Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Mount Gambier Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Mount Gambier

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,827 in Sydney versus $2,095 in Mount Gambier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,192 in Sydney versus $3,455 in Mount Gambier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,557 in Sydney versus $4,814 in Mount Gambier.

Living in Sydney is roughly 35% more expensive than Mount Gambier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, Mount Gambier 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 A$22.58

$29.37 A$41.12

-45.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 A$110

$110 A$154

-28.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 A$13.86

$10.14 A$14.20

-2.37%

Cappuccino

$3.26 A$4.57

$4.30 A$6.02

-24.19%

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

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.76 A$3.86

-7.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 A$2.75

$2.43 A$3.40

-19.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.85

$4.45 A$6.23

42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 A$10.19

$5.97 A$8.36

21.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.27

$2.00 A$2.80

-19.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.76

$3.23 A$4.52

-17.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.25

$2.02 A$2.82

14.85%

Eggs

$4.97 A$6.96

$5.29 A$7.40

-6.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 A$12.19

$8.61 A$12.05

1.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.67

$8.17 A$11.44

2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 A$19.80

$9.07 A$12.70

55.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$2.97 A$4.16

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.71

$2.31 A$3.23

14.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$2.96 A$4.14

7.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$6.01

$4.99 A$6.99

-14.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.58

$3.04 A$4.25

-16.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.22

$3.63 A$5.09

-36.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$3.00

$2.47 A$3.46

-13.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.74

$1.51 A$2.12

-17.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.15 A$45.01

$29.58 A$41.41

8.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 A$19.82

$24.26 A$33.96

-41.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 A$6.58

$4.51 A$6.31

4.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.41

$6.98 A$9.77

-24.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.60

$2.65 A$3.71

24.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$199

$66.1 A$92.6

115.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 A$5.48

$3.66 A$5.13

7.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 A$4.02

$1.53 A$2.15

87.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$74.0

$34.17 A$47.84

54.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.38 A$1.93

-10.14%

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

$28.5K A$39.8K

$28.8K A$40.3K

-1.26%

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

$22.2K A$31.0K

$22.2K A$31.1K

-0.08%

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

$200 A$280

$282 A$395

-29.18%

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

$23.54 A$32.95

$42.41 A$59.4

-44.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 A$73.2

$58.1 A$81.3

-9.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 A$84.8

$47.60 A$66.6

27.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 A$29.31

$15.89 A$22.25

31.78%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 A$22.07

$10.25 A$14.34

53.85%

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

$2,111 A$2,955

$1,601 A$2,242

31.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K A$26.0K

$12.2K A$17.0K

52.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 A$105

$83.8 A$117

-10.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 A$80.4

$45.19 A$63.3

27.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$148

$113 A$159

-6.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$183

$104 A$145

25.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 A$3,053

$718 A$1,005

203.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 A$2,072

$638 A$893

132.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,395 A$6,153

$1,157 A$1,620

279.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 A$3,755

$1,585 A$2,219

69.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K A$17.8K

$5,249 A$7,349

142.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,993 A$11.2K

$5,665 A$7,931

41.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,934

$2,539 A$3,554

66.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.63

-4.37%

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

Last update for Sydney: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mount Gambier: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,181 in Sydney and $718 in Mount Gambier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 67% 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 $110 in Mount Gambier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $370 per month, with Sydney 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 Mount Gambier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mount Gambier wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mount Gambier the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Sydney pays 67% 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 $718 in Mount Gambier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,111 in Sydney versus $1,601 in Mount Gambier. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Sydney pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,095 in Mount Gambier versus $2,827 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mount Gambier but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Mount Gambier 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 Mount Gambier 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 Mount Gambier gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.