Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Mackay Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Mackay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,842 per month in Sydney vs $2,061 in Mackay, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,242 per month in Sydney vs $3,219 in Mackay, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,641 per month in Sydney vs $4,377 in Mackay, rent included.

Sydney costs about 38% more than Mackay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Mackay sit above the global median – Sydney by 111%, Mackay by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.13

$16.11 A$22.76

1.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 A$112

$71.1 A$100

11.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 A$13.75

$11.61 A$16.40

-16.19%

Cappuccino

$3.41 A$4.82

$4.06 A$5.74

-16.01%

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

$2.50 A$3.54

$3.01 A$4.26

-16.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 A$2.82

$2.65 A$3.74

-24.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 A$9.44

$6.34 A$8.95

5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.38

$6.69 A$9.45

9.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$1.31 A$1.85

23.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.77

$2.13 A$3.01

25.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.27

$2.62 A$3.70

-11.83%

Eggs

$4.99 A$7.06

$5.02 A$7.10

-0.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 A$12.57

$8.97 A$12.68

-0.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 A$11.71

$7.93 A$11.20

4.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 A$20.26

$14.86 A$21.00

-3.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.54

$3.41 A$4.82

-5.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.88

$2.88 A$4.06

-4.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 A$4.50

$2.98 A$4.22

7.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 A$6.38

$4.82 A$6.81

-6.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.46

$1.81 A$2.56

35.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.30

$1.64 A$2.31

42.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.10

$1.86 A$2.63

17.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.82

$2.19 A$3.10

-41.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.14 A$46.82

$38.58 A$54.5

-14.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 A$19.61

$8.45 A$11.94

64.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 A$6.62

$4.67 A$6.60

0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 A$7.52

$5.65 A$7.98

-5.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.64

$2.23 A$3.15

47.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 A$196

$65.6 A$92.7

111.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 A$5.42

$5.49 A$7.76

-30.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 A$4.07

$1.87 A$2.64

54.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.8 A$73.2

$32.54 A$45.97

59.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.74

$1.20 A$1.70

2.50%

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

$29.1K A$41.1K

$37.0K A$52.3K

-21.37%

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

$22.9K A$32.4K

$29.1K A$41.1K

-21.21%

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

$205 A$290

$185 A$261

10.99%

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

$23.85 A$33.69

$27.14 A$38.34

-12.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 A$74.4

$72.3 A$102

-27.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 A$86.2

$73.9 A$104

-17.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 A$29.19

$19.86 A$28.07

4.03%

Cinema Ticket

$15.43 A$21.80

$15.50 A$21.90

-0.45%

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

$2,054 A$2,902

$1,744 A$2,465

17.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K A$26.0K

$12.0K A$17.0K

52.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 A$103

$66.8 A$94.4

9.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 A$83.0

$46.90 A$66.3

25.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$151

$110 A$155

-2.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$185

$97.5 A$138

34.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 A$3,039

$899 A$1,270

139.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 A$2,097

$796 A$1,124

86.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,496 A$6,352

$1,746 A$2,467

157.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,691 A$3,803

$1,620 A$2,289

66.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K A$18.3K

$6,051 A$8,549

114.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,544 A$10.7K

$5,183 A$7,323

45.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,223 A$5,967

$5,625 A$7,947

-24.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

5.7

11.23%

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

Last update for Sydney: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mackay: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,151 in Sydney versus $899 in Mackay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 33% higher in Mackay, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $71.0 in Mackay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $340 – making Mackay 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 Mackay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sydney is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,263 per month in Sydney and $3,092 in Mackay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 3% more in Sydney, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney and $71.0 in Mackay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Mackay, where all-in costs run around $2,061, than in Sydney at $2,842. In Mackay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mackay – 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 Mackay. 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.