Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Karratha Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Karratha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,352 per month in Sydney vs $2,750 in Karratha, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,870 per month in Sydney vs $3,929 in Karratha, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,389 per month in Sydney vs $5,109 in Karratha, rent included.

Sydney costs about 22% more than Karratha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sydney and Karratha sit above the global median – Sydney by 143%, Karratha by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.18

$30.86 A$42.73

-41.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$131

$86.4 A$120

9.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.12

$10.15 A$14.05

21.87%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.63

$4.08 A$5.64

-0.25%

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

$2.82 A$3.90

$3.40 A$4.70

-17.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.05

$2.58 A$3.57

-14.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.25

$8.08 A$11.19

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 A$10.22

$7.38 A$10.21

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.57

$1.70 A$2.35

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.95

$2.79 A$3.86

2.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.39

$2.32 A$3.21

5.60%

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.85

$5.17 A$7.16

9.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$17.88

$9.38 A$12.99

37.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.33

$9.69 A$13.41

-0.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.63

$14.86 A$20.57

14.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.26

$3.58 A$4.96

6.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.47

$3.19 A$4.41

1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.66

$3.40 A$4.70

-0.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.53

$4.76 A$6.59

-0.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.51

$2.64 A$3.65

23.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.54

$2.42 A$3.35

5.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.43

$2.43 A$3.37

2.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.83

$1.61 A$2.23

-18.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.1

$39.80 A$55.1

18.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.24

$14.38 A$19.91

1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.82

$5.02 A$6.95

-16.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.61

$5.29 A$7.32

-23.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.45

$3.15 A$4.37

1.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$217

$87.6 A$121

79.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.11

$3.65 A$5.05

1.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.23

$1.62 A$2.24

-0.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.3

$40.59 A$56.2

0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.02

$1.26 A$1.74

15.87%

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

$30.6K A$42.4K

$28.5K A$39.5K

7.42%

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

$30.4K A$42.2K

$31.4K A$43.4K

-2.88%

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

$224 A$311

$210 A$291

6.69%

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

$27.89 A$38.61

$28.18 A$39.01

-1.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.3

$58.2 A$80.6

2.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$110

$58.5 A$80.9

35.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.10

$18.66 A$25.83

31.99%

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.44

$15.66 A$21.69

17.31%

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

$2,288 A$3,168

$2,193 A$3,037

4.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$40.9K

$21.3K A$29.4K

38.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$115

$79.3 A$110

4.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$105

$55.2 A$76.4

37.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$155

$112 A$156

-0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$188

$125 A$174

8.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,651

$1,481 A$2,050

78.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,504

$1,297 A$1,795

39.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,080

$2,256 A$3,124

126.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,233

$1,848 A$2,559

65.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.8K

$6,761 A$9,361

101.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.8K

$5,120 A$7,089

66.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,870

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 Karratha: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,637 in Sydney versus $1,481 in Karratha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Sydney versus $86.0 in Karratha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $377 – making Karratha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Karratha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,352 in Sydney, $2,750 in Karratha – roughly 22% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,027 per month in Sydney and $4,124 in Karratha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,352 in Sydney and $2,750 in Karratha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 79% less in Karratha. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,352 in Sydney and $2,750 in Karratha. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Karratha – 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 Karratha. 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.