Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Toowoomba Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Toowoomba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Sydney vs $1,924 in Toowoomba, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,168 per month in Sydney vs $2,682 in Toowoomba, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,578 per month in Sydney vs $3,441 in Toowoomba, rent included.

Sydney costs about 43% more than Toowoomba, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Toowoomba sit above the global median – Sydney by 106%, Toowoomba by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$23.11

$14.41 A$20.19

14.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$58.2 A$81.5

35.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.92

$8.77 A$12.28

13.23%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.73

$3.19 A$4.47

5.96%

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

$2.55 A$3.57

$2.55 A$3.58

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.75

$1.99 A$2.79

-1.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.35

$6.22 A$8.71

7.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.29

$6.35 A$8.90

15.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.29

$1.48 A$2.07

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.82

$1.98 A$2.78

37.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.19

$1.60 A$2.24

42.50%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.07

$3.94 A$5.52

27.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.50

$7.26 A$10.17

22.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.69

$7.90 A$11.08

5.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.79

$12.26 A$17.18

15.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.54

$3.08 A$4.31

5.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.78

$2.11 A$2.96

27.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.38

$2.32 A$3.25

34.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.18

$2.55 A$3.57

72.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.42

$2.18 A$3.06

11.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.27

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.10

$1.97 A$2.76

12.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.75

$2.11 A$2.95

-40.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.35

$25.57 A$35.83

26.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.78

$14.28 A$20.01

-1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.52

$4.30 A$6.03

8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.47

$6.79 A$9.51

-21.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.60

$2.61 A$3.66

25.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$197

$63.9 A$89.6

120.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.59

$1.98 A$2.77

101.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.11

$1.44 A$2.01

103.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.5

$32.04 A$44.89

63.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.75

$1.15 A$1.61

8.70%

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

$29.4K A$41.2K

$24.4K A$34.2K

20.50%

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

$22.7K A$31.7K

$20.8K A$29.2K

8.68%

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

$204 A$286

$75.7 A$106

169.30%

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

$24.13 A$33.81

$32.76 A$45.91

-26.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.7

$47.27 A$66.2

9.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.6

$31.57 A$44.23

93.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.20

$15.60 A$21.85

33.59%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$22.02

$13.03 A$18.25

20.57%

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

$2,074 A$2,906

$484 A$679

328.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.5K

$7,250 A$10.2K

160.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$60.2 A$84.3

21.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.4

$48.61 A$68.1

19.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$78.1 A$109

38.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$187

$125 A$174

7.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,074

$989 A$1,386

121.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,089

$903 A$1,265

65.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,188

$1,439 A$2,017

206.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,680

$1,181 A$1,655

122.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.7K

$3,437 A$4,816

288.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$2,816 A$3,946

169.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,876

$4,034 A$5,653

3.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.5

-2.46%

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Toowoomba: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,194 in Sydney versus $989 in Toowoomba. 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 4% 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 $58.0 in Toowoomba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $313 – making Toowoomba 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 Toowoomba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,759 in Sydney, $1,924 in Toowoomba – roughly 43% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,138 per month in Sydney and $2,885 in Toowoomba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney and $58.0 in Toowoomba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,759 in Sydney and $1,924 in Toowoomba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Toowoomba, where all-in costs run around $1,924, than in Sydney at $2,759. In Toowoomba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Toowoomba – 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 Toowoomba. 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.