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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,827 in Sydney versus $2,246 in Port Lincoln.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,192 in Sydney versus $3,286 in Port Lincoln.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,557 in Sydney versus $4,326 in Port Lincoln.

Living in Sydney is roughly 26% more expensive than Port Lincoln, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, Port Lincoln 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 A$22.58

$16.37 A$22.91

-1.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 A$110

$79.5 A$111

-0.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 A$13.86

$9.72 A$13.61

1.85%

Cappuccino

$3.26 A$4.57

$3.37 A$4.72

-3.26%

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

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.49 A$3.48

2.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 A$2.75

$2.13 A$2.98

-7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 A$10.19

$7.10 A$9.94

2.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.27

$1.45 A$2.03

11.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.76

$2.32 A$3.25

15.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.25

$1.96 A$2.74

18.37%

Eggs

$4.97 A$6.96

$4.38 A$6.13

13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 A$12.19

$8.60 A$12.04

1.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.67

$8.61 A$12.06

-3.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 A$19.80

$13.76 A$19.27

2.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$3.18 A$4.45

3.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.71

$2.81 A$3.93

-5.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$2.85 A$3.99

11.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$6.01

$4.17 A$5.83

2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.48 A$3.47

2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.22

$2.09 A$2.92

10.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$3.00

$2.08 A$2.91

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.74

$1.53 A$2.14

-18.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.15 A$45.01

$30.53 A$42.74

5.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 A$19.82

$15.46 A$21.64

-8.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 A$6.58

$4.51 A$6.31

4.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.41

$5.48 A$7.67

-3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.60

$2.53 A$3.54

30.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$199

$64.7 A$90.6

119.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 A$5.48

$3.64 A$5.10

7.69%

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

$33.42 A$46.79

58.14%

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

$29.1K A$40.8K

-2.38%

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

$22.2K A$31.0K

$22.9K A$32.0K

-3.01%

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

$200 A$280

$185 A$260

7.83%

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

$23.54 A$32.95

$27.65 A$38.71

-14.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 A$73.2

$51.8 A$72.5

0.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 A$84.8

$48.04 A$67.3

26.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 A$29.31

$15.79 A$22.10

32.62%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 A$22.07

$12.76 A$17.86

23.59%

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

$2,111 A$2,955

$1,601 A$2,242

31.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K A$26.0K

$12.1K A$17.0K

53.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 A$105

$69.0 A$96.7

8.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 A$80.4

$51.2 A$71.7

12.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$148

$100 A$141

4.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$183

$105 A$147

23.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 A$3,053

$1,287 A$1,801

69.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 A$2,072

$1,064 A$1,489

39.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,395 A$6,153

$2,050 A$2,871

114.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 A$3,755

$1,712 A$2,397

56.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K A$17.8K

$6,125 A$8,575

107.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,993 A$11.2K

$5,013 A$7,018

59.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,934

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 Lincoln: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,181 in Sydney and $1,287 in Port Lincoln. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $79.0 in Port Lincoln. Groceries flip the comparison at $347 vs $341, with Port Lincoln cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lincoln: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Lincoln wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Port Lincoln the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,240 in Sydney and $3,369 in Port Lincoln 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: $2,181 in Sydney versus $1,287 in Port Lincoln. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Port Lincoln – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $79.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,827 per month in Sydney versus $2,246 in Port Lincoln – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,246 in Port Lincoln versus $2,827 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Port Lincoln but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Port Lincoln 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 Port Lincoln 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 Lincoln gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.