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: $3,352 in Sydney versus $2,568 in Mudgee.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,870 in Sydney versus $3,701 in Mudgee.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,389 in Sydney versus $4,833 in Mudgee.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Mudgee 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.36

$17.25 A$24.05

5.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$132

$86.1 A$120

10.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.24

$9.24 A$12.88

33.87%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.67

$3.60 A$5.03

13.06%

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

$2.82 A$3.93

$2.47 A$3.45

14.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.18 A$3.04

1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.33

$6.98 A$9.73

16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 A$10.29

$7.05 A$9.83

4.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.58

$1.22 A$1.70

51.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.97

$3.01 A$4.19

-5.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.42

$2.13 A$2.97

15.02%

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.90

$4.12 A$5.74

37.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$18.01

$8.82 A$12.30

46.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.42

$7.75 A$10.81

24.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.80

$8.68 A$12.11

96.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.29

$3.12 A$4.34

21.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.50

$2.64 A$3.69

22.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.70

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.58

$4.39 A$6.12

7.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.54

$2.45 A$3.42

32.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$2.62 A$3.65

-2.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.70 A$3.76

-8.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.84

$1.89 A$2.64

-30.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.5

$46.81 A$65.3

0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.38

$14.40 A$20.07

1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.86

$4.50 A$6.28

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.65

$4.36 A$6.07

-7.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.48

$3.03 A$4.22

5.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$219

$87.6 A$122

79.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.15

$3.55 A$4.95

3.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.66 A$2.32

-3.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.7

$40.52 A$56.5

0.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.27 A$1.77

14.96%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$40.0K A$55.8K

-23.50%

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

$30.4K A$42.5K

$25.6K A$35.6K

19.12%

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

$224 A$313

$245 A$341

-8.27%

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

$27.89 A$38.88

$28.59 A$39.87

-2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.9

$50.9 A$70.9

16.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$111

$56.8 A$79.2

39.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.34

$18.11 A$25.25

36.00%

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.62

$13.85 A$19.31

32.64%

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

$2,288 A$3,191

$2,212 A$3,084

3.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$20.9K A$29.2K

40.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$116

$72.7 A$101

14.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$106

$62.8 A$87.5

21.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$146 A$204

-23.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$190

$110 A$154

23.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,676

$1,436 A$2,002

83.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,521

$1,272 A$1,774

42.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,129

$2,272 A$3,168

125.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,262

$1,891 A$2,637

61.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.9K

$6,573 A$9,164

106.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.9K

$5,137 A$7,162

65.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,911

$5,660 A$7,891

-25.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

16.80%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mudgee: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,637 in Sydney and $1,436 in Mudgee. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mudgee pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $95.0 in Sydney vs $86.0 in Mudgee for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $332 per month, with Mudgee 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 Mudgee: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mudgee wins on cost – living expenses run 31% 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, salaries run 33% lower in Mudgee. 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: $2,637 in Sydney versus $1,436 in Mudgee. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,352 per month in Sydney versus $2,568 in Mudgee – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mudgee runs roughly 79% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,568 in Mudgee versus $3,352 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 31% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.