Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Moe Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Moe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,827 in Sydney versus $2,160 in Moe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,192 in Sydney versus $3,111 in Moe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,557 in Sydney versus $4,061 in Moe.

Living in Sydney is roughly 31% more expensive than Moe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, Moe 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 A$22.58

$12.94 A$18.12

24.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 A$110

$70.4 A$98.6

11.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 A$13.86

$8.96 A$12.55

10.49%

Cappuccino

$3.26 A$4.57

$3.56 A$4.98

-8.43%

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

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.51 A$3.51

1.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 A$2.75

$1.75 A$2.45

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.85

$5.01 A$7.01

26.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 A$10.19

$4.52 A$6.33

61.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.27

$0.70 A$0.98

131.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.76

$2.58 A$3.61

3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.25

$2.27 A$3.18

2.20%

Eggs

$4.97 A$6.96

$3.18 A$4.45

56.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 A$12.19

$9.20 A$12.87

-5.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.67

$7.27 A$10.18

14.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 A$19.80

$14.65 A$20.51

-3.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$2.62 A$3.67

25.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.71

$2.67 A$3.73

-0.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$2.74 A$3.84

15.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$6.01

$4.03 A$5.64

6.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.58

$1.89 A$2.64

34.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.22

$2.35 A$3.29

-2.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$3.00

$2.13 A$2.99

0.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.74

$1.32 A$1.85

-6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.15 A$45.01

$29.34 A$41.07

9.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 A$19.82

$12.95 A$18.13

9.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 A$6.58

$3.19 A$4.47

47.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.41

$3.31 A$4.63

59.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.60

$2.53 A$3.55

30.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$199

$65.7 A$91.9

116.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 A$5.48

$2.18 A$3.06

79.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 A$4.02

$1.26 A$1.77

127.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$74.0

$23.12 A$32.36

128.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.17 A$1.64

5.98%

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

$28.5K A$39.8K

$28.3K A$39.7K

0.41%

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

$22.2K A$31.0K

$23.5K A$32.9K

-5.69%

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

$200 A$280

$142 A$198

41.14%

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

$23.54 A$32.95

$20.79 A$29.10

13.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 A$73.2

$51.3 A$71.8

1.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 A$84.8

$48.58 A$68.0

24.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 A$29.31

$15.66 A$21.93

33.72%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 A$22.07

$15.98 A$22.37

-1.31%

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

$2,111 A$2,955

$1,751 A$2,451

20.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K A$26.0K

$19.6K A$27.5K

-5.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 A$105

$68.2 A$95.4

9.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 A$80.4

$52.8 A$74.0

8.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$148

$105 A$147

0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$183

$106 A$148

23.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 A$3,053

$1,279 A$1,791

70.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 A$2,072

$1,087 A$1,521

36.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,395 A$6,153

$2,033 A$2,846

116.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 A$3,755

$1,697 A$2,376

58.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K A$17.8K

$5,990 A$8,386

112.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,993 A$11.2K

$5,087 A$7,121

57.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,934

$1,435 A$2,009

195.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.19

2.42%

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

Last update for Sydney: April 26, 2026

Last update for Moe: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,181 in Sydney and $1,279 in Moe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 195% 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: $79.0 in Sydney vs $70.0 in Moe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $306 per month, with Moe cheaper across the board.

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 Moe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moe wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Moe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Sydney pays 195% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,181 in Sydney versus $1,279 in Moe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Moe – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,160 in Moe versus $2,827 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Moe but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Moe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Sydney and Moe are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Moe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.