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 $3,344 per month in Sydney vs $2,574 in Wagga Wagga, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,844 per month in Sydney vs $3,381 in Wagga Wagga, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,343 per month in Sydney vs $4,188 in Wagga Wagga, rent included.

Sydney costs about 30% more than Wagga Wagga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Wagga Wagga sit above the global median – Sydney by 143%, Wagga Wagga by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 A$24.56

$13.97 A$19.49

25.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 A$132

$91.3 A$127

3.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 A$16.86

$10.59 A$14.77

14.07%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.59

$4.09 A$5.71

-1.96%

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

$2.87 A$4.00

$3.15 A$4.40

-8.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.81 A$3.92

-18.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 A$11.29

$8.80 A$12.29

-8.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 A$9.97

$9.97 A$13.91

-28.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 A$2.54

$1.68 A$2.35

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 A$3.80

$3.40 A$4.75

-19.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.27

$2.74 A$3.82

-14.60%

Eggs

$5.84 A$8.15

$5.45 A$7.60

7.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 A$18.00

$14.33 A$20.00

-9.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 A$13.55

$7.21 A$10.06

34.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 A$23.41

$16.45 A$22.95

2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 A$5.36

$4.14 A$5.78

-7.25%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 A$4.30

$3.23 A$4.50

-4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.74

$3.54 A$4.93

-3.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 A$6.39

$5.22 A$7.29

-12.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.43

$3.13 A$4.37

1.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.56

$2.85 A$3.98

-10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.44

$2.73 A$3.81

-9.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.79

$1.45 A$2.02

-11.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.08 A$64.3

$45.12 A$63.0

2.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 A$19.70

$15.20 A$21.20

-7.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 A$5.88

$4.75 A$6.62

-11.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 A$5.70

$5.58 A$7.79

-26.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.66

$3.20 A$4.47

4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$153 A$213

$80.2 A$112

90.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$4.99

$4.09 A$5.70

-12.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.23

$1.66 A$2.31

-3.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.39 A$57.8

$43.44 A$60.6

-4.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.91

$1.21 A$1.68

13.22%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$28.0K A$39.1K

9.40%

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

$30.9K A$43.1K

$30.6K A$42.8K

0.78%

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

$230 A$321

$188 A$263

22.31%

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

$27.25 A$38.03

$28.42 A$39.66

-4.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 A$79.2

$57.3 A$79.9

-0.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 A$105

$57.7 A$80.6

30.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.26 A$33.86

$17.00 A$23.73

42.71%

Cinema Ticket

$17.75 A$24.77

$16.75 A$23.38

5.97%

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

$2,234 A$3,117

$2,202 A$3,073

1.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$20.9K A$29.2K

41.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 A$111

$78.4 A$109

1.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.2 A$102

$57.8 A$80.6

26.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$122 A$170

-8.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$183

$137 A$192

-4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 A$3,666

$1,458 A$2,035

80.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 A$2,524

$1,300 A$1,814

39.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,241 A$7,314

$1,539 A$2,148

240.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,037 A$4,238

$1,135 A$1,584

167.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.1K

$6,759 A$9,432

102.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,339 A$11.6K

$5,196 A$7,252

60.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 A$5,811

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.95

-1.85%

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

Last update for Sydney: August 29, 2026

Last update for Wagga Wagga: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,627 in Sydney versus $1,458 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Sydney versus $91.0 in Wagga Wagga. Groceries tell a different story – $387 in Sydney vs $401 in Wagga Wagga – so Sydney 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: $3,344 in Sydney, $2,574 in Wagga Wagga – roughly 30% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,016 per month in Sydney and $3,861 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 $95.0 in Sydney and $91.0 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 $3,344 in Sydney and $2,574 in Wagga Wagga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,344 in Sydney and $2,574 in Wagga Wagga. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.