Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Hawkesbury City Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Hawkesbury City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,292 in Sydney versus $2,658 in Hawkesbury City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,899 in Sydney versus $3,843 in Hawkesbury City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,505 in Sydney versus $5,028 in Hawkesbury City.

Living in Sydney is roughly 24% more expensive than in Hawkesbury City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 141% above, Hawkesbury City 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 A$25.13

$19.93 A$27.98

-10.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.0 A$131

$91.2 A$128

1.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 A$16.94

$10.50 A$14.74

14.86%

Cappuccino

$3.96 A$5.56

$4.23 A$5.94

-6.38%

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

$2.89 A$4.06

$3.13 A$4.40

-7.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.18

$2.67 A$3.74

-15.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 A$11.07

$8.64 A$12.14

-8.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.18

$9.96 A$13.99

-27.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 A$2.55

$1.67 A$2.35

8.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 A$3.87

$3.27 A$4.59

-15.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.40

$2.65 A$3.72

-8.68%

Eggs

$5.82 A$8.17

$5.45 A$7.65

6.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 A$17.59

$14.22 A$19.96

-11.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.88 A$13.87

$11.08 A$15.56

-10.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 A$23.24

$16.29 A$22.88

1.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 A$5.11

$4.13 A$5.80

-11.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.40

$3.28 A$4.60

-4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.80

$3.63 A$5.09

-5.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.63

$5.02 A$7.04

-5.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.64

$3.22 A$4.52

2.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.50

$2.74 A$3.85

-9.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.34

$2.78 A$3.90

-14.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.76

$1.50 A$2.10

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.38 A$65.1

$46.05 A$64.7

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.36

$14.98 A$21.03

-3.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 A$6.01

$4.67 A$6.56

-8.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 A$5.64

$5.71 A$8.02

-29.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.69

$3.04 A$4.27

9.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 A$222

$90.8 A$128

74.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.88

$4.24 A$5.95

-18.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 A$2.35

$1.66 A$2.34

0.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 A$57.6

$44.52 A$62.5

-7.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.02

$1.29 A$1.81

11.63%

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

$30.5K A$42.8K

$27.5K A$38.6K

10.94%

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

$30.4K A$42.7K

$30.1K A$42.2K

1.26%

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

$229 A$322

$190 A$267

20.68%

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

$27.42 A$38.51

$27.88 A$39.15

-1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$80.0

$57.4 A$80.6

-0.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 A$113

$64.8 A$91.0

23.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.59

$18.14 A$25.47

35.78%

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 A$25.17

$17.09 A$24.00

4.86%

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

$2,317 A$3,253

$2,380 A$3,342

-2.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K A$40.8K

$21.0K A$29.4K

38.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 A$113

$77.0 A$108

4.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 A$106

$57.4 A$80.6

30.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$156

$121 A$170

-8.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$189

$138 A$193

-2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 A$3,638

$1,218 A$1,710

112.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 A$2,664

$1,153 A$1,619

64.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,109 A$7,174

$2,472 A$3,471

106.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 A$4,401

$2,119 A$2,976

47.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.2K

$5,349 A$7,511

155.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,458 A$11.9K

$5,748 A$8,072

47.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 A$5,903

$4,601 A$6,461

-8.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.95

-1.34%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 12, 2026

Last update for Hawkesbury City: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,591 in Sydney and $1,218 in Hawkesbury City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hawkesbury City pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $93.0 in Sydney vs $91.0 in Hawkesbury City. Groceries flip the comparison at $387 vs $418, with Sydney cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hawkesbury City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hawkesbury City wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hawkesbury City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Hawkesbury City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,591 in Sydney versus $1,218 in Hawkesbury City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sydney pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Hawkesbury City – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $93.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,658 in Hawkesbury City versus $3,292 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hawkesbury City but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Hawkesbury City 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 Hawkesbury City 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 Hawkesbury City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.