Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Orange, NSW Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Orange, NSW

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Sydney versus $1,811 in Orange, NSW.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,168 in Sydney versus $2,712 in Orange, NSW.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,578 in Sydney versus $3,612 in Orange, NSW.

Living in Sydney is roughly 52% more expensive than Orange, NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 106% above, Orange, NSW 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$9.66 A$13.47

70.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$72.8 A$101

8.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$10.01 A$13.96

-0.80%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.31 A$4.61

2.11%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.60 A$3.62

-1.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.22 A$3.09

-11.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$6.65 A$9.26

0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$7.00 A$9.76

5.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.40 A$1.95

16.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.59 A$3.61

5.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$1.82 A$2.54

25.27%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$3.56 A$4.95

41.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$7.94 A$11.06

12.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$7.93 A$11.05

5.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$12.76 A$17.78

10.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.21 A$4.48

0.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.67 A$3.72

1.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$3.00 A$4.19

4.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.63 A$5.06

21.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$1.59 A$2.22

53.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.11 A$2.95

10.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$1.87 A$2.60

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.28 A$1.78

-2.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$31.35 A$43.68

3.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$11.55 A$16.10

22.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$2.58 A$3.59

80.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.28 A$7.36

0.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$2.34 A$3.26

40.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$65.5 A$91.3

114.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$2.32 A$3.23

71.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.74 A$2.42

68.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$40.24 A$56.1

30.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.14 A$1.58

9.65%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$27.3K A$38.0K

7.94%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$22.6K A$31.5K

0.13%

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

$204 A$284

$153 A$213

33.59%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$16.16 A$22.52

49.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$52.6 A$73.3

-1.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$47.86 A$66.7

27.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$12.92 A$18.00

61.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$13.07 A$18.21

20.20%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,728 A$2,408

20.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$13.3K A$18.5K

42.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$52.1 A$72.6

39.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$56.0 A$78.1

3.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$97.5 A$136

10.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$114 A$159

16.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$876 A$1,221

150.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$743 A$1,036

100.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$1,517 A$2,114

191.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,315 A$1,833

99.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$6,000 A$8,361

122.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$5,126 A$7,144

48.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$4,964 A$6,918

-15.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.29

0.79%

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Orange, NSW: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,194 in Sydney and $876 in Orange, NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Orange, NSW pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $73.0 in Orange, NSW for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $304 per month, with Orange, NSW 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 Orange, NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney and Orange, NSW differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($2,759 vs $1,811 including rent). Orange, NSW is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Orange, NSW earns 18% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,194 in Sydney versus $876 in Orange, NSW. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,074 in Sydney versus $1,728 in Orange, NSW. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,811 in Orange, NSW versus $2,759 in Sydney, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Orange, NSW but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Orange, NSW 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 Orange, NSW 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 Orange, NSW gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.