Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Sale Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Sale

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,352 per month in Sydney vs $2,591 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,870 per month in Sydney vs $3,691 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,389 per month in Sydney vs $4,790 in Sale, rent included.

Sydney costs about 29% more than Sale, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Sale sit above the global median – Sydney by 143%, Sale by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.36

$18.12 A$25.26

0.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$132

$84.8 A$118

11.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.24

$10.93 A$15.23

13.17%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.67

$3.96 A$5.53

2.78%

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

$2.82 A$3.93

$2.94 A$4.10

-4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.24 A$3.12

-1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.33

$7.66 A$10.67

6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 A$10.29

$7.42 A$10.34

-0.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.58

$1.71 A$2.38

8.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.97

$2.77 A$3.87

2.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.42

$2.28 A$3.18

7.46%

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.90

$5.02 A$7.00

12.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$18.01

$9.76 A$13.60

32.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.42

$9.65 A$13.45

-0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.80

$15.36 A$21.42

11.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.29

$3.63 A$5.07

4.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.50

$3.04 A$4.24

6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.70

$3.44 A$4.79

-2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.58

$4.67 A$6.51

1.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.54

$2.61 A$3.64

24.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$2.52 A$3.51

1.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.54 A$3.55

-2.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.84

$1.65 A$2.29

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.5

$38.97 A$54.3

20.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.38

$14.53 A$20.26

0.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.86

$5.20 A$7.26

-19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.65

$5.49 A$7.65

-26.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.48

$3.09 A$4.31

3.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$219

$85.3 A$119

84.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.15

$3.51 A$4.90

5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.60 A$2.23

0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.7

$40.86 A$57.0

-0.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.25 A$1.75

16.80%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$27.7K A$38.6K

10.62%

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

$30.4K A$42.5K

$30.5K A$42.6K

-0.26%

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

$224 A$313

$216 A$301

3.89%

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

$27.89 A$38.88

$27.69 A$38.61

0.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.9

$57.0 A$79.4

4.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$111

$57.0 A$79.5

39.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.34

$18.76 A$26.15

31.29%

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.62

$15.61 A$21.76

17.68%

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

$2,288 A$3,191

$2,189 A$3,051

4.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$20.7K A$28.9K

42.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$116

$77.5 A$108

7.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$106

$56.6 A$78.9

34.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$115 A$160

-2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$190

$126 A$176

7.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,676

$1,485 A$2,070

77.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,521

$1,282 A$1,788

41.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,129

$2,329 A$3,247

119.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,262

$1,874 A$2,613

63.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.9K

$6,507 A$9,072

108.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.9K

$5,251 A$7,321

61.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,911

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.85

-0.17%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sale: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,637 in Sydney versus $1,485 in Sale. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Sydney versus $85.0 in Sale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $380 – making Sale 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 Sale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,352 in Sydney, $2,591 in Sale – roughly 29% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,027 per month in Sydney and $3,886 in Sale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sale, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Sydney, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Sydney and $85.0 in Sale. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,352 in Sydney and $2,591 in Sale. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Sale – 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 Sale. 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.