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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,292 per month in Sydney vs $2,507 in Port Macquarie, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,899 per month in Sydney vs $3,646 in Port Macquarie, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,505 per month in Sydney vs $4,785 in Port Macquarie, rent included.

Sydney costs about 31% more than Port Macquarie, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Port Macquarie sit above the global median – Sydney by 141%, Port Macquarie by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 A$25.24

$17.97 A$25.35

-0.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.0 A$131

$89.7 A$127

3.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 A$17.01

$10.75 A$15.16

12.19%

Cappuccino

$3.96 A$5.58

$3.91 A$5.51

1.28%

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

$2.89 A$4.07

$2.46 A$3.47

17.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.19

$1.66 A$2.34

36.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 A$11.12

$6.29 A$8.88

25.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.22

$6.61 A$9.33

9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 A$2.56

$2.10 A$2.97

-13.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 A$3.89

$3.02 A$4.27

-8.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.41

$2.88 A$4.07

-15.97%

Eggs

$5.82 A$8.20

$5.43 A$7.66

7.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 A$17.67

$5.47 A$7.71

129.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.88 A$13.93

$10.59 A$14.94

-6.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 A$23.34

$12.72 A$17.94

30.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 A$5.13

$3.24 A$4.57

12.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.42

$4.42 A$6.23

-28.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.82

$2.56 A$3.60

33.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.66

$5.14 A$7.25

-8.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.66

$2.49 A$3.51

32.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.52

$2.48 A$3.49

0.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.35

$1.63 A$2.30

46.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.76

$1.62 A$2.28

-22.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.38 A$65.4

$40.82 A$57.6

13.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.44

$10.50 A$14.81

38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 A$6.04

$4.32 A$6.09

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 A$5.67

$5.44 A$7.68

-26.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.71

$3.07 A$4.34

8.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 A$223

$79.5 A$112

99.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.90

$3.99 A$5.62

-13.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 A$2.36

$1.68 A$2.36

-0.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 A$57.8

$46.02 A$64.9

-10.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.03

$1.33 A$1.88

8.27%

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

$30.5K A$43.0K

$27.0K A$38.0K

13.08%

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

$30.4K A$42.9K

$23.0K A$32.4K

32.34%

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

$229 A$323

$211 A$298

8.53%

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

$27.42 A$38.67

$31.90 A$44.99

-14.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$80.4

$60.7 A$85.6

-6.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 A$113

$53.7 A$75.7

49.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.74

$9.93 A$14.00

148.04%

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 A$25.28

$11.02 A$15.55

62.61%

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

$2,317 A$3,267

$2,525 A$3,560

-8.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K A$41.0K

$18.4K A$26.0K

58.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 A$113

$88.1 A$124

-8.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 A$106

$56.5 A$79.7

32.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$156

$105 A$148

5.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$190

$129 A$182

4.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 A$3,654

$1,410 A$1,988

83.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 A$2,675

$1,273 A$1,795

49.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,109 A$7,205

$2,186 A$3,082

133.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 A$4,420

$1,752 A$2,470

78.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.3K

$6,290 A$8,871

117.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,458 A$11.9K

$5,074 A$7,156

66.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 A$5,928

$2,826 A$3,986

48.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.33

10.13%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 12, 2026

Last update for Port Macquarie: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,591 in Sydney versus $1,410 in Port Macquarie. 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 49% 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 $93.0 in Sydney versus $90.0 in Port Macquarie. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $363 – making Port Macquarie the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Macquarie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,292 in Sydney, $2,507 in Port Macquarie – roughly 31% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,939 per month in Sydney and $3,761 in Port Macquarie. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Macquarie, 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 $93.0 in Sydney and $90.0 in Port Macquarie. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,292 in Sydney and $2,507 in Port Macquarie. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Macquarie, where all-in costs run around $2,507, than in Sydney at $3,292. In Port Macquarie it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Macquarie – 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 Macquarie. 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.