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: $3,352 in Sydney versus $2,673 in Northam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,870 in Sydney versus $3,763 in Northam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,389 in Sydney versus $4,853 in Northam.

Living in Sydney is roughly 25% more expensive than in Northam, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Northam 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.18

$21.47 A$29.72

-15.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$131

$87.5 A$121

8.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.12

$10.62 A$14.70

16.48%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.63

$4.61 A$6.38

-11.71%

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

$2.82 A$3.90

$2.97 A$4.11

-5.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.05

$2.33 A$3.23

-5.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.25

$8.59 A$11.89

-5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 A$10.22

$8.72 A$12.07

-15.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.57

$1.75 A$2.42

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.95

$2.64 A$3.66

7.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.39

$2.04 A$2.83

20.10%

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.85

$4.79 A$6.63

18.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$17.88

$6.33 A$8.76

104.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.33

$9.62 A$13.32

0.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.63

$14.21 A$19.68

20.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.26

$2.92 A$4.05

30.14%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.47

$3.28 A$4.55

-1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.66

$3.49 A$4.83

-3.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.53

$5.44 A$7.52

-13.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.51

$2.97 A$4.11

9.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.54

$2.02 A$2.80

26.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.43

$2.41 A$3.33

2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.83

$0.75 A$1.03

76.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.1

$43.33 A$60.0

8.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.24

$3.50 A$4.85

317.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.82

$4.52 A$6.25

-7.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.61

$3.49 A$4.83

16.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.45

$3.16 A$4.38

1.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$217

$84.6 A$117

85.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.11

$3.81 A$5.27

-3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.23

$1.44 A$1.99

11.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.3

$41.01 A$56.8

-0.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.02

$1.35 A$1.87

8.15%

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

$30.6K A$42.4K

$28.6K A$39.6K

7.02%

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

$30.4K A$42.2K

$30.8K A$42.6K

-1.14%

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

$224 A$311

$207 A$287

8.37%

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

$27.89 A$38.61

$25.47 A$35.26

9.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.3

$63.5 A$87.9

-6.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$110

$58.2 A$80.6

36.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.10

$18.38 A$25.45

34.00%

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.44

$16.97 A$23.49

8.25%

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

$2,288 A$3,168

$2,367 A$3,277

-3.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$40.9K

$23.8K A$33.0K

23.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$115

$76.8 A$106

8.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$105

$70.0 A$96.9

8.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$155

$121 A$168

-7.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$188

$159 A$220

-14.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,651

$1,469 A$2,034

79.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,504

$1,279 A$1,770

41.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,080

$2,284 A$3,162

123.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,233

$1,861 A$2,576

64.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.8K

$6,713 A$9,295

102.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.8K

$5,276 A$7,305

61.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,870

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.92

-1.35%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 7, 2026

Last update for Northam: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,637 in Sydney and $1,469 in Northam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $95.0 in Sydney vs $87.0 in Northam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $325 per month, with Northam 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 Northam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Northam wins on cost – living expenses run 25% 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 $5,027 in Sydney and $4,010 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: $2,637 in Sydney versus $1,469 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 $87.0 versus $95.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,352 per month in Sydney versus $2,673 in Northam – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Northam is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 25% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.