Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Kununurra Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Kununurra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Sydney versus $2,217 in Kununurra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,168 in Sydney versus $3,286 in Kununurra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,578 in Sydney versus $4,356 in Kununurra.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 106% above, Kununurra 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$16.22 A$22.60

1.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$77.8 A$108

1.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.52 A$13.26

4.31%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.51 A$4.89

-3.70%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.59 A$3.61

-1.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.19 A$3.05

-10.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$6.35 A$8.85

5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$6.95 A$9.68

5.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.50 A$2.09

8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.32 A$3.23

17.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$2.04 A$2.84

11.76%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$4.32 A$6.01

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$8.40 A$11.71

6.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$8.28 A$11.54

0.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$13.86 A$19.31

1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.22 A$4.49

0.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.85 A$3.98

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$2.95 A$4.11

6.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.02 A$5.61

9.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.48 A$3.46

-1.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.20 A$3.06

5.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.10 A$2.93

5.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.60 A$2.22

-21.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$25.47 A$35.49

27.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$14.53 A$20.25

-2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$4.45 A$6.20

4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.36 A$7.47

-0.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$2.53 A$3.53

29.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$64.4 A$89.7

118.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$3.47 A$4.84

14.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.62 A$2.26

80.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$33.60 A$46.83

56.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.18 A$1.65

5.93%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.1K A$40.5K

1.20%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$22.4K A$31.2K

1.12%

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

$204 A$284

$180 A$251

13.23%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$27.90 A$38.88

-13.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$51.7 A$72.0

0.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$49.26 A$68.7

24.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.42 A$21.49

35.15%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$13.15 A$18.32

19.47%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,648 A$2,296

25.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$12.2K A$17.0K

55.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$68.1 A$94.9

7.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$50.0 A$69.7

16.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$98.4 A$137

9.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$109 A$151

22.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$1,265 A$1,762

73.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$1,071 A$1,492

39.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$1,994 A$2,779

121.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,701 A$2,370

54.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$5,338 A$7,439

150.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$5,272 A$7,346

43.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kununurra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,194 in Sydney and $1,265 in Kununurra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $78.0 in Kununurra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $338 per month, with Kununurra 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 Kununurra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $4,138 in Sydney and $3,325 in Kununurra to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,265 in Kununurra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kununurra – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,759 per month in Sydney versus $2,217 in Kununurra – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,217 in Kununurra versus $2,759 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kununurra but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Kununurra 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 Kununurra 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 Kununurra 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.