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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,352 per month in Sydney vs $2,832 in Townsville, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,870 per month in Sydney vs $4,121 in Townsville, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,389 per month in Sydney vs $5,410 in Townsville, rent included.

Sydney costs about 18% more than Townsville, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Townsville sit above the global median – Sydney by 143%, Townsville by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.36

$21.68 A$30.22

-16.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 A$132

$71.0 A$99.0

33.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 A$17.24

$12.30 A$17.14

0.57%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.67

$3.85 A$5.37

5.71%

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

$2.82 A$3.93

$2.63 A$3.66

7.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.58 A$3.59

-14.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.33

$8.46 A$11.79

-3.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 A$10.29

$7.01 A$9.77

5.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 A$2.58

$1.82 A$2.53

1.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$3.97

$2.35 A$3.28

21.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.42

$1.47 A$2.05

66.67%

Eggs

$5.67 A$7.90

$5.51 A$7.69

2.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 A$18.01

$8.37 A$11.67

54.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.42

$10.35 A$14.43

-6.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 A$23.80

$13.85 A$19.30

23.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.29

$4.07 A$5.67

-6.63%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.50

$2.76 A$3.85

17.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.70

$3.63 A$5.05

-7.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.58

$4.36 A$6.07

8.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.54

$2.73 A$3.81

19.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$2.74 A$3.82

-6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.47 A$3.44

0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.84

$2.14 A$2.99

-38.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.98 A$65.5

$30.79 A$42.93

52.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 A$20.38

$10.65 A$14.85

37.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$5.86

$6.92 A$9.65

-39.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.65

$8.71 A$12.15

-53.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.48

$2.30 A$3.20

39.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$157 A$219

$79.4 A$111

97.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.15

$3.88 A$5.41

-4.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$2.55 A$3.55

-36.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 A$56.7

$54.6 A$76.2

-25.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.22 A$1.71

19.67%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$28.5K A$39.7K

7.60%

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

$30.4K A$42.5K

$36.0K A$50.2K

-15.44%

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

$224 A$313

$396 A$552

-43.37%

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

$27.89 A$38.88

$37.10 A$51.7

-24.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.9

$70.5 A$98.3

-15.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.3 A$111

$55.8 A$77.7

42.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.34

$20.28 A$28.27

21.45%

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 A$25.62

$15.81 A$22.04

16.19%

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

$2,288 A$3,191

$2,158 A$3,009

6.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$21.8K A$30.4K

35.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 A$116

$98.4 A$137

-15.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 A$106

$72.2 A$101

5.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$167 A$233

-33.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$190

$136 A$189

0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 A$3,676

$1,353 A$1,886

94.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 A$2,521

$1,215 A$1,694

48.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,114 A$7,129

$2,630 A$3,666

94.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 A$4,262

$2,147 A$2,994

42.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K A$18.9K

$5,102 A$7,113

166.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$11.9K

$4,196 A$5,850

102.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 A$5,911

$4,205 A$5,863

0.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.54

5.42%

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

Last update for Sydney: September 7, 2026

Last update for Townsville: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,637 in Sydney versus $1,353 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 1% 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 $95.0 in Sydney versus $71.0 in Townsville. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $384 – 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: $3,352 in Sydney, $2,832 in Townsville – roughly 18% 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 $4,248 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 $95.0 in Sydney and $71.0 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 $3,352 in Sydney and $2,832 in Townsville. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,352 in Sydney and $2,832 in Townsville. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.