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: $2,842 in Sydney versus $2,148 in Moe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,242 in Sydney versus $3,100 in Moe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,641 in Sydney versus $4,053 in Moe.

Living in Sydney is roughly 32% more expensive than Moe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, Moe 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.13

$12.92 A$18.25

26.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 A$112

$71.6 A$101

10.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 A$13.75

$9.35 A$13.21

4.06%

Cappuccino

$3.41 A$4.82

$3.51 A$4.96

-2.85%

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

$2.50 A$3.54

$2.52 A$3.56

-0.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 A$2.82

$1.76 A$2.48

13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 A$9.44

$5.00 A$7.06

33.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.38

$4.67 A$6.60

57.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$0.74 A$1.05

118.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.77

$2.63 A$3.72

1.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.27

$2.33 A$3.30

-0.86%

Eggs

$4.99 A$7.06

$3.32 A$4.70

50.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 A$12.57

$8.90 A$12.58

-0.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 A$11.71

$7.29 A$10.30

13.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 A$20.26

$14.41 A$20.36

-0.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.54

$2.65 A$3.74

21.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.88

$2.54 A$3.58

8.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 A$4.50

$2.79 A$3.94

14.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 A$6.38

$4.08 A$5.77

10.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.46

$1.89 A$2.67

29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.30

$2.32 A$3.28

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.10

$2.21 A$3.12

-0.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.82

$1.32 A$1.87

-2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.14 A$46.82

$29.21 A$41.27

13.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 A$19.61

$12.55 A$17.74

10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 A$6.62

$3.30 A$4.66

42.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 A$7.52

$3.31 A$4.67

60.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.64

$2.65 A$3.75

24.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 A$196

$65.8 A$92.9

110.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 A$5.42

$2.21 A$3.12

73.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 A$4.07

$1.21 A$1.71

138.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.8 A$73.2

$22.68 A$32.04

128.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.74

$1.13 A$1.60

8.85%

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

$29.1K A$41.1K

$28.3K A$40.0K

2.64%

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

$22.9K A$32.4K

$23.1K A$32.6K

-0.78%

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

$205 A$290

$145 A$205

41.40%

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

$23.85 A$33.69

$20.88 A$29.51

14.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 A$74.4

$49.89 A$70.5

5.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 A$86.2

$49.19 A$69.5

24.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 A$29.19

$15.83 A$22.37

30.51%

Cinema Ticket

$15.43 A$21.80

$16.16 A$22.83

-4.52%

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

$2,054 A$2,902

$1,729 A$2,442

18.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K A$26.0K

$19.5K A$27.5K

-5.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 A$103

$66.7 A$94.3

9.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 A$83.0

$54.0 A$76.3

8.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$151

$107 A$152

-0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$185

$104 A$146

26.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 A$3,039

$1,278 A$1,806

68.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 A$2,097

$1,076 A$1,520

37.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,496 A$6,352

$2,055 A$2,904

118.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,691 A$3,803

$1,700 A$2,402

58.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K A$18.3K

$6,217 A$8,784

108.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,544 A$10.7K

$5,243 A$7,407

43.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,223 A$5,967

$1,395 A$1,971

202.65%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Moe: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,151 in Sydney and $1,278 in Moe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 203% 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 $72.0 in Moe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 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 32% 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 203% 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: $2,151 in Sydney versus $1,278 in Moe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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 $72.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,148 in Moe versus $2,842 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 32% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.