Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Romsey Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Romsey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Sydney versus $2,296 in Romsey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,168 in Sydney versus $3,390 in Romsey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,578 in Sydney versus $4,484 in Romsey.

Living in Sydney is roughly 20% more expensive than Romsey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 106% above, Romsey 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$19.44 A$27.09

-15.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$76.5 A$107

3.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.67 A$13.48

2.69%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.74 A$5.21

-9.63%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.48 A$3.46

2.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.35 A$3.28

-16.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$7.24 A$10.09

-7.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$7.02 A$9.78

4.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.45 A$2.02

12.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.68 A$3.73

1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$2.35 A$3.28

-2.98%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$4.89 A$6.81

3.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$8.86 A$12.34

0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$9.16 A$12.77

-8.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$14.77 A$20.59

-4.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.34 A$4.65

-2.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.92 A$4.07

-7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$2.92 A$4.07

7.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.92 A$5.46

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.82 A$3.93

-13.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.31 A$3.23

0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.12 A$2.96

4.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.65 A$2.29

-24.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$33.10 A$46.13

-2.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$14.14 A$19.71

-0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$4.51 A$6.29

3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.02 A$7.00

6.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$2.64 A$3.68

24.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$64.0 A$89.1

120.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$3.64 A$5.07

9.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.38 A$1.93

112.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$27.36 A$38.13

91.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.18 A$1.64

5.93%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.3K A$39.5K

3.81%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$23.3K A$32.5K

-2.91%

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

$204 A$284

$154 A$214

32.62%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$21.09 A$29.39

14.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$51.7 A$72.1

0.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$48.57 A$67.7

25.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.87 A$22.12

31.32%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$16.57 A$23.09

-5.19%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,773 A$2,470

17.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$19.2K A$26.8K

-1.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$67.0 A$93.4

8.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$54.3 A$75.7

6.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$104 A$145

3.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$105 A$146

27.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$1,249 A$1,740

75.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$1,050 A$1,464

41.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$1,992 A$2,776

121.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,665 A$2,320

57.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$5,767 A$8,037

131.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$4,744 A$6,611

59.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Romsey: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,194 in Sydney and $1,249 in Romsey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $77.0 in Romsey. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $355, with Sydney 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 Romsey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney and Romsey differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($2,759 vs $2,296 including rent). Romsey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,138 in Sydney and $3,444 in Romsey 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: $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,249 in Romsey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,759 per month in Sydney versus $2,296 in Romsey – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Romsey runs roughly 120% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,296 in Romsey versus $2,759 in Sydney, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Romsey but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Romsey 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 Romsey 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 Romsey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.