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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,824 in Sydney versus $2,342 in Mount Victoria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,241 in Sydney versus $3,430 in Mount Victoria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,658 in Sydney versus $4,517 in Mount Victoria.

Living in Sydney is roughly 21% more expensive than in Mount Victoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, Mount Victoria 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 A$23.24

$16.51 A$23.66

-1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$114

$86.8 A$124

-8.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.74

$10.00 A$14.32

-4.10%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.72

$3.46 A$4.96

-4.91%

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

$2.46 A$3.53

$2.65 A$3.80

-7.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.82

$2.22 A$3.18

-11.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.21

$7.62 A$10.92

-6.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.36

$1.36 A$1.95

21.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.68 A$3.84

-0.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.79 A$2.56

30.73%

Eggs

$5.03 A$7.21

$4.10 A$5.87

22.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.31

$9.98 A$14.30

-13.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.99

$9.28 A$13.29

-9.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.10

$14.91 A$21.36

-5.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.63

$3.36 A$4.81

-3.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.94

$2.98 A$4.27

-7.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.56

$3.10 A$4.44

2.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.25

$4.84 A$6.94

-9.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.51

$2.31 A$3.31

6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.38

$2.19 A$3.14

7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$2.40 A$3.44

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$1.28 A$1.83

0.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$46.55

$30.49 A$43.68

6.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$20.00

$14.43 A$20.68

-3.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.62

$5.15 A$7.37

-10.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.60

$5.94 A$8.51

-10.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 A$4.56

$2.61 A$3.75

21.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$205

$64.5 A$92.5

121.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 A$5.48

$4.09 A$5.85

-6.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 A$4.35

$1.79 A$2.56

69.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 A$75.0

$40.89 A$58.6

27.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.18 A$1.69

1.69%

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

-0.20%

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

$22.4K A$32.1K

$22.9K A$32.9K

-2.44%

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

$198 A$284

$222 A$318

-10.59%

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

$24.17 A$34.62

$30.13 A$43.16

-19.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.2

$53.2 A$76.3

-2.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 A$86.5

$49.40 A$70.8

22.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 A$30.40

$15.49 A$22.19

36.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.52

$13.90 A$19.92

13.09%

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

$2,085 A$2,988

$1,732 A$2,482

20.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$27.0K

$13.5K A$19.4K

39.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 A$108

$72.3 A$104

3.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$85.0

$57.1 A$81.9

3.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$152

$99.1 A$142

6.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$188

$116 A$166

13.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,126

$1,281 A$1,836

70.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 A$2,157

$1,069 A$1,532

40.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,461 A$6,391

$1,997 A$2,861

123.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 A$3,865

$1,686 A$2,415

60.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.4K

$6,153 A$8,815

108.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,341 A$10.5K

$5,311 A$7,609

38.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,042

$4,134 A$5,923

2.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.29

0.79%

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

Last update for Sydney: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mount Victoria: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,182 in Sydney and $1,281 in Mount Victoria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 2% 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 $87.0 in Mount Victoria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $359 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 Victoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mount Victoria is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Sydney, 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: $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,281 in Mount Victoria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,824 per month in Sydney versus $2,342 in Mount Victoria – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mount Victoria runs roughly 121% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,342 in Mount Victoria versus $2,824 in Sydney, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mount Victoria but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Mount Victoria 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 Victoria 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 Victoria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.