Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Launceston Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Launceston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,789 in Sydney versus $2,002 in Launceston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,138 in Sydney versus $2,861 in Launceston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,488 in Sydney versus $3,719 in Launceston.

Living in Sydney is roughly 39% more expensive than Launceston, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 109% above, Launceston 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 A$22.55

$15.99 A$22.63

-0.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 A$109

$68.7 A$97.2

12.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.72

$7.94 A$11.23

22.17%

Cappuccino

$3.42 A$4.84

$3.18 A$4.49

7.55%

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

$2.46 A$3.48

$1.27 A$1.80

93.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 A$2.73

$1.86 A$2.64

3.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.38 A$9.03

$5.73 A$8.11

11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 A$9.97

$6.60 A$9.33

6.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.30

$1.65 A$2.33

-1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 A$3.91

$1.80 A$2.55

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 A$3.19

$1.79 A$2.53

25.70%

Eggs

$5.08 A$7.18

$2.86 A$4.05

77.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 A$12.27

$10.91 A$15.43

-20.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 A$11.65

$8.93 A$12.64

-7.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 A$20.14

$16.66 A$23.57

-14.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.57

$3.16 A$4.47

2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.76

$3.09 A$4.38

-13.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.35

$3.23 A$4.58

-4.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 A$6.30

$4.74 A$6.70

-6.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.46

$3.01 A$4.26

-18.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.29

$2.21 A$3.12

5.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 A$3.15

$2.64 A$3.73

-15.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 A$1.78

$1.98 A$2.80

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.93 A$45.17

$24.72 A$34.98

29.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.69

$14.79 A$20.92

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.82 A$6.81

$5.11 A$7.24

-5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 A$7.47

$5.37 A$7.59

-1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 A$4.67

$3.20 A$4.53

3.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$200

$51.7 A$73.1

174.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 A$5.68

$4.16 A$5.89

-3.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 A$4.09

$1.90 A$2.69

52.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$74.9

$29.34 A$41.51

80.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.77

$1.15 A$1.62

8.70%

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

$28.5K A$40.3K

$29.4K A$41.5K

-2.91%

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

$22.6K A$31.9K

$27.2K A$38.5K

-17.02%

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

$201 A$284

$278 A$394

-27.94%

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

$24.26 A$34.32

$29.14 A$41.22

-16.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$75.5

$50.6 A$71.6

5.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 A$85.1

$48.92 A$69.2

22.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.89 A$29.56

$15.94 A$22.55

31.05%

Cinema Ticket

$15.62 A$22.10

$16.19 A$22.91

-3.52%

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

$2,069 A$2,928

$1,689 A$2,390

22.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K A$26.4K

$27.5K A$39.0K

-32.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 A$106

$63.6 A$90.0

17.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$83.9

$53.0 A$75.0

11.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$152

$107 A$151

0.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 A$183

$113 A$160

14.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,087

$1,077 A$1,524

102.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 A$2,103

$754 A$1,067

96.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,464 A$6,316

$1,262 A$1,786

253.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 A$3,808

$1,058 A$1,497

154.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K A$18.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,449 A$10.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,209 A$5,955

$5,221 A$7,387

-19.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.5

-2.46%

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

Last update for Sydney: June 15, 2026

Last update for Launceston: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,182 in Sydney and $1,077 in Launceston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Launceston pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in Sydney vs $69.0 in Launceston. Groceries flip the comparison at $348 vs $365, 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 Launceston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Launceston wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Launceston the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Launceston earns 24% less. 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: $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,077 in Launceston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Launceston – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $77.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,789 per month in Sydney versus $2,002 in Launceston – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,002 in Launceston versus $2,789 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Launceston but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Launceston 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 Launceston 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 Launceston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.