.58

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$1.77 A$2.53

-27.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$46.55

$25.63 A$36.72

26.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$20.00

$8.27 A$11.85

68.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.62

$4.32 A$6.18

6.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.60

$4.43 A$6.35

19.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 A$4.56

$3.16 A$4.52

0.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$205

$65.6 A$94.0

117.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 A$5.48

$3.50 A$5.02

9.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 A$4.35

$0.99 A$1.41

206.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 A$75.0

$33.20 A$47.56

57.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.43 A$2.05

-16.08%

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

$19.6K A$28.1K

44.59%

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

$22.4K A$32.1K

$17.0K A$24.3K

31.91%

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

$198 A$284

$132 A$190

49.70%

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

$24.17 A$34.62

$28.91 A$41.43

-16.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.2

$42.10 A$60.3

23.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 A$86.5

$48.58 A$69.6

24.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 A$30.40

$16.01 A$22.93

32.54%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.52

$13.26 A$18.99

18.55%

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

$2,085 A$2,988

$1,668 A$2,390

24.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$27.0K

$11.9K A$17.0K

58.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 A$108

$59.5 A$85.3

26.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$85.0

$44.68 A$64.0

32.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$152

$106 A$151

0.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$188

$107 A$153

22.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,126

$1,241 A$1,779

75.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 A$2,157

$1,065 A$1,525

41.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,461 A$6,391

$2,595 A$3,717

71.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 A$3,865

$2,304 A$3,301

17.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,341 A$10.5K

$5,587 A$8,004

31.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,042

$4,183 A$5,992

0.82%

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 Epping: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,182 in Sydney and $1,241 in Epping. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 1% 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: $79.0 in Sydney vs $60.0 in Epping. Groceries flip the comparison at $347 vs $348, 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 30% 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.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Sydney, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,241 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 $60.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,824 per month in Sydney versus $2,176 in Epping – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,176 in Epping versus $2,824 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 30% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.