Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Mudgee Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Mudgee

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Sydney versus $2,189 in Mudgee.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,168 in Sydney versus $3,292 in Mudgee.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,578 in Sydney versus $4,395 in Mudgee.

Living in Sydney is roughly 26% more expensive than Mudgee, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 106% above, Mudgee 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$23.11

$17.76 A$24.89

-7.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$95.6 A$134

-17.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.92

$8.34 A$11.69

19.06%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.73

$3.39 A$4.75

-0.29%

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

$2.55 A$3.57

$2.87 A$4.02

-11.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.75

$2.13 A$2.98

-7.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.35

$6.52 A$9.14

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.29

$6.56 A$9.19

12.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.29

$1.35 A$1.89

20.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.82

$2.38 A$3.33

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.19

$1.97 A$2.75

15.74%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.07

$3.48 A$4.87

44.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.50

$9.22 A$12.91

-3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.69

$5.99 A$8.40

39.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.79

$14.42 A$20.21

-2.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.54

$2.29 A$3.22

41.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.78

$2.68 A$3.76

0.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.38

$2.62 A$3.67

19.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.18

$3.70 A$5.19

19.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.42

$2.65 A$3.71

-7.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.27

$2.12 A$2.97

9.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.10

$1.72 A$2.40

28.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.75

$1.09 A$1.53

14.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.35

$28.99 A$40.62

11.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.78

$14.31 A$20.05

-1.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.52

$4.15 A$5.81

12.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.47

$3.08 A$4.32

73.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.60

$2.58 A$3.61

27.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$197

$64.6 A$90.5

117.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.59

$2.33 A$3.27

71.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.11

$1.62 A$2.28

80.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.5

$38.46 A$53.9

36.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.75

$1.17 A$1.64

6.84%

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

$29.4K A$41.2K

$29.3K A$41.1K

0.41%

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

$22.7K A$31.7K

$21.2K A$29.7K

6.77%

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

$204 A$286

$187 A$262

9.15%

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

$24.13 A$33.81

$29.65 A$41.55

-18.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.7

$56.2 A$78.8

-7.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.6

$48.51 A$68.0

25.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.20

$15.60 A$21.86

33.59%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$22.02

$12.64 A$17.71

24.29%

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

$2,074 A$2,906

$914 A$1,281

126.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.5K

$12.2K A$17.1K

54.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$76.0 A$107

-4.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.4

$44.62 A$62.5

30.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$90.5 A$127

19.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$187

$107 A$150

24.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,074

$1,254 A$1,757

74.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,089

$1,086 A$1,522

37.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,188

$2,046 A$2,866

115.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,680

$1,667 A$2,336

57.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.7K

$6,457 A$9,047

107.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$4,999 A$7,005

51.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,876

$5,827 A$8,165

-28.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

26.80%

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mudgee: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,194 in Sydney and $1,254 in Mudgee. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mudgee pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $96.0 in Mudgee. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $304, with Mudgee cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mudgee: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mudgee wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mudgee the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Mudgee earns 39% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,254 in Mudgee. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,759 per month in Sydney versus $2,189 in Mudgee – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mudgee runs roughly 118% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,189 in Mudgee versus $2,759 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mudgee but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Mudgee 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 Mudgee 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 Mudgee gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.