Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Townsville Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Townsville

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Sydney vs $2,170 in Townsville, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,168 per month in Sydney vs $3,298 in Townsville, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,578 per month in Sydney vs $4,425 in Townsville, rent included.

Sydney costs about 27% more than Townsville, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Townsville sit above the global median – Sydney by 106%, Townsville by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$11.62 A$16.19

41.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$60.6 A$84.4

30.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.65 A$13.45

2.90%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.20 A$4.45

5.62%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.49 A$3.47

2.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.21 A$3.08

-10.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$6.65 A$9.27

0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$5.12 A$7.14

43.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.51 A$2.10

7.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.05 A$2.86

32.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$1.65 A$2.30

38.18%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$4.05 A$5.64

24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$7.55 A$10.52

18.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$8.39 A$11.69

-0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$11.84 A$16.50

19.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.88 A$5.40

-16.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$3.03 A$4.22

-10.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$3.34 A$4.65

-6.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.38 A$6.10

0.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.65 A$3.69

-7.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.42 A$3.37

-3.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.08 A$2.89

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.94 A$2.71

-35.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$23.71 A$33.04

36.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$10.77 A$15.00

31.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$3.25 A$4.53

43.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$7.82 A$10.89

-31.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$1.97 A$2.74

66.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$72.5 A$101

94.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$3.59 A$5.01

11.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.44 A$2.01

103.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$48.02 A$66.9

9.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.11 A$1.54

12.61%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$22.4K A$31.2K

31.63%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$19.2K A$26.8K

17.76%

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

$204 A$284

$152 A$212

34.25%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$35.36 A$49.27

-31.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$58.4 A$81.3

-11.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$42.34 A$59.0

44.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$14.46 A$20.15

44.12%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$15.56 A$21.68

0.96%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,180 A$1,644

75.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$11.9K A$16.6K

59.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$94.8 A$132

-23.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$61.5 A$85.7

-5.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$98.6 A$137

9.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$117 A$163

13.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$1,216 A$1,695

80.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$1,098 A$1,531

35.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$2,320 A$3,233

90.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,909 A$2,660

37.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$5,065 A$7,058

163.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$4,084 A$5,691

85.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$4,185 A$5,831

0.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.06

4.62%

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Townsville: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,216 in Townsville. 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 0% 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 $61.0 in Townsville. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $329 – making Townsville 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 Townsville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,759 in Sydney, $2,170 in Townsville – roughly 27% 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 $3,255 in Townsville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Townsville, 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 $61.0 in Townsville. 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 $2,170 in Townsville. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Townsville, where all-in costs run around $2,170, than in Sydney at $2,759. In Townsville it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Townsville – 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 Townsville. 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.