Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Penrith Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Penrith

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Sydney vs $2,136 in Penrith, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,168 per month in Sydney vs $3,163 in Penrith, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,578 per month in Sydney vs $4,190 in Penrith, rent included.

Sydney costs about 29% more than Penrith, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Penrith sit above the global median – Sydney by 106%, Penrith by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$11.17 A$15.56

47.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$88.5 A$123

-10.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.75 A$13.58

1.85%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$2.64 A$3.68

28.03%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.71 A$3.77

-5.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.26 A$3.15

-12.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$6.41 A$8.94

4.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$4.49 A$6.25

63.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.41 A$1.97

15.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.30 A$3.21

18.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$0.90 A$1.25

153.33%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$3.38 A$4.70

49.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$10.24 A$14.27

-12.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$8.29 A$11.56

0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$14.46 A$20.15

-2.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$2.31 A$3.22

40.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.89 A$4.02

-6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$2.99 A$4.17

4.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.76 A$6.64

-7.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.27 A$3.16

7.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$1.90 A$2.65

22.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.49 A$3.47

-11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$0.77 A$1.08

62.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$30.97 A$43.16

4.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$14.92 A$20.79

-5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$5.22 A$7.28

-10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$6.07 A$8.45

-12.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$2.62 A$3.65

25.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$64.7 A$90.2

117.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$3.91 A$5.45

2.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.72 A$2.40

70.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$39.85 A$55.5

31.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.13 A$1.57

10.62%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.0K A$40.5K

1.37%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$23.3K A$32.5K

-2.87%

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

$204 A$284

$163 A$227

25.17%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$29.58 A$41.22

-18.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$52.6 A$73.3

-1.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$48.41 A$67.5

26.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.75 A$21.95

32.32%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$13.47 A$18.77

16.63%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,756 A$2,446

18.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$13.1K A$18.3K

43.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$71.0 A$98.9

2.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$56.7 A$79.0

2.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$97.7 A$136

10.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$114 A$159

16.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$1,117 A$1,556

96.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$1,083 A$1,510

37.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$1,989 A$2,772

122.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,654 A$2,305

58.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$6,090 A$8,487

119.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$5,081 A$7,080

49.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$2,517 A$3,508

66.60%

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 Penrith: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,117 in Penrith. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 67% higher in Sydney, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $88.0 in Penrith. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Sydney vs $332 in Penrith – so Penrith 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 Penrith: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney costs about 29% more than Penrith, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,138 per month in Sydney and $3,204 in Penrith. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Penrith, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 118% less in Penrith. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,074 per month in Sydney and $1,756 in Penrith. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Penrith, where all-in costs run around $2,136, than in Sydney at $2,759. In Penrith it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Penrith – 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 Penrith. 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.