Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Forbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Forbes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,842 in Sydney versus $2,273 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,242 in Sydney versus $3,310 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,641 in Sydney versus $4,347 in Forbes.

Living in Sydney is roughly 25% more expensive than Forbes, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, Forbes 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.13

$16.30 A$23.02

0.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 A$112

$79.4 A$112

-0.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 A$13.75

$9.84 A$13.91

-1.12%

Cappuccino

$3.41 A$4.82

$3.39 A$4.79

0.59%

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

$2.50 A$3.54

$2.53 A$3.58

-1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 A$2.82

$2.13 A$3.01

-6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 A$9.44

$6.63 A$9.37

0.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.38

$7.29 A$10.30

0.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$1.48 A$2.09

9.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.77

$2.43 A$3.43

9.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.27

$2.03 A$2.86

13.79%

Eggs

$4.99 A$7.06

$4.27 A$6.03

16.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 A$12.57

$8.47 A$11.97

4.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 A$11.71

$8.30 A$11.73

-0.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 A$20.26

$13.78 A$19.47

4.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.54

$3.33 A$4.70

-3.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.88

$2.82 A$3.99

-2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 A$4.50

$2.94 A$4.15

8.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 A$6.38

$3.99 A$5.64

13.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.46

$2.39 A$3.38

2.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.30

$2.16 A$3.06

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.10

$2.10 A$2.96

4.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.82

$1.53 A$2.16

-15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.14 A$46.82

$30.58 A$43.20

8.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 A$19.61

$14.81 A$20.93

-6.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 A$6.62

$4.63 A$6.54

1.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 A$7.52

$5.44 A$7.68

-2.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.64

$2.62 A$3.71

25.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 A$196

$64.3 A$90.8

115.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 A$5.42

$3.66 A$5.18

4.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 A$4.07

$1.56 A$2.21

84.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.8 A$73.2

$33.96 A$47.99

52.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.74

$1.13 A$1.60

8.85%

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

$29.1K A$41.1K

$29.3K A$41.4K

-0.70%

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

$22.9K A$32.4K

$22.9K A$32.3K

0.27%

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

$205 A$290

$185 A$262

10.63%

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

$23.85 A$33.69

$27.92 A$39.45

-14.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 A$74.4

$53.4 A$75.5

-1.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 A$86.2

$47.93 A$67.7

27.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 A$29.19

$15.90 A$22.47

29.94%

Cinema Ticket

$15.43 A$21.80

$13.09 A$18.50

17.88%

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

$2,054 A$2,902

$1,648 A$2,328

24.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K A$26.0K

$12.3K A$17.3K

49.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 A$103

$66.8 A$94.4

9.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 A$83.0

$49.78 A$70.3

18.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$151

$98.0 A$138

8.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$185

$108 A$152

21.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 A$3,039

$1,282 A$1,811

67.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 A$2,097

$1,083 A$1,530

37.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,496 A$6,352

$2,011 A$2,841

123.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,691 A$3,803

$1,710 A$2,416

57.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K A$18.3K

$6,284 A$8,879

106.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,544 A$10.7K

$5,056 A$7,144

49.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,223 A$5,967

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Forbes: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,151 in Sydney and $1,282 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $79.0 in Forbes. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $340, with Forbes 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 Forbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney and Forbes differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,842 vs $2,273 including rent). Forbes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,263 in Sydney and $3,410 in Forbes to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,151 in Sydney versus $1,282 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,842 per month in Sydney versus $2,273 in Forbes – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Forbes runs roughly 116% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,273 in Forbes versus $2,842 in Sydney, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Forbes but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Forbes 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 Forbes 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 Forbes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.