Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Muswellbrook Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Muswellbrook

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,842 per month in Sydney vs $2,166 in Muswellbrook, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,242 per month in Sydney vs $3,207 in Muswellbrook, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,641 per month in Sydney vs $4,249 in Muswellbrook, rent included.

Sydney costs about 31% more than Muswellbrook, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Muswellbrook sit above the global median – Sydney by 111%, Muswellbrook by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.13

$16.71 A$23.62

-2.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 A$112

$77.3 A$109

2.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 A$13.75

$8.49 A$12.00

14.61%

Cappuccino

$3.41 A$4.82

$3.31 A$4.68

3.02%

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

$2.50 A$3.54

$2.86 A$4.05

-12.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 A$2.82

$2.01 A$2.84

-0.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 A$9.44

$6.57 A$9.28

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.38

$6.59 A$9.31

11.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$1.34 A$1.90

20.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.77

$2.21 A$3.13

20.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.27

$2.10 A$2.97

10.00%

Eggs

$4.99 A$7.06

$3.91 A$5.52

27.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 A$12.57

$9.16 A$12.94

-2.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 A$11.71

$7.57 A$10.69

9.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 A$20.26

$14.38 A$20.32

-0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.54

$3.26 A$4.60

-1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.88

$2.70 A$3.81

1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 A$4.50

$2.65 A$3.74

20.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 A$6.38

$3.80 A$5.37

18.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.46

$2.63 A$3.72

-6.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.30

$2.11 A$2.98

10.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.10

$2.17 A$3.07

0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.82

$1.04 A$1.47

24.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.14 A$46.82

$29.72 A$42.00

11.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 A$19.61

$14.37 A$20.31

-3.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 A$6.62

$4.10 A$5.79

14.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 A$7.52

$3.16 A$4.47

68.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.64

$2.58 A$3.64

27.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 A$196

$64.1 A$90.6

116.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 A$5.42

$2.25 A$3.19

70.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 A$4.07

$1.56 A$2.21

84.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.8 A$73.2

$37.37 A$52.8

38.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.74

$1.17 A$1.65

5.13%

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

$29.1K A$41.1K

$9,847 A$13.9K

195.41%

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

$22.9K A$32.4K

$17.7K A$25.0K

29.48%

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

$205 A$290

$132 A$186

55.75%

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

$23.85 A$33.69

$29.17 A$41.22

-18.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 A$74.4

$57.8 A$81.7

-8.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 A$86.2

$49.60 A$70.1

22.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 A$29.19

$15.83 A$22.36

30.51%

Cinema Ticket

$15.43 A$21.80

$12.47 A$17.63

23.74%

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

$2,054 A$2,902

$901 A$1,273

127.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K A$26.0K

$12.0K A$17.0K

52.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 A$103

$64.1 A$90.6

14.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 A$83.0

$43.92 A$62.1

33.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$151

$89.9 A$127

18.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$185

$110 A$156

18.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 A$3,039

$1,268 A$1,791

69.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 A$2,097

$1,056 A$1,493

40.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,496 A$6,352

$2,034 A$2,874

121.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,691 A$3,803

$1,654 A$2,336

62.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K A$18.3K

$6,065 A$8,570

113.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,544 A$10.7K

$4,600 A$6,499

64.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,223 A$5,967

$6,325 A$8,937

-33.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.75

-6.07%

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

Last update for Sydney: June 7, 2026

Last update for Muswellbrook: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,151 in Sydney versus $1,268 in Muswellbrook. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 50% higher in Muswellbrook, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $77.0 in Muswellbrook. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $319 – making Muswellbrook the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Muswellbrook: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,842 in Sydney, $2,166 in Muswellbrook – roughly 31% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,263 per month in Sydney and $3,249 in Muswellbrook. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Muswellbrook, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,842 in Sydney and $2,166 in Muswellbrook. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 116% less in Muswellbrook. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Muswellbrook, where all-in costs run around $2,166, than in Sydney at $2,842. In Muswellbrook it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Muswellbrook – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Muswellbrook. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sydney makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.