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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,292 per month in Sydney vs $2,256 in Mackay, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,899 per month in Sydney vs $3,606 in Mackay, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,505 per month in Sydney vs $4,957 in Mackay, rent included.

Sydney costs about 46% more than Mackay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Mackay sit above the global median – Sydney by 141%, Mackay by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 A$25.24

$17.66 A$24.91

1.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.0 A$131

$78.3 A$110

18.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 A$17.01

$12.67 A$17.87

-4.81%

Cappuccino

$3.96 A$5.58

$4.17 A$5.88

-5.04%

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

$2.89 A$4.07

$3.29 A$4.65

-12.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.19

$2.82 A$3.98

-19.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 A$11.12

$6.95 A$9.80

13.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.22

$6.93 A$9.78

4.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 A$2.56

$1.99 A$2.80

-9.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 A$3.89

$2.64 A$3.73

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.41

$2.89 A$4.08

-16.26%

Eggs

$5.82 A$8.20

$5.87 A$8.28

-0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 A$17.67

$9.56 A$13.49

31.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.88 A$13.93

$8.91 A$12.56

10.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 A$23.34

$16.64 A$23.46

-0.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 A$5.13

$3.71 A$5.24

-1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.42

$3.01 A$4.24

4.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.82

$3.22 A$4.54

6.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.66

$6.74 A$9.50

-29.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.66

$2.55 A$3.59

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.52

$2.70 A$3.80

-7.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.35

$3.17 A$4.47

-24.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.76

$3.06 A$4.31

-59.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.38 A$65.4

$44.08 A$62.2

5.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.44

$8.61 A$12.15

68.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 A$6.04

$5.32 A$7.51

-19.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 A$5.67

$6.30 A$8.89

-36.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.71

$2.51 A$3.54

33.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 A$223

$70.4 A$99.2

124.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.90

$5.97 A$8.43

-41.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 A$2.36

$2.10 A$2.96

-20.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 A$57.8

$35.24 A$49.70

16.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.03

$1.22 A$1.72

18.03%

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

$30.5K A$43.0K

$27.2K A$38.4K

12.11%

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

$30.4K A$42.9K

$36.1K A$50.9K

-15.68%

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

$229 A$323

$235 A$332

-2.61%

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

$27.42 A$38.67

$29.78 A$42.00

-7.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$80.4

$80.1 A$113

-28.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 A$113

$53.9 A$76.1

48.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.74

$21.84 A$30.80

12.77%

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 A$25.28

$16.86 A$23.77

6.29%

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

$2,317 A$3,267

$1,891 A$2,667

22.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K A$41.0K

$6,891 A$9,718

322.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 A$113

$74.1 A$104

8.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 A$106

$52.7 A$74.3

42.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$156

$128 A$181

-13.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$190

$107 A$151

25.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 A$3,654

$969 A$1,366

167.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 A$2,675

$814 A$1,148

133.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,109 A$7,205

$1,915 A$2,700

166.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 A$4,420

$1,832 A$2,584

71.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.3K

$3,275 A$4,619

317.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,458 A$11.9K

$1,768 A$2,494

378.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 A$5,928

$5,756 A$8,117

-26.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.63

4.26%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mackay: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,591 in Sydney versus $969 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 37% 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 $93.0 in Sydney versus $78.0 in Mackay. Groceries tell a different story – $387 in Sydney vs $407 in Mackay – so Sydney wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 46%, 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 $4,939 per month in Sydney and $3,385 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Sydney – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Sydney and $78.0 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 $2,256, than in Sydney at $3,292. 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.