Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Mataram

For one person, living is cheaper in Mataram: $608 a month against $3,245 in Sydney, rent and utilities included – about $31,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sydney
🇦🇺 Australia
$3,245
/mo nomad
Mataram
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sydney and in Mataram

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sydney and in Mataram actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,245 in Sydney versus $608 in Mataram.

  • Sydney $3,245
  • Mataram $608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,803 in Sydney versus $967 in Mataram.

  • Sydney $4,803
  • Mataram $967

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,362 in Sydney versus $1,327 in Mataram.

  • Sydney $6,362
  • Mataram $1,327

Living in Sydney is roughly 433% more expensive than in Mataram, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sydney is 139% above, Mataram is 55% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sydney
Mataram
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.41 A$25.05
$0.93 Rp 16.8K
1772.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.3 A$130
$9.22 Rp 166.0K
879.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.92 A$17.15
$3.21 Rp 57.8K
271.34%
Cappuccino
$4.03 A$5.80
$1.47 Rp 26.4K
174.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 A$4.15
$0.44 Rp 7,889
554.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 A$3.20
$0.31 Rp 5,491
619.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.89 A$11.36
$2.71 Rp 48.8K
191.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.78 A$9.76
$3.45 Rp 62.1K
96.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sydney
Mataram
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 A$2.45
$1.38 Rp 24.9K
23.91%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 A$4.23
$1.47 Rp 26.4K
100.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 A$3.61
$0.80 Rp 14.5K
213.75%
Eggs
$5.55 A$7.99
$1.49 Rp 26.9K
272.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 A$16.94
$7.12 Rp 128.2K
65.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.28 A$13.35
$3.00 Rp 54.1K
209.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.70 A$24.03
$7.39 Rp 133.0K
125.98%
Apples (1kg)
$3.92 A$5.64
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
71.93%
Banana (1kg)
$3.16 A$4.55
$1.25 Rp 22.4K
152.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.48 A$5.00
$1.70 Rp 30.6K
104.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.38 A$6.31
$1.29 Rp 23.1K
239.53%
Potato (1kg)
$3.33 A$4.79
$1.24 Rp 22.3K
168.55%
Onion (1kg)
$2.40 A$3.46
$1.94 Rp 34.9K
23.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.31 A$3.32
$0.73 Rp 13.1K
216.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 A$1.65
$0.40 Rp 7,214
187.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$44.34 A$63.8
$2.63 Rp 47.3K
1585.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.71 A$19.72
$20.99 Rp 377.9K
-34.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.00 A$5.75
$1.91 Rp 34.4K
109.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.03 A$5.80
$3.04 Rp 54.7K
32.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Sydney
Mataram
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.22 A$4.63
$0.27 Rp 4,838
1092.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$154 A$222
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.57 A$5.14
$0.50 Rp 8,960
614.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 A$2.27
$0.35 Rp 6,222
351.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.44 A$56.8
$2.72 Rp 48.9K
1350.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 A$2.13
$0.62 Rp 11.2K
138.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.6K A$42.5K
$23.8K Rp 428.7M
24.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.7K A$39.8K
$30.6K Rp 551.3M
-9.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney
Mataram
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$241 A$347
$66.0 Rp 1.2M
265.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.57 A$39.67
$3.96 Rp 71.3K
596.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.3 A$81.0
$19.47 Rp 350.5K
189.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sydney
Mataram
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$78.1 A$112
$19.35 Rp 348.4K
303.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.26 A$33.47
$8.15 Rp 146.8K
185.40%
Cinema Ticket
$17.55 A$25.26
$2.85 Rp 51.2K
515.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sydney
Mataram
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,185 A$3,144
$94.8 Rp 1.7M
2205.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$27.8K A$40.0K
$7,572 Rp 136.3M
266.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sydney
Mataram
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.0 A$115
$44.19 Rp 795.3K
81.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$70.7 A$102
$28.84 Rp 519.0K
145.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 A$159
$73.5 Rp 1.3M
50.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 A$186
$71.4 Rp 1.3M
81.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sydney
Mataram
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,477 A$3,564
$225 Rp 4.0M
1001.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,777 A$2,557
$133 Rp 2.4M
1235.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,885 A$7,030
$530 Rp 9.5M
821.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,093 A$4,451
$356 Rp 6.4M
769.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$13.4K A$19.3K
$1,184 Rp 21.3M
1032.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,375 A$12.1K
$796 Rp 14.3M
952.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sydney
Mataram
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,074 A$5,862
$222 Rp 4.0M
1733.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.92
9.46
-37.42%

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

Last update for Sydney: October 20, 2026

Last update for Mataram: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sydney
$1.8K
Mataram
$133 92.5% $1.6K
Groceries & Markets
Sydney
$378
Mataram
$201 46.8% $177
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney
$325
Mataram
$89 72.5% $236
Eating Out
Sydney
$297
Mataram
$58 80.4% $239
Getting Around
Sydney
$178
Mataram
$3.3 * 98.2% $175
Clothing & Footwear
Sydney
$176
Mataram
$98 44.2% $78
Sport & Entertainment
Sydney
$113
Mataram
$25 77.9% $88

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,477 in Sydney and $225 in Mataram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 1734% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $90.0 in Sydney vs $9.00 in Mataram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $201 per month, with Mataram cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Sydney
🇮🇩 Mataram
🕒 Local time
07:23 7:23 AM
04:23 4:23 AM
3 h behind Sydney
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,840,600
402,843
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sydney Mataram 4,560 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sydney
  • Mataram

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mataram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sydney and in Mataram?
Sydney and Mataram differ by about 433% in total monthly costs ($3,245 vs $608 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Sydney or Mataram?
Average pay runs 1734% higher in Sydney, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Sydney and in Mataram?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,477 in Sydney versus $225 in Mataram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 88% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Sydney or Mataram?
All in, you'll spend $3,245 per month in Sydney versus $608 in Mataram – a 433% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $608 in Mataram versus $3,245 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mataram but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Mataram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sydney and Mataram?
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.
Is Sydney or Mataram safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sydney and Mataram are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Sydney or Mataram?
Expats usually find Mataram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 433% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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