Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Geelong Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Geelong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,344 in Sydney versus $2,674 in Geelong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,844 in Sydney versus $3,624 in Geelong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,343 in Sydney versus $4,573 in Geelong.

Living in Sydney is roughly 25% more expensive than in Geelong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Geelong 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 A$24.44

$17.91 A$24.86

-1.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 A$131

$87.5 A$121

8.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 A$16.77

$10.82 A$15.01

11.65%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.56

$3.78 A$5.24

6.08%

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

$2.87 A$3.98

$2.67 A$3.71

7.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.16

$2.27 A$3.15

0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 A$11.23

$6.55 A$9.10

23.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 A$9.92

$5.83 A$8.09

22.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 A$2.53

$1.70 A$2.36

7.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 A$3.78

$2.28 A$3.16

19.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.25

$1.48 A$2.06

58.11%

Eggs

$5.84 A$8.11

$3.94 A$5.47

48.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 A$17.90

$8.65 A$12.00

49.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 A$13.48

$9.50 A$13.18

2.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 A$23.29

$15.91 A$22.08

5.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 A$5.33

$3.52 A$4.89

9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 A$4.28

$3.04 A$4.22

1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.72

$2.96 A$4.11

14.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 A$6.36

$3.34 A$4.64

37.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.40

$3.10 A$4.30

2.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.54

$2.23 A$3.09

14.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.42

$2.19 A$3.04

12.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.78

$1.70 A$2.36

-24.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.08 A$64.0

$34.43 A$47.80

33.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 A$19.60

$12.30 A$17.07

14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 A$5.85

$3.73 A$5.17

12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 A$5.67

$3.04 A$4.21

34.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.63

$7.73 A$10.73

-56.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$153 A$212

$130 A$180

17.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$4.96

$4.24 A$5.88

-15.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.22

$1.41 A$1.95

13.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.39 A$57.5

$31.07 A$43.14

33.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.90

$1.33 A$1.84

3.01%

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

$30.6K A$42.5K

$29.1K A$40.4K

5.30%

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

$30.9K A$42.9K

$27.7K A$38.5K

11.52%

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

$230 A$320

$158 A$219

46.09%

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

$27.25 A$37.83

$26.36 A$36.59

3.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 A$78.8

$58.8 A$81.7

-3.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 A$105

$58.6 A$81.4

28.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.26 A$33.68

$16.13 A$22.39

50.40%

Cinema Ticket

$17.75 A$24.64

$13.11 A$18.21

35.39%

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

$2,234 A$3,101

$2,220 A$3,082

0.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$40.9K

$33.0K A$45.8K

-10.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 A$111

$81.2 A$113

-1.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.2 A$102

$51.7 A$71.8

41.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$155

$95.0 A$132

17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$182

$105 A$146

24.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 A$3,647

$1,340 A$1,860

96.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 A$2,511

$1,426 A$1,979

26.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,241 A$7,276

$1,817 A$2,522

188.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,037 A$4,215

$1,548 A$2,149

96.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.0K

$6,704 A$9,306

104.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,339 A$11.6K

$5,446 A$7,561

53.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 A$5,780

$3,126 A$4,339

33.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.85

-0.17%

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

Last update for Sydney: August 29, 2026

Last update for Geelong: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,627 in Sydney and $1,340 in Geelong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 33% 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: $95.0 in Sydney vs $87.0 in Geelong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $339 per month, with Geelong 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 Geelong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney and Geelong differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($3,344 vs $2,674 including rent). Geelong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 33% 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: $2,627 in Sydney versus $1,340 in Geelong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,344 per month in Sydney versus $2,674 in Geelong – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Geelong runs roughly 18% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,674 in Geelong versus $3,344 in Sydney, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Geelong but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Geelong 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 Geelong 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 Geelong 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.