Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Northam Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Northam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,807 in Sydney versus $2,171 in Northam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,149 in Sydney versus $3,227 in Northam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,492 in Sydney versus $4,283 in Northam.

Living in Sydney is roughly 29% more expensive than in Northam, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 110% above, Northam 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.54 A$23.69

$16.29 A$23.33

1.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 A$113

$78.9 A$113

0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 A$14.25

$10.60 A$15.19

-6.13%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.71

$3.60 A$5.16

-8.61%

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

$2.51 A$3.59

$2.46 A$3.53

2.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 A$2.76

$1.99 A$2.86

-3.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.43 A$9.20

$7.64 A$10.94

-15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 A$10.15

$6.54 A$9.37

8.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 A$2.44

$1.47 A$2.10

15.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 A$4.02

$2.42 A$3.47

16.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.34

$2.03 A$2.91

14.78%

Eggs

$4.99 A$7.15

$4.15 A$5.94

20.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 A$12.43

$5.82 A$8.34

49.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 A$11.76

$8.58 A$12.28

-4.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 A$20.46

$14.01 A$20.07

2.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.60

$2.65 A$3.79

21.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 A$3.85

$2.96 A$4.24

-9.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.46

$2.97 A$4.25

4.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 A$6.35

$4.83 A$6.91

-8.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.64

$2.54 A$3.63

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.30

$1.73 A$2.48

33.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.16

$2.00 A$2.86

10.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.78

$0.62 A$0.89

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.09 A$47.39

$31.64 A$45.31

4.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 A$20.19

$3.56 A$5.10

296.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.87 A$6.98

$3.82 A$5.46

27.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 A$7.47

$4.11 A$5.89

27.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.71

$2.55 A$3.65

29.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$204

$64.1 A$91.8

122.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 A$5.63

$3.86 A$5.52

1.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 A$4.32

$2.16 A$3.09

39.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.2 A$74.7

$48.49 A$69.4

7.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.78

$1.13 A$1.62

10.62%

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

0.19%

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

$22.2K A$31.7K

$24.6K A$35.3K

-10.00%

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

$201 A$288

$159 A$227

26.83%

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

$23.99 A$34.35

$22.61 A$32.38

6.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 A$76.8

$55.7 A$79.7

-3.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$87.5

$49.65 A$71.1

23.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.95 A$30.00

$15.54 A$22.25

34.81%

Cinema Ticket

$15.34 A$21.97

$16.44 A$23.55

-6.69%

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

$2,084 A$2,984

$1,779 A$2,548

17.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K A$26.5K

$12.2K A$17.4K

52.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.7 A$107

$71.6 A$102

4.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$83.2

$48.76 A$69.8

19.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$155

$104 A$149

3.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$187

$107 A$153

22.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,139 A$3,064

$1,273 A$1,823

68.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,467 A$2,101

$1,065 A$1,526

37.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,347 A$6,226

$1,982 A$2,838

119.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,639 A$3,779

$1,683 A$2,410

56.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.3K

$6,821 A$9,767

87.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,981 A$11.4K

$5,410 A$7,747

47.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,159 A$5,956

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.42

-1.25%

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

Last update for Sydney: July 20, 2026

Last update for Northam: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,139 in Sydney and $1,273 in Northam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $79.0 in Northam. Groceries flip the comparison at $350 vs $294, with Northam 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 Northam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Northam wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Northam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,210 in Sydney and $3,257 in Northam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,139 in Sydney versus $1,273 in Northam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Northam – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,807 per month in Sydney versus $2,171 in Northam – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,171 in Northam versus $2,807 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Northam but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Northam 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 Northam 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 Northam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.