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: $3,344 in Sydney versus $1,847 in Orange, NSW.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,844 in Sydney versus $3,076 in Orange, NSW.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,343 in Sydney versus $4,304 in Orange, NSW.

Living in Sydney is roughly 81% more expensive than in Orange, NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Orange, NSW 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 A$24.44

$14.94 A$20.74

17.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 A$131

$79.6 A$111

18.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 A$16.77

$10.60 A$14.72

13.96%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.56

$3.63 A$5.04

10.47%

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

$2.87 A$3.98

$3.21 A$4.46

-10.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.16

$2.36 A$3.27

-3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 A$11.23

$7.14 A$9.91

13.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 A$9.92

$7.35 A$10.21

-2.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 A$2.53

$1.22 A$1.70

49.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 A$3.78

$2.95 A$4.09

-7.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.25

$2.20 A$3.06

6.36%

Eggs

$5.84 A$8.11

$3.93 A$5.45

48.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 A$17.90

$8.50 A$11.80

51.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 A$13.48

$9.00 A$12.49

7.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 A$23.29

$14.49 A$20.11

15.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 A$5.33

$3.06 A$4.25

25.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 A$4.28

$2.61 A$3.63

18.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.72

$3.39 A$4.70

0.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 A$6.36

$3.85 A$5.35

18.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.40

$1.82 A$2.53

74.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.54

$2.57 A$3.57

-0.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.42

$2.03 A$2.81

21.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.78

$1.85 A$2.57

-30.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.08 A$64.0

$35.48 A$49.26

29.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 A$19.60

$11.29 A$15.68

25.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 A$5.85

$2.86 A$3.97

47.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 A$5.67

$4.77 A$6.62

-14.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.63

$3.15 A$4.38

6.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$153 A$212

$87.4 A$121

74.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$4.96

$2.51 A$3.48

42.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.22

$1.63 A$2.27

-1.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.39 A$57.5

$46.77 A$64.9

-11.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.90

$1.28 A$1.78

7.03%

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

$30.6K A$42.5K

$30.1K A$41.7K

1.86%

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

$30.9K A$42.9K

$42.5K A$59.0K

-27.28%

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

$230 A$320

$170 A$236

35.42%

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

$27.25 A$37.83

$18.15 A$25.19

50.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 A$78.8

$52.1 A$72.4

8.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 A$105

$53.5 A$74.2

40.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.26 A$33.68

$18.44 A$25.60

31.56%

Cinema Ticket

$17.75 A$24.64

$13.85 A$19.23

28.16%

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

$2,234 A$3,101

$2,260 A$3,137

-1.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$40.9K

$22.2K A$30.8K

32.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 A$111

$55.8 A$77.5

42.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.2 A$102

$63.9 A$88.6

14.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$155

$150 A$209

-25.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$182

$112 A$155

17.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 A$3,647

$845 A$1,173

211.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 A$2,511

$618 A$858

192.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,241 A$7,276

$1,425 A$1,978

267.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,037 A$4,215

$1,517 A$2,105

100.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.0K

$6,118 A$8,494

123.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,339 A$11.6K

$5,102 A$7,082

63.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 A$5,780

$4,816 A$6,686

-13.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.23

11.66%

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

Last update for Sydney: August 29, 2026

Last update for Orange, NSW: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,627 in Sydney and $845 in Orange, NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Orange, NSW pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $95.0 in Sydney vs $80.0 in Orange, NSW for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $331 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 81% in total monthly costs ($3,344 vs $1,847 including rent). Orange, NSW is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Orange, NSW. 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: $2,627 in Sydney versus $845 in Orange, NSW. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,234 in Sydney versus $2,260 in Orange, NSW. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,847 in Orange, NSW versus $3,344 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 81% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.