Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and South Yarra Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and South Yarra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,824 in Sydney versus $2,139 in South Yarra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,241 in Sydney versus $3,216 in South Yarra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,658 in Sydney versus $4,292 in South Yarra.

Living in Sydney is roughly 32% more expensive than in South Yarra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, South Yarra 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 A$23.24

$19.55 A$28.00

-17.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$114

$77.4 A$111

2.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.74

$7.64 A$10.94

25.52%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.72

$3.23 A$4.63

1.86%

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

$2.46 A$3.53

$1.92 A$2.75

28.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.82

$1.65 A$2.36

19.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.50

$7.40 A$10.61

-10.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.21

$7.13 A$10.22

-0.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.36

$1.46 A$2.09

13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.63 A$3.77

1.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.28 A$1.83

82.81%

Eggs

$5.03 A$7.21

$3.87 A$5.55

29.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.31

$8.91 A$12.76

-3.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.99

$6.32 A$9.06

32.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.10

$14.49 A$20.76

-3.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.63

$2.57 A$3.68

25.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.94

$2.00 A$2.86

37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.56

$1.33 A$1.91

139.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.25

$2.56 A$3.66

70.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.51

$1.27 A$1.82

92.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.38

$2.00 A$2.87

18.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$2.11 A$3.02

2.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$1.63 A$2.33

-20.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$46.55

$29.15 A$41.77

11.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$20.00

$12.23 A$17.52

14.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.62

$4.69 A$6.73

-1.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.60

$5.04 A$7.22

5.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 A$4.56

$2.53 A$3.62

25.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$205

$66.1 A$94.6

116.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 A$5.48

$3.67 A$5.26

4.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 A$4.35

$1.40 A$2.01

116.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 A$75.0

$27.23 A$39.01

92.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.14 A$1.63

5.26%

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

$29.4K A$42.1K

-3.47%

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

$22.4K A$32.1K

$23.2K A$33.2K

-3.40%

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

$198 A$284

$150 A$215

32.04%

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

$24.17 A$34.62

$20.79 A$29.78

16.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.2

$38.44 A$55.1

34.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 A$86.5

$49.66 A$71.1

21.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 A$30.40

$15.91 A$22.79

33.38%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.52

$13.19 A$18.89

19.18%

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

$2,085 A$2,988

$1,720 A$2,464

21.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$27.0K

$19.6K A$28.1K

-4.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 A$108

$66.7 A$95.6

12.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$85.0

$53.6 A$76.7

10.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$152

$104 A$149

1.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$188

$106 A$152

23.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,126

$1,274 A$1,825

71.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 A$2,157

$1,058 A$1,515

42.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,461 A$6,391

$1,988 A$2,848

124.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 A$3,865

$1,655 A$2,371

63.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.4K

$6,562 A$9,402

95.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,341 A$10.5K

$5,346 A$7,660

37.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,042

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for South Yarra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,182 in Sydney and $1,274 in South Yarra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $77.0 in South Yarra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $300 per month, with South Yarra 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 South Yarra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Yarra is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,235 in Sydney and $3,209 in South Yarra 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: $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,274 in South Yarra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,824 per month in Sydney versus $2,139 in South Yarra – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in South Yarra runs roughly 116% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,139 in South Yarra versus $2,824 in Sydney, a $2,500 budget is realistic in South Yarra but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes South Yarra 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 South Yarra 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 South Yarra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.