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: $3,352 in Sydney versus $2,558 in Grafton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,870 in Sydney versus $3,582 in Grafton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,389 in Sydney versus $4,607 in Grafton.

Living in Sydney is roughly 31% more expensive than in Grafton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Grafton 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.36

$17.85 A$24.89

1.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$132

$81.2 A$113

16.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.24

$11.62 A$16.19

6.45%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.67

$3.50 A$4.88

16.29%

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

$2.82 A$3.93

$2.88 A$4.02

-2.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.49 A$3.47

-11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.33

$8.66 A$12.07

-6.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 A$10.29

$8.42 A$11.73

-12.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.58

$1.17 A$1.64

58.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.97

$2.75 A$3.83

3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.42

$2.34 A$3.26

4.70%

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.90

$3.76 A$5.25

50.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$18.01

$9.25 A$12.89

39.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.42

$7.94 A$11.07

21.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.80

$14.02 A$19.54

21.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.29

$2.94 A$4.10

29.25%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.50

$1.40 A$1.95

130.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.70

$2.91 A$4.05

15.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.58

$4.94 A$6.89

-4.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.54

$2.09 A$2.91

55.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$2.30 A$3.21

11.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.46

$1.75 A$2.44

41.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.84

$1.12 A$1.56

17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.5

$31.37 A$43.74

49.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.38

$13.04 A$18.18

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.86

$5.48 A$7.64

-23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.65

$5.19 A$7.23

-21.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.48

$3.09 A$4.31

3.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$219

$85.3 A$119

84.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.15

$3.01 A$4.20

22.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.83 A$2.55

-12.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.7

$41.65 A$58.1

-2.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.30 A$1.82

12.31%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$28.6K A$39.8K

7.22%

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

$30.4K A$42.5K

$25.3K A$35.3K

20.25%

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

$224 A$313

$169 A$236

32.51%

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

$27.89 A$38.88

$27.66 A$38.57

0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.9

$49.45 A$69.0

20.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$111

$57.0 A$79.4

39.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.34

$18.34 A$25.56

34.30%

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.62

$12.13 A$16.92

51.44%

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

$2,288 A$3,191

$716 A$998

219.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$3,240 A$4,517

811.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$116

$85.9 A$120

-3.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$106

$44.14 A$61.5

72.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$115 A$160

-2.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$190

$110 A$153

24.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,676

$1,484 A$2,069

77.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,521

$1,266 A$1,765

42.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,129

$2,316 A$3,230

120.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,262

$1,875 A$2,614

63.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.9K

$6,581 A$9,175

106.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.9K

$5,195 A$7,243

63.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,911

$2,572 A$3,586

64.83%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Grafton: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,637 in Sydney and $1,484 in Grafton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 65% 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 $81.0 in Grafton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $328 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 31% in total monthly costs ($3,352 vs $2,558 including rent). Grafton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 65% 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: $2,637 in Sydney versus $1,484 in Grafton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% 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 $81.0 versus $95.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Grafton is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 31% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.