Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Richmond Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Richmond

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,292 in Sydney versus $2,516 in Richmond.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,899 in Sydney versus $3,598 in Richmond.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,505 in Sydney versus $4,680 in Richmond.

Living in Sydney is roughly 31% more expensive than in Richmond, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 141% above, Richmond 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 A$25.24

$10.66 A$15.04

67.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.0 A$131

$85.3 A$120

8.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 A$17.01

$12.05 A$16.99

0.08%

Cappuccino

$3.96 A$5.58

$3.53 A$4.98

12.18%

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

$2.89 A$4.07

$3.13 A$4.41

-7.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.19

$2.63 A$3.70

-14.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 A$11.12

$3.56 A$5.02

121.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.22

$8.63 A$12.17

-15.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 A$2.56

$1.57 A$2.22

15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 A$3.89

$3.19 A$4.50

-13.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.41

$3.03 A$4.27

-20.13%

Eggs

$5.82 A$8.20

$5.87 A$8.28

-0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 A$17.67

$7.02 A$9.90

78.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.88 A$13.93

$7.02 A$9.91

40.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 A$23.34

$7.07 A$9.96

134.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 A$5.13

$4.23 A$5.97

-13.95%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.42

$3.05 A$4.30

2.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.82

$3.36 A$4.74

1.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.66

$4.85 A$6.83

-2.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.66

$3.17 A$4.47

4.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.52

$2.58 A$3.64

-3.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.35

$2.46 A$3.47

-3.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.76

$1.63 A$2.30

-23.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.38 A$65.4

$35.19 A$49.63

31.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.44

$7.04 A$9.93

105.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 A$6.04

$5.64 A$7.96

-24.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 A$5.67

$5.34 A$7.53

-24.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.71

$3.26 A$4.59

2.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 A$223

$77.0 A$109

105.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.90

$4.52 A$6.37

-23.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 A$2.36

$1.46 A$2.06

14.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 A$57.8

$30.95 A$43.64

32.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.03

$1.40 A$1.97

2.86%

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

$30.5K A$43.0K

$28.4K A$40.0K

7.45%

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

$30.4K A$42.9K

$27.5K A$38.8K

10.50%

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

$229 A$323

$241 A$339

-4.77%

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

$27.42 A$38.67

$28.88 A$40.73

-5.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$80.4

$56.8 A$80.2

0.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 A$113

$56.6 A$79.8

41.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.74

$19.80 A$27.93

24.39%

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 A$25.28

$18.12 A$25.55

-1.10%

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

$2,317 A$3,267

$2,386 A$3,366

-2.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K A$41.0K

$32.2K A$45.4K

-9.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 A$113

$82.4 A$116

-2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 A$106

$50.8 A$71.6

48.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$156

$122 A$172

-8.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$190

$137 A$194

-2.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 A$3,654

$1,610 A$2,270

60.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 A$2,675

$1,294 A$1,825

46.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,109 A$7,205

$2,096 A$2,956

143.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 A$4,420

$1,580 A$2,228

98.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.3K

$6,827 A$9,629

100.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,458 A$11.9K

$5,144 A$7,254

64.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 A$5,928

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

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

Last update for Sydney: September 12, 2026

Last update for Richmond: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,591 in Sydney and $1,610 in Richmond. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $93.0 in Sydney vs $85.0 in Richmond for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $335 per month, with Richmond 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 Richmond: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Richmond wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Richmond the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,939 in Sydney and $3,774 in Richmond 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: $2,591 in Sydney versus $1,610 in Richmond. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,292 per month in Sydney versus $2,516 in Richmond – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Richmond runs roughly 106% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Richmond gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.