Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Geraldton Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Geraldton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,842 per month in Sydney vs $2,225 in Geraldton, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,242 per month in Sydney vs $3,290 in Geraldton, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,641 per month in Sydney vs $4,354 in Geraldton, rent included.

Sydney costs about 28% more than Geraldton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Geraldton sit above the global median – Sydney by 111%, Geraldton by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.13

$16.45 A$23.24

-0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 A$112

$78.3 A$111

1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 A$13.75

$9.54 A$13.48

1.99%

Cappuccino

$3.41 A$4.82

$3.50 A$4.94

-2.57%

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

$2.50 A$3.54

$2.49 A$3.52

0.40%

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

$6.57 A$9.28

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.38

$7.24 A$10.23

1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$1.49 A$2.10

8.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.77

$2.41 A$3.40

10.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.27

$1.96 A$2.77

17.86%

Eggs

$4.99 A$7.06

$5.02 A$7.09

-0.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 A$12.57

$8.55 A$12.09

3.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 A$11.71

$8.53 A$12.06

-2.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 A$20.26

$13.79 A$19.48

3.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.54

$3.18 A$4.49

0.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.88

$2.75 A$3.89

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 A$4.50

$2.91 A$4.11

9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 A$6.38

$4.03 A$5.69

12.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.46

$2.51 A$3.54

-2.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.30

$2.16 A$3.05

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.10

$2.09 A$2.95

4.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.82

$1.54 A$2.17

-16.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.14 A$46.82

$30.51 A$43.11

8.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 A$19.61

$14.33 A$20.24

-3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 A$6.62

$4.47 A$6.32

4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 A$7.52

$5.45 A$7.70

-2.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.64

$2.64 A$3.74

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 A$196

$65.7 A$92.8

111.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 A$5.42

$3.47 A$4.91

10.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 A$4.07

$1.62 A$2.29

77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.8 A$73.2

$33.91 A$47.92

52.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.74

$1.19 A$1.68

3.36%

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

$29.1K A$41.1K

$29.0K A$41.0K

0.36%

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

$22.9K A$32.4K

$22.9K A$32.3K

0.15%

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

$205 A$290

$185 A$262

10.68%

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

$23.85 A$33.69

$27.13 A$38.33

-12.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 A$74.4

$53.4 A$75.5

-1.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 A$86.2

$49.55 A$70.0

23.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 A$29.19

$15.81 A$22.34

30.68%

Cinema Ticket

$15.43 A$21.80

$12.89 A$18.21

19.71%

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

$2,054 A$2,902

$1,631 A$2,304

25.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K A$26.0K

$11.9K A$16.8K

54.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 A$103

$68.8 A$97.2

6.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 A$83.0

$49.69 A$70.2

18.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$151

$99.6 A$141

7.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$185

$107 A$151

22.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 A$3,039

$1,287 A$1,818

67.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 A$2,097

$1,059 A$1,496

40.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,496 A$6,352

$2,027 A$2,864

121.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,691 A$3,803

$1,685 A$2,381

59.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K A$18.3K

$6,400 A$9,042

102.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,544 A$10.7K

$5,483 A$7,746

37.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,223 A$5,967

$2,492 A$3,521

69.47%

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 Geraldton: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,151 in Sydney versus $1,287 in Geraldton. 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 69% higher in Sydney, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $78.0 in Geraldton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $341 – making Geraldton the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Geraldton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,842 in Sydney, $2,225 in Geraldton – roughly 28% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,263 per month in Sydney and $3,338 in Geraldton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,842 in Sydney and $2,225 in Geraldton. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 111% less in Geraldton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Geraldton, where all-in costs run around $2,225, than in Sydney at $2,842. In Geraldton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Geraldton – 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 Geraldton. 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.