Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Frankston Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Frankston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Sydney vs $2,093 in Frankston, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,168 per month in Sydney vs $3,039 in Frankston, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,578 per month in Sydney vs $3,985 in Frankston, rent included.

Sydney costs about 32% more than Frankston, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Frankston sit above the global median – Sydney by 106%, Frankston by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$11.77 A$16.41

40.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$79.1 A$110

-0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.47 A$13.20

4.86%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$2.61 A$3.64

29.50%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.50 A$3.48

2.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.32 A$3.23

-15.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$7.52 A$10.48

-11.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$7.07 A$9.85

3.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.49 A$2.08

9.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.46 A$3.42

10.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$1.97 A$2.74

15.74%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$3.47 A$4.83

45.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$9.09 A$12.66

-1.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$9.25 A$12.89

-9.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$7.21 A$10.05

95.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$2.57 A$3.58

26.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.77 A$3.87

-2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$2.62 A$3.65

19.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$2.54 A$3.54

73.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.72 A$3.78

-10.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.26 A$3.14

3.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.21 A$3.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.27 A$1.77

-1.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$33.02 A$46.01

-2.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$6.28 A$8.75

124.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$2.92 A$4.07

59.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$3.81 A$5.31

39.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$3.18 A$4.43

3.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$65.4 A$91.2

115.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$3.55 A$4.95

12.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.33 A$1.86

120.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$26.68 A$37.19

96.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.13 A$1.57

10.62%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.7K A$40.1K

2.37%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$22.9K A$31.9K

-0.91%

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

$204 A$284

$150 A$209

35.82%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$9.77 A$13.62

146.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$50.3 A$70.1

3.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$48.65 A$67.8

25.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.61 A$21.75

33.50%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$16.09 A$22.42

-2.36%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,760 A$2,452

17.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$19.1K A$26.6K

-1.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$69.4 A$96.7

5.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$54.0 A$75.3

7.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$82.1 A$114

31.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$44.63 A$62.2

198.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$1,276 A$1,778

71.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$1,053 A$1,467

41.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$2,015 A$2,808

119.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,651 A$2,300

59.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$6,739 A$9,391

98.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$5,317 A$7,410

42.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$4,496 A$6,265

-6.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.19

2.42%

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Frankston: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,276 in Frankston. 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 7% higher in Frankston, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $79.0 in Frankston. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Sydney vs $281 in Frankston – so Frankston 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 Frankston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sydney is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,138 per month in Sydney and $3,139 in Frankston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Frankston, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Sydney, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney and $79.0 in Frankston. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Frankston, where all-in costs run around $2,093, than in Sydney at $2,759. In Frankston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Frankston – 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 Frankston. 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.