Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Wagga Wagga Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Wagga Wagga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Sydney vs $2,168 in Wagga Wagga, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,168 per month in Sydney vs $2,886 in Wagga Wagga, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,578 per month in Sydney vs $3,604 in Wagga Wagga, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$12.91 A$17.98

27.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$86.3 A$120

-8.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.62 A$13.40

3.22%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.43 A$4.79

-1.46%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.61 A$3.63

-2.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.24 A$3.12

-12.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$6.57 A$9.16

1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$7.32 A$10.20

0.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.36 A$1.90

19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.70 A$3.76

0.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$1.86 A$2.60

22.58%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$4.20 A$5.85

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$9.77 A$13.61

-8.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$6.41 A$8.94

30.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$14.60 A$20.35

-3.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.29 A$4.59

-1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.85 A$3.97

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$2.98 A$4.15

5.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.77 A$6.64

-7.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.29 A$3.19

6.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.19 A$3.06

6.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.49 A$3.47

-11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.27 A$1.78

-1.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$30.82 A$42.94

5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$14.99 A$20.89

-5.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$5.23 A$7.29

-10.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.93 A$8.27

-10.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$2.62 A$3.65

25.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$64.1 A$89.4

119.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$3.95 A$5.50

1.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.76 A$2.45

66.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$16.32 A$22.74

221.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.08 A$1.50

15.74%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.3K A$39.5K

3.87%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$22.6K A$31.4K

0.40%

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

$204 A$284

$122 A$169

67.71%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$22.75 A$31.70

6.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$51.7 A$72.0

0.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$49.19 A$68.6

24.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.96 A$22.24

30.58%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$13.47 A$18.77

16.63%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,283 A$1,788

61.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$13.2K A$18.4K

43.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$69.7 A$97.1

4.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$55.6 A$77.5

4.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$100 A$140

7.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$116 A$162

14.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$1,288 A$1,795

70.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$1,072 A$1,494

39.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$1,366 A$1,904

223.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,048 A$1,460

150.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$3,538 A$4,930

277.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$2,522 A$3,515

200.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$3,643 A$5,077

15.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.29

0.79%

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Wagga Wagga: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,288 in Wagga Wagga. 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 15% 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 $86.0 in Wagga Wagga. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Sydney vs $344 in Wagga Wagga – so Wagga Wagga wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Wagga Wagga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,759 in Sydney, $2,168 in Wagga Wagga – 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 $3,252 in Wagga Wagga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wagga Wagga, 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 $86.0 in Wagga Wagga. 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 $2,168 in Wagga Wagga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Wagga Wagga, where all-in costs run around $2,168, than in Sydney at $2,759. In Wagga Wagga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wagga Wagga – 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 Wagga Wagga. 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.