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: $2,827 in Sydney versus $1,991 in Richmond.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,192 in Sydney versus $2,960 in Richmond.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,557 in Sydney versus $3,929 in Richmond.

Living in Sydney is roughly 42% more expensive than Richmond, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, Richmond 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 A$22.58

$9.51 A$13.31

69.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 A$110

$76.8 A$107

2.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 A$13.86

$9.56 A$13.38

3.56%

Cappuccino

$3.26 A$4.57

$3.16 A$4.43

3.16%

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

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.61 A$3.65

-2.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 A$2.75

$2.26 A$3.17

-13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.85

$3.29 A$4.61

92.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 A$10.19

$7.24 A$10.13

0.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.27

$1.45 A$2.03

11.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.76

$2.66 A$3.72

0.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.25

$2.32 A$3.24

Eggs

$4.97 A$6.96

$2.95 A$4.13

68.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 A$12.19

$6.40 A$8.95

36.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.67

$6.59 A$9.23

26.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 A$19.80

$6.36 A$8.91

122.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$3.17 A$4.44

4.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.71

$2.77 A$3.87

-4.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$3.01 A$4.21

5.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$6.01

$4.04 A$5.66

6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.26 A$3.16

12.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.22

$1.93 A$2.70

19.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$3.00

$2.14 A$2.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.74

$1.58 A$2.21

-21.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.15 A$45.01

$32.63 A$45.69

-1.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 A$19.82

$7.05 A$9.87

100.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 A$6.58

$4.60 A$6.45

2.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.41

$5.20 A$7.28

1.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.60

$2.53 A$3.55

30.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$199

$65.5 A$91.7

117.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 A$5.48

$3.55 A$4.97

10.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 A$4.02

$1.40 A$1.97

105.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 A$74.0

$26.79 A$37.50

97.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.18 A$1.66

5.08%

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

$28.5K A$39.8K

$28.8K A$40.3K

-1.04%

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

$22.2K A$31.0K

$23.1K A$32.3K

-3.89%

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

$200 A$280

$80.6 A$113

148.02%

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

$23.54 A$32.95

$20.88 A$29.23

12.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 A$73.2

$51.2 A$71.7

2.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 A$84.8

$49.22 A$68.9

23.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 A$29.31

$15.96 A$22.34

31.20%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 A$22.07

$16.31 A$22.84

-3.31%

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

$2,111 A$2,955

$1,756 A$2,458

20.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K A$26.0K

$19.4K A$27.1K

-4.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 A$105

$67.9 A$95.1

10.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 A$80.4

$53.9 A$75.5

6.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$148

$99.2 A$139

6.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$183

$105 A$148

23.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 A$3,053

$1,277 A$1,788

70.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 A$2,072

$1,065 A$1,491

38.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,395 A$6,153

$2,026 A$2,836

116.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 A$3,755

$1,658 A$2,322

61.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K A$17.8K

$6,234 A$8,728

104.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,993 A$11.2K

$5,188 A$7,264

54.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,934

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.19

2.42%

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

Last update for Sydney: April 26, 2026

Last update for Richmond: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,181 in Sydney and $1,277 in Richmond. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $77.0 in Richmond for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $284 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 42% 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 $4,240 in Sydney and $2,987 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: $2,181 in Sydney versus $1,277 in Richmond. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,827 per month in Sydney versus $1,991 in Richmond – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Richmond runs roughly 117% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,991 in Richmond versus $2,827 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Richmond but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Richmond 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 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 42% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.