Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Sunshine Coast Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Sunshine Coast

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,824 per month in Sydney vs $1,990 in Sunshine Coast, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,241 per month in Sydney vs $3,013 in Sunshine Coast, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,658 per month in Sydney vs $4,036 in Sunshine Coast, rent included.

Sydney costs about 42% more than Sunshine Coast, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Sunshine Coast sit above the global median – Sydney by 111%, Sunshine Coast by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 A$23.24

$14.37 A$20.59

12.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$114

$65.7 A$94.1

20.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.74

$9.06 A$12.98

5.85%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.72

$3.41 A$4.89

-3.52%

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

$2.46 A$3.53

$2.15 A$3.08

14.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.82

$2.31 A$3.31

-14.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.50

$6.64 A$9.51

-0.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.21

$7.00 A$10.03

1.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.36

$1.27 A$1.82

29.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.82

$1.86 A$2.67

43.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.82 A$2.60

28.57%

Eggs

$5.03 A$7.21

$4.29 A$6.14

17.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.31

$7.29 A$10.44

17.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.99

$8.92 A$12.77

-6.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.10

$12.21 A$17.50

14.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.63

$2.76 A$3.96

17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.94

$2.30 A$3.30

19.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.56

$3.59 A$5.14

-11.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.25

$3.89 A$5.57

12.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.51

$1.95 A$2.80

25.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.38

$1.77 A$2.53

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$2.01 A$2.88

7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$1.74 A$2.49

-25.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$46.55

$23.49 A$33.66

38.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$20.00

$17.12 A$24.53

-18.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.62

$5.01 A$7.18

-7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.60

$5.51 A$7.89

-3.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 A$4.56

$1.38 A$1.98

130.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$205

$36.86 A$52.8

287.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 A$5.48

$1.96 A$2.81

94.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 A$4.35

$1.41 A$2.02

114.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 A$75.0

$34.09 A$48.85

53.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.16 A$1.67

3.45%

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

$29.4K A$42.1K

-3.44%

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

$22.4K A$32.1K

$21.7K A$31.0K

3.30%

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

$198 A$284

$129 A$185

53.50%

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

$24.17 A$34.62

$28.57 A$40.94

-15.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.2

$43.44 A$62.2

19.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 A$86.5

$48.94 A$70.1

23.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 A$30.40

$15.35 A$22.00

38.24%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.52

$13.23 A$18.96

18.82%

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

$2,085 A$2,988

$287 A$411

626.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$27.0K

$7,245 A$10.4K

159.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 A$108

$61.3 A$87.9

22.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$85.0

$47.41 A$67.9

25.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$152

$88.6 A$127

19.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$188

$94.6 A$136

38.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,126

$1,105 A$1,583

97.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 A$2,157

$923 A$1,322

63.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,461 A$6,391

$1,783 A$2,555

150.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 A$3,865

$1,607 A$2,303

67.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.4K

$5,551 A$7,953

130.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,341 A$10.5K

$5,028 A$7,203

46.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,042

$3,419 A$4,898

23.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.25

1.44%

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

Last update for Sydney: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sunshine Coast: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,105 in Sunshine Coast. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 23% higher in Sydney, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $66.0 in Sunshine Coast. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $329 – making Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sydney is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,235 per month in Sydney and $2,985 in Sunshine Coast. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $79.0 in Sydney and $66.0 in Sunshine Coast. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Sunshine Coast, where all-in costs run around $1,990, than in Sydney at $2,824. In Sunshine Coast it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sunshine Coast – 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 Sunshine Coast. 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.