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: $2,819 in Sydney versus $2,004 in Launceston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,211 in Sydney versus $2,859 in Launceston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,604 in Sydney versus $3,713 in Launceston.

Living in Sydney is roughly 41% more expensive than Launceston, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 110% above, Launceston 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.18 A$22.65

$16.30 A$22.81

-0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 A$109

$67.0 A$93.8

16.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 A$13.86

$7.90 A$11.06

25.32%

Cappuccino

$3.42 A$4.79

$3.17 A$4.44

7.89%

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

$2.43 A$3.41

$1.28 A$1.79

89.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 A$2.71

$1.85 A$2.59

4.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.31 A$8.84

$5.78 A$8.09

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 A$10.03

$6.57 A$9.20

8.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.27

$1.68 A$2.35

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 A$3.90

$1.87 A$2.62

48.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 A$3.13

$1.76 A$2.46

27.27%

Eggs

$5.13 A$7.19

$2.91 A$4.08

76.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 A$12.54

$10.81 A$15.14

-17.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 A$11.79

$8.77 A$12.27

-3.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.22 A$19.91

$16.61 A$23.26

-14.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 A$4.47

$3.16 A$4.42

0.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.85

$3.24 A$4.54

-15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.30

$3.38 A$4.73

-9.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 A$6.18

$4.69 A$6.56

-5.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.46

$2.91 A$4.07

-15.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 A$3.21

$2.28 A$3.19

0.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.99

$2.66 A$3.72

-19.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 A$1.83

$1.96 A$2.75

-33.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.90 A$46.07

$25.34 A$35.48

29.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 A$19.81

$14.90 A$20.86

-5.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.72 A$6.61

$5.33 A$7.46

-11.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 A$7.44

$5.42 A$7.59

-2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 A$4.48

$3.31 A$4.63

-3.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$200

$52.1 A$72.9

174.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 A$5.39

$4.33 A$6.06

-11.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.99 A$4.19

$1.81 A$2.54

65.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.0 A$72.8

$29.13 A$40.78

78.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.73

$1.15 A$1.61

6.96%

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

$28.4K A$39.8K

$28.9K A$40.4K

-1.59%

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

$22.1K A$30.9K

$27.4K A$38.3K

-19.30%

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

$199 A$278

$276 A$387

-28.01%

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

$23.57 A$33.00

$29.44 A$41.22

-19.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 A$74.9

$49.77 A$69.7

7.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 A$83.6

$49.73 A$69.6

20.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 A$29.81

$15.65 A$21.92

36.04%

Cinema Ticket

$15.76 A$22.07

$15.67 A$21.94

0.57%

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

$2,038 A$2,854

$1,666 A$2,332

22.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K A$25.6K

$28.2K A$39.5K

-35.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 A$105

$64.6 A$90.5

16.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 A$82.3

$54.4 A$76.2

8.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$149

$108 A$151

-1.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$112 A$157

18.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,179 A$3,051

$1,047 A$1,466

108.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 A$2,056

$767 A$1,074

91.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,435 A$6,208

$1,259 A$1,762

252.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,695 A$3,773

$1,063 A$1,489

153.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K A$17.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,816 A$10.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,147 A$5,806

$5,478 A$7,669

-24.30%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Launceston: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,179 in Sydney and $1,047 in Launceston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Launceston pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78 in Sydney vs $67 in Launceston. Groceries flip the comparison at $351 vs $367, 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 41% 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 32% 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: $2,179 in Sydney versus $1,047 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 $67.0 versus $78.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,819 per month in Sydney versus $2,004 in Launceston – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,004 in Launceston versus $2,819 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 41% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.