Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Gosford Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Gosford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,827 per month in Sydney vs $2,599 in Gosford, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,192 per month in Sydney vs $3,581 in Gosford, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,557 per month in Sydney vs $4,562 in Gosford, rent included.

Sydney costs about 9% more than Gosford, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sydney and Gosford sit above the global median – Sydney by 111%, Gosford by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 A$22.42

$16.23 A$22.57

-0.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 A$109

$78.8 A$110

-0.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 A$13.76

$9.66 A$13.43

2.48%

Cappuccino

$3.26 A$4.53

$3.33 A$4.63

-2.10%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.57 A$3.57

-0.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 A$2.73

$1.93 A$2.68

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.78

$5.51 A$7.66

14.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 A$10.11

$6.83 A$9.49

6.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.26

$1.62 A$2.25

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.76 A$3.84

-2.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.23

$1.68 A$2.34

38.10%

Eggs

$4.97 A$6.91

$4.93 A$6.85

0.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 A$12.11

$8.30 A$11.54

4.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.59

$8.20 A$11.40

1.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 A$19.66

$11.24 A$15.62

25.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.59

$3.19 A$4.44

3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.68

$2.63 A$3.66

0.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.41

$2.69 A$3.73

17.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$5.96

$4.34 A$6.03

-1.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.46 A$3.42

3.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.20

$1.72 A$2.39

33.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.88 A$2.61

13.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.25 A$1.74

-0.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.15 A$44.68

$25.70 A$35.73

25.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 A$19.68

$10.61 A$14.75

33.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 A$6.54

$4.86 A$6.76

-3.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.36

$5.49 A$7.63

-3.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.57

$3.22 A$4.48

2.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$144 A$200

-1.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 A$5.44

$3.96 A$5.51

-1.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 A$3.99

$1.56 A$2.17

83.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$73.5

$52.5 A$72.9

0.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.72

$1.21 A$1.68

2.48%

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

$28.5K A$39.6K

$29.5K A$41.0K

-3.41%

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

$22.2K A$30.8K

$22.9K A$31.8K

-3.05%

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

$200 A$278

$198 A$276

0.78%

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

$23.54 A$32.71

$24.24 A$33.70

-2.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 A$72.7

$47.89 A$66.6

9.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 A$84.2

$62.0 A$86.1

-2.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 A$29.10

$19.37 A$26.93

8.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 A$21.92

$11.20 A$15.56

40.80%

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

$2,111 A$2,934

$777 A$1,080

171.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K A$25.8K

$18.6K A$25.8K

-0.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 A$104

$64.8 A$90.0

15.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 A$79.8

$57.9 A$80.5

-0.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$147

$99.2 A$138

6.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$181

0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 A$3,032

$1,826 A$2,538

19.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 A$2,057

$1,281 A$1,780

15.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,395 A$6,110

$2,084 A$2,896

110.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 A$3,728

$1,806 A$2,511

48.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K A$17.7K

$5,955 A$8,277

113.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,993 A$11.1K

$4,686 A$6,513

70.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,892

$3,024 A$4,204

40.17%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Gosford: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,181 in Sydney versus $1,826 in Gosford. 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 40% 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 $79.0 in Gosford. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Sydney vs $324 in Gosford – so Gosford 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 Gosford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,827 in Sydney, $2,599 in Gosford – roughly 9% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,240 per month in Sydney and $3,899 in Gosford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,111 per month in Sydney and $777 in Gosford. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Sydney, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,827 in Sydney and $2,599 in Gosford. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Gosford – 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 Gosford. 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.