Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Port Douglas Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Port Douglas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,352 in Sydney versus $2,719 in Port Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,870 in Sydney versus $3,949 in Port Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,389 in Sydney versus $5,178 in Port Douglas.

Living in Sydney is roughly 23% more expensive than in Port Douglas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Port Douglas 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.36

$17.96 A$25.03

1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$132

$102 A$142

-6.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.24

$13.09 A$18.25

-5.50%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.67

$4.42 A$6.16

-7.92%

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

$2.82 A$3.93

$3.35 A$4.67

-15.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.71 A$3.78

-18.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.33

$6.97 A$9.72

16.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 A$10.29

$8.59 A$11.97

-14.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.58

$1.98 A$2.76

-6.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.97

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.42

$2.63 A$3.66

-6.84%

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.90

$5.48 A$7.64

3.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$18.01

$9.76 A$13.60

32.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.42

$14.11 A$19.67

-31.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.80

$15.42 A$21.50

10.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.29

$4.09 A$5.70

-7.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.50

$2.81 A$3.92

14.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.70

$3.72 A$5.19

-9.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.58

$5.86 A$8.17

-19.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.54

$2.53 A$3.52

28.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$2.55 A$3.55

0.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.81 A$3.91

-11.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.84

$2.57 A$3.59

-48.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.5

$45.17 A$63.0

4.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.38

$14.19 A$19.78

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.86

$3.71 A$5.17

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.65

$5.30 A$7.39

-23.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.48

$3.08 A$4.30

4.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$219

$85.4 A$119

83.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.15

$2.67 A$3.72

38.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.99 A$2.77

-19.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.7

$43.05 A$60.0

-5.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.29 A$1.80

13.18%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$31.9K A$44.5K

-4.05%

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

$30.4K A$42.5K

$42.6K A$59.4K

-28.52%

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

$224 A$313

$167 A$232

34.60%

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

$27.89 A$38.88

$35.38 A$49.33

-21.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.9

$68.8 A$96.0

-13.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$111

$57.1 A$79.6

38.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.34

$18.22 A$25.41

35.18%

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.62

$14.43 A$20.12

27.30%

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

$2,288 A$3,191

$2,145 A$2,990

6.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$14.0K A$19.5K

110.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$116

$92.4 A$129

-9.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$106

$73.4 A$102

3.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$126 A$176

-11.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$190

$136 A$189

0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,676

$1,435 A$2,000

83.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,521

$1,284 A$1,790

40.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,129

$2,274 A$3,170

124.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,262

$1,846 A$2,573

65.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.9K

$6,744 A$9,403

101.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.9K

$5,258 A$7,331

61.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,911

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

6.32

-7.59%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 7, 2026

Last update for Port Douglas: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,637 in Sydney and $1,435 in Port Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $95.0 in Sydney vs $102 in Port Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $421 per month, with Sydney 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 Port Douglas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney and Port Douglas differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($3,352 vs $2,719 including rent). Port Douglas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,027 in Sydney and $4,078 in Port Douglas to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,637 in Sydney versus $1,435 in Port Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sydney pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Port Douglas – a meal for two runs $102 versus $95.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Port Douglas is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Port Douglas 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 Port Douglas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.