Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Margaret River Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Margaret River

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Sydney vs $2,238 in Margaret River, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,168 per month in Sydney vs $3,282 in Margaret River, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,578 per month in Sydney vs $4,326 in Margaret River, rent included.

Sydney costs about 23% more than Margaret River, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Margaret River sit above the global median – Sydney by 106%, Margaret River by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$23.11

$15.95 A$22.35

3.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$78.6 A$110

0.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.92

$10.31 A$14.45

-3.69%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.73

$3.65 A$5.11

-7.40%

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

$2.55 A$3.57

$2.58 A$3.61

-1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.75

$1.98 A$2.78

-0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.35

$7.68 A$10.75

-13.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.29

$6.37 A$8.93

15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.29

$1.41 A$1.97

15.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.82

$2.45 A$3.44

11.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.19

$1.94 A$2.72

17.53%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.07

$4.60 A$6.44

9.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.50

$8.66 A$12.14

3.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.69

$8.55 A$11.98

-2.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.79

$13.59 A$19.04

3.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.54

$3.49 A$4.89

-7.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.78

$2.89 A$4.05

-6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.38

$2.83 A$3.96

10.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.18

$4.72 A$6.61

-6.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.42

$2.44 A$3.41

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.27

$1.71 A$2.40

36.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.10

$1.91 A$2.68

15.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.75

$1.45 A$2.03

-13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.35

$32.16 A$45.06

0.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.78

$12.91 A$18.09

9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.52

$3.88 A$5.43

20.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.47

$4.26 A$5.96

25.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.60

$2.68 A$3.75

22.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$197

$65.5 A$91.8

114.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.59

$3.91 A$5.48

2.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.11

$2.18 A$3.06

34.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.5

$49.46 A$69.3

6.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.75

$1.13 A$1.58

10.62%

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

$29.4K A$41.2K

$28.6K A$40.0K

3.08%

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

$22.7K A$31.7K

$24.2K A$34.0K

-6.56%

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

$204 A$286

$156 A$219

30.51%

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

$24.13 A$33.81

$28.53 A$39.98

-15.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.7

$54.4 A$76.2

-4.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.6

$48.45 A$67.9

26.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.20

$15.99 A$22.41

30.33%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$22.02

$16.58 A$23.23

-5.25%

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

$2,074 A$2,906

$1,772 A$2,483

17.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.5K

$12.1K A$16.9K

56.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$70.9 A$99.3

2.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.4

$47.33 A$66.3

22.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$104 A$146

3.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$187

$104 A$146

28.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,074

$1,274 A$1,785

72.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,089

$1,083 A$1,517

37.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,188

$2,039 A$2,858

116.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,680

$1,706 A$2,391

53.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.7K

$6,829 A$9,568

95.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$4,781 A$6,699

58.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,876

$3,003 A$4,208

39.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.42

-1.25%

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Margaret River: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,274 in Margaret River. 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 40% higher in Sydney, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $79.0 in Margaret River. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Sydney vs $334 in Margaret River – so Margaret River 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 Margaret River: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sydney is pricier by about 23%, 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 $4,138 per month in Sydney and $3,357 in Margaret River. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,759 in Sydney and $2,238 in Margaret River. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Margaret River, where all-in costs run around $2,238, than in Sydney at $2,759. In Margaret River it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Margaret River – 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 Margaret River. 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.