Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Mildura Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Mildura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,789 per month in Sydney vs $2,130 in Mildura, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,138 per month in Sydney vs $3,288 in Mildura, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,488 per month in Sydney vs $4,445 in Mildura, rent included.

Sydney costs about 31% more than Mildura, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Mildura sit above the global median – Sydney by 109%, Mildura by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 A$22.55

$16.33 A$23.10

-2.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 A$109

$78.7 A$111

-1.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.72

$9.89 A$13.99

-1.92%

Cappuccino

$3.42 A$4.84

$3.41 A$4.82

0.29%

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

$2.46 A$3.48

$2.59 A$3.67

-5.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 A$2.73

$2.51 A$3.55

-23.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.38 A$9.03

$6.45 A$9.13

-1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 A$9.97

$7.32 A$10.36

-3.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.30

$2.00 A$2.84

-18.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 A$3.91

$2.57 A$3.63

7.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 A$3.19

$2.03 A$2.87

10.84%

Eggs

$5.08 A$7.18

$7.48 A$10.58

-32.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 A$12.27

$8.70 A$12.31

-0.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 A$11.65

$8.47 A$11.98

-2.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 A$20.14

$13.65 A$19.31

4.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.57

$3.18 A$4.50

1.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.76

$2.81 A$3.98

-5.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.35

$2.98 A$4.21

3.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 A$6.30

$4.01 A$5.68

10.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.46

$2.52 A$3.56

-2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.29

$2.16 A$3.06

7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 A$3.15

$2.16 A$3.05

3.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 A$1.78

$1.58 A$2.23

-20.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.93 A$45.17

$30.85 A$43.65

3.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.69

$14.13 A$19.99

-1.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.82 A$6.81

$4.68 A$6.62

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 A$7.47

$5.28 A$7.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 A$4.67

$2.54 A$3.60

29.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$200

$66.1 A$93.5

114.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 A$5.68

$3.61 A$5.11

11.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 A$4.09

$1.62 A$2.29

78.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$74.9

$33.74 A$47.74

56.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.77

$1.23 A$1.73

1.63%

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

$28.5K A$40.3K

$29.0K A$41.0K

-1.71%

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

$22.6K A$31.9K

$22.9K A$32.4K

-1.39%

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

$201 A$284

$184 A$260

9.19%

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

$24.26 A$34.32

$27.50 A$38.91

-11.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$75.5

$40.31 A$57.0

32.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 A$85.1

$48.72 A$68.9

23.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.89 A$29.56

$15.41 A$21.81

35.56%

Cinema Ticket

$15.62 A$22.10

$12.87 A$18.21

21.37%

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

$2,069 A$2,928

$1,634 A$2,311

26.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K A$26.4K

$12.1K A$17.2K

53.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 A$106

$68.0 A$96.2

10.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$83.9

$50.6 A$71.6

17.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$152

$97.5 A$138

10.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 A$183

$109 A$155

18.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,087

$1,320 A$1,868

65.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 A$2,103

$993 A$1,405

49.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,464 A$6,316

$2,097 A$2,967

112.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 A$3,808

$1,673 A$2,367

60.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K A$18.6K

$6,891 A$9,749

90.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,449 A$10.5K

$5,817 A$8,231

28.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,209 A$5,955

$3,495 A$4,944

20.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

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

Last update for Sydney: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mildura: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,320 in Mildura. 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 20% 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 $77.0 in Sydney versus $79.0 in Mildura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $360 – making Sydney 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 Mildura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sydney is pricier by about 31%, 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 $4,183 per month in Sydney and $3,196 in Mildura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 114% less in Mildura. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,069 per month in Sydney and $1,634 in Mildura. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Mildura, where all-in costs run around $2,130, than in Sydney at $2,789. In Mildura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mildura – 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 Mildura. 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.