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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,827 per month in Sydney vs $2,285 in Port Hedland, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,192 per month in Sydney vs $3,345 in Port Hedland, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,557 per month in Sydney vs $4,405 in Port Hedland, rent included.

Sydney costs about 24% more than Port Hedland, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Port Hedland sit above the global median – Sydney by 111%, Port Hedland by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 A$22.58

$16.46 A$23.04

-2.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 A$110

$79.3 A$111

-0.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 A$13.86

$9.47 A$13.26

4.54%

Cappuccino

$3.26 A$4.57

$3.41 A$4.77

-4.40%

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

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.63 A$3.68

-3.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 A$2.75

$2.18 A$3.05

-10.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.85

$6.54 A$9.16

-3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 A$10.19

$6.91 A$9.68

5.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.27

$1.48 A$2.07

9.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.76

$2.33 A$3.26

15.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.25

$1.94 A$2.72

19.59%

Eggs

$4.97 A$6.96

$4.37 A$6.11

13.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 A$12.19

$8.46 A$11.84

2.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.67

$8.54 A$11.96

-2.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 A$19.80

$13.91 A$19.47

1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$3.17 A$4.44

4.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.71

$2.73 A$3.83

-2.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$2.99 A$4.18

6.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$6.01

$4.04 A$5.66

6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.40 A$3.36

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.22

$2.13 A$2.98

7.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$3.00

$2.07 A$2.90

3.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.74

$1.60 A$2.23

-22.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.15 A$45.01

$30.93 A$43.30

3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 A$19.82

$13.25 A$18.55

6.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 A$6.58

$4.69 A$6.57

0.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.41

$5.44 A$7.62

-2.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.60

$2.61 A$3.66

26.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$199

$63.8 A$89.3

122.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 A$5.48

$3.56 A$4.98

10.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 A$4.02

$1.60 A$2.24

79.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$74.0

$34.11 A$47.76

54.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.18 A$1.65

5.08%

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

$28.5K A$39.8K

$28.6K A$40.1K

-0.61%

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

$22.2K A$31.0K

$22.3K A$31.3K

-0.73%

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

$200 A$280

$183 A$257

9.07%

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

$23.54 A$32.95

$27.12 A$37.97

-13.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 A$73.2

$52.6 A$73.7

-0.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 A$84.8

$49.42 A$69.2

22.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 A$29.31

$15.82 A$22.14

32.36%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 A$22.07

$12.93 A$18.10

21.96%

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

$2,111 A$2,955

$1,632 A$2,285

29.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K A$26.0K

$11.9K A$16.7K

55.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 A$105

$66.8 A$93.6

11.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 A$80.4

$50.2 A$70.3

14.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$148

$100 A$141

4.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$183

$109 A$153

19.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 A$3,053

$1,269 A$1,777

71.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 A$2,072

$1,060 A$1,484

39.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,395 A$6,153

$2,006 A$2,809

119.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 A$3,755

$1,696 A$2,374

58.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K A$17.8K

$5,709 A$7,992

122.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,993 A$11.2K

$5,080 A$7,112

57.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,934

$5,355 A$7,497

-20.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

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

Last update for Sydney: April 26, 2026

Last update for Port Hedland: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,181 in Sydney versus $1,269 in Port Hedland. 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 26% higher in Port Hedland, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $79.0 in Port Hedland. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Sydney vs $337 in Port Hedland – so Port Hedland 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 Port Hedland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney costs about 24% more than Port Hedland, 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 $4,240 per month in Sydney and $3,428 in Port Hedland. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney and $79.0 in Port Hedland. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,827 in Sydney and $2,285 in Port Hedland. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Hedland, where all-in costs run around $2,285, than in Sydney at $2,827. In Port Hedland it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Hedland – 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 Port Hedland. 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.