Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Nowra NSW Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Nowra NSW

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,799 per month in Sydney vs $2,193 in Nowra NSW, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,217 per month in Sydney vs $3,302 in Nowra NSW, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,636 per month in Sydney vs $4,411 in Nowra NSW, rent included.

Sydney costs about 28% more than Nowra NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Nowra NSW sit above the global median – Sydney by 110%, Nowra NSW by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.02 A$22.80

$16.46 A$23.43

-2.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$111

$95.1 A$135

-17.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.61 A$13.68

$8.42 A$11.99

14.13%

Cappuccino

$3.33 A$4.74

$3.34 A$4.76

-0.30%

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

$2.44 A$3.47

$2.65 A$3.77

-7.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 A$2.83

$2.11 A$3.00

-5.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.58 A$9.36

$6.39 A$9.10

2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 A$10.03

$6.47 A$9.21

8.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.32

$1.36 A$1.94

19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 A$3.96

$2.33 A$3.31

19.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.34

$2.11 A$3.01

11.37%

Eggs

$5.14 A$7.31

$3.84 A$5.47

33.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 A$12.28

$9.09 A$12.94

-5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 A$12.30

$7.86 A$11.19

9.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$19.97

$14.37 A$20.46

-2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.64

$3.16 A$4.50

3.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.89

$2.57 A$3.66

6.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.50

$2.66 A$3.78

18.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 A$6.30

$3.77 A$5.37

17.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.59

$2.60 A$3.71

-3.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 A$3.39

$2.19 A$3.12

8.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.02

$2.07 A$2.95

2.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.78

$1.08 A$1.54

15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.62 A$46.43

$29.74 A$42.33

9.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.07 A$20.02

$14.36 A$20.44

-2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.78 A$6.80

$4.10 A$5.84

16.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 A$7.73

$3.07 A$4.38

76.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 A$4.73

$2.67 A$3.80

24.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$205

$66.2 A$94.2

117.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 A$5.59

$2.30 A$3.28

70.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.17

$1.81 A$2.57

61.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$74.7

$37.70 A$53.7

39.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 A$1.72

$1.16 A$1.65

4.31%

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

$28.8K A$41.0K

-0.07%

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

$22.9K A$32.6K

$21.2K A$30.2K

7.79%

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

$205 A$292

$187 A$266

9.76%

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

$24.05 A$34.24

$29.69 A$42.26

-19.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 A$76.3

$56.6 A$80.5

-5.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 A$87.7

$47.94 A$68.2

28.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 A$30.27

$15.55 A$22.13

36.72%

Cinema Ticket

$15.43 A$21.96

$12.62 A$17.96

22.27%

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

$2,064 A$2,939

$909 A$1,293

127.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$26.8K

$12.2K A$17.4K

53.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$104

$77.4 A$110

-5.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 A$83.0

$44.81 A$63.8

30.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$152

$92.1 A$131

16.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$189

$110 A$157

20.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 A$3,032

$1,258 A$1,791

69.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 A$2,112

$1,051 A$1,496

41.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,449 A$6,333

$2,003 A$2,851

122.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,639 A$3,756

$1,689 A$2,404

56.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K A$18.7K

$6,004 A$8,546

118.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,985 A$11.4K

$5,476 A$7,795

45.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,200 A$5,979

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nowra NSW: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,130 in Sydney versus $1,258 in Nowra NSW. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Sydney versus $95.0 in Nowra NSW. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Sydney vs $320 in Nowra NSW – so Nowra NSW wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nowra NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,799 in Sydney, $2,193 in Nowra NSW – roughly 28% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,198 per month in Sydney and $3,289 in Nowra NSW. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nowra NSW, 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 $2,799 in Sydney and $2,193 in Nowra NSW. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 117% less in Nowra NSW. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nowra NSW, where all-in costs run around $2,193, than in Sydney at $2,799. In Nowra NSW it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nowra NSW – 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 Nowra NSW. 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.