Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Goulburn Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Goulburn

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,827 per month in Sydney vs $2,130 in Goulburn, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,192 per month in Sydney vs $3,173 in Goulburn, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,557 per month in Sydney vs $4,216 in Goulburn, rent included.

Sydney costs about 33% more than Goulburn, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Goulburn sit above the global median – Sydney by 111%, Goulburn by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 A$22.58

$17.65 A$24.71

-8.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 A$110

$95.1 A$133

-17.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 A$13.86

$8.01 A$11.22

23.60%

Cappuccino

$3.26 A$4.57

$2.94 A$4.12

10.88%

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

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.87 A$4.02

-11.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 A$2.75

$2.11 A$2.96

-7.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.85

$6.42 A$8.98

-1.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 A$10.19

$6.60 A$9.24

10.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.27

$1.09 A$1.53

48.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.76

$2.34 A$3.27

14.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.25

$2.21 A$3.09

4.98%

Eggs

$4.97 A$6.96

$3.78 A$5.29

31.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 A$12.19

$9.41 A$13.17

-7.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.67

$7.78 A$10.89

7.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 A$19.80

$14.22 A$19.91

-0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$3.11 A$4.35

6.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.71

$2.16 A$3.02

22.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$1.58 A$2.22

100.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$6.01

$3.69 A$5.16

16.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.38 A$3.33

7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.22

$1.28 A$1.79

79.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$3.00

$1.33 A$1.86

60.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.74

$0.95 A$1.33

30.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.15 A$45.01

$29.85 A$41.79

7.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 A$19.82

$8.61 A$12.05

64.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 A$6.58

$4.04 A$5.65

16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.41

$3.07 A$4.30

72.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.60

$2.56 A$3.59

28.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$199

$66.2 A$92.7

114.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 A$5.48

$2.30 A$3.22

70.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 A$4.02

$1.61 A$2.25

78.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$74.0

$38.34 A$53.7

37.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.12 A$1.57

10.71%

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

$28.5K A$39.8K

$28.7K A$40.2K

-0.91%

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

$22.2K A$31.0K

$21.7K A$30.4K

2.05%

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

$200 A$280

$96.3 A$135

107.75%

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

$23.54 A$32.95

$29.43 A$41.20

-20.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 A$73.2

$56.0 A$78.4

-6.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 A$84.8

$49.73 A$69.6

21.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 A$29.31

$15.44 A$21.61

35.62%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 A$22.07

$7.90 A$11.06

99.62%

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

$2,111 A$2,955

$908 A$1,271

132.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K A$26.0K

$12.0K A$16.8K

54.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 A$105

$74.9 A$105

-0.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 A$80.4

$44.97 A$63.0

27.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$148

$90.6 A$127

16.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$183

$109 A$152

19.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 A$3,053

$1,285 A$1,800

69.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 A$2,072

$1,054 A$1,475

40.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,395 A$6,153

$2,017 A$2,824

117.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 A$3,755

$1,703 A$2,384

57.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K A$17.8K

$6,278 A$8,790

102.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,993 A$11.2K

$5,437 A$7,611

47.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,934

$4,256 A$5,958

-0.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.75

-6.07%

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

Last update for Sydney: April 26, 2026

Last update for Goulburn: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,181 in Sydney versus $1,285 in Goulburn. 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 0% higher in Goulburn, 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 $95.0 in Goulburn. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Sydney vs $291 in Goulburn – so Goulburn 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 Goulburn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sydney is pricier by about 33%, 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 $4,240 per month in Sydney and $3,194 in Goulburn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $95.0 in Goulburn. 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 Goulburn, where all-in costs run around $2,130, than in Sydney at $2,827. In Goulburn it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Goulburn – 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 Goulburn. 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.