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 $3,292 per month in Sydney vs $2,585 in Nowra NSW, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,899 per month in Sydney vs $3,770 in Nowra NSW, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,505 per month in Sydney vs $4,954 in Nowra NSW, rent included.

Sydney costs about 27% more than Nowra NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Nowra NSW sit above the global median – Sydney by 141%, Nowra NSW by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 A$25.11

$19.84 A$27.84

-9.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.0 A$130

$94.2 A$132

-1.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 A$16.92

$10.54 A$14.79

14.42%

Cappuccino

$3.96 A$5.55

$4.21 A$5.91

-5.94%

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

$2.89 A$4.05

$3.11 A$4.36

-7.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.18

$2.75 A$3.86

-17.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 A$11.06

$8.41 A$11.80

-6.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.17

$9.86 A$13.83

-26.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 A$2.54

$1.31 A$1.83

38.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 A$3.86

$3.03 A$4.25

-9.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.39

$2.71 A$3.81

-10.70%

Eggs

$5.82 A$8.16

$5.57 A$7.82

4.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 A$17.57

$12.15 A$17.05

3.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.88 A$13.85

$10.73 A$15.05

-7.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 A$23.22

$16.42 A$23.03

0.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 A$5.10

$4.18 A$5.86

-12.92%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.40

$3.31 A$4.65

-5.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.80

$3.55 A$4.99

-3.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.63

$5.30 A$7.43

-10.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.64

$3.27 A$4.58

0.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.50

$2.77 A$3.88

-10.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.33

$2.81 A$3.94

-15.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.75

$1.50 A$2.10

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.38 A$65.1

$46.34 A$65.0

0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.34

$14.80 A$20.77

-2.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 A$6.01

$4.84 A$6.79

-11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 A$5.64

$5.69 A$7.98

-29.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.69

$3.06 A$4.29

9.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 A$222

$86.4 A$121

83.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.87

$4.22 A$5.92

-17.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 A$2.35

$1.62 A$2.27

3.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 A$57.5

$44.58 A$62.5

-8.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.02

$1.28 A$1.79

12.50%

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

$30.5K A$42.8K

$27.1K A$38.0K

12.61%

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

$30.4K A$42.7K

$30.6K A$43.0K

-0.70%

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

$229 A$322

$187 A$263

22.41%

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

$27.42 A$38.47

$28.34 A$39.76

-3.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$80.0

$56.7 A$79.5

0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 A$113

$50.9 A$71.4

57.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.56

$16.65 A$23.36

47.93%

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 A$25.15

$16.57 A$23.24

8.15%

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

$2,317 A$3,250

$2,385 A$3,346

-2.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K A$40.8K

$21.2K A$29.7K

37.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 A$113

$78.0 A$109

3.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 A$105

$56.8 A$79.7

32.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$156

$123 A$172

-9.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$189

$137 A$192

-1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 A$3,635

$1,371 A$1,923

89.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 A$2,661

$1,409 A$1,977

34.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,109 A$7,168

$2,496 A$3,502

104.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 A$4,396

$1,896 A$2,661

65.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.2K

$5,491 A$7,703

149.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,458 A$11.9K

$5,615 A$7,877

50.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 A$5,897

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.95

-1.34%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 12, 2026

Last update for Nowra NSW: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,591 in Sydney versus $1,371 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 $93.0 in Sydney versus $94.0 in Nowra NSW. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $407 – making Sydney 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 Nowra NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,292 in Sydney, $2,585 in Nowra NSW – roughly 27% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,939 per month in Sydney and $3,877 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 $3,292 in Sydney and $2,585 in Nowra NSW. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 83% less in Nowra NSW. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,292 in Sydney and $2,585 in Nowra NSW. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.