Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Grafton Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Grafton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Sydney versus $2,173 in Grafton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,168 in Sydney versus $3,160 in Grafton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,578 in Sydney versus $4,146 in Grafton.

Living in Sydney is roughly 27% more expensive than Grafton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 106% above, Grafton 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$16.36 A$22.80

0.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$72.7 A$101

8.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.86 A$13.74

0.71%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.07 A$4.28

10.10%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.53 A$3.52

0.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.17 A$3.03

-9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$6.42 A$8.94

3.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$7.91 A$11.02

-7.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.07 A$1.49

52.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.28 A$3.18

19.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$1.84 A$2.56

23.91%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$3.36 A$4.68

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$8.35 A$11.64

6.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$7.35 A$10.25

13.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$13.24 A$18.44

6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$2.55 A$3.55

27.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$1.32 A$1.84

104.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$2.66 A$3.70

17.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.36 A$6.07

1.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$1.94 A$2.70

25.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.13 A$2.97

9.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$1.67 A$2.32

32.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.00 A$1.39

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$28.04 A$39.07

15.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$12.80 A$17.83

10.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$4.48 A$6.24

4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$4.17 A$5.81

27.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$2.53 A$3.52

29.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$64.7 A$90.1

117.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$2.34 A$3.26

70.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.58 A$2.21

85.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$33.23 A$46.31

57.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.22 A$1.70

2.46%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.0K A$40.4K

1.52%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$22.3K A$31.1K

1.61%

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

$204 A$284

$145 A$202

40.40%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$25.68 A$35.78

-6.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$44.85 A$62.5

15.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$48.16 A$67.1

26.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.78 A$21.99

32.07%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$10.96 A$15.28

43.34%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$625 A$871

231.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$2,923 A$4,073

547.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$70.3 A$97.9

3.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$43.57 A$60.7

33.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$94.6 A$132

14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$102 A$142

30.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$1,279 A$1,783

71.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$1,083 A$1,509

37.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$2,016 A$2,809

119.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,704 A$2,375

54.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$5,821 A$8,111

129.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$4,934 A$6,876

53.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$2,549 A$3,552

64.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.24

1.60%

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Grafton: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,194 in Sydney and $1,279 in Grafton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 64% 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: $79.0 in Sydney vs $73.0 in Grafton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $294 per month, with Grafton 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 Grafton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney and Grafton differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($2,759 vs $2,173 including rent). Grafton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sydney pays 64% more on average, 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: $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,279 in Grafton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Grafton – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,173 in Grafton versus $2,759 in Sydney, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Grafton but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Grafton 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 Grafton 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 Grafton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.