Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Wodonga Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Wodonga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Sydney vs $2,299 in Wodonga, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,168 per month in Sydney vs $3,334 in Wodonga, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,578 per month in Sydney vs $4,369 in Wodonga, rent included.

Sydney costs about 20% more than Wodonga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Wodonga sit above the global median – Sydney by 106%, Wodonga by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$16.12 A$22.46

2.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$79.2 A$110

-0.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.79 A$13.64

1.43%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$2.53 A$3.53

33.60%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$4.66 A$6.50

43.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$7.57 A$10.55

-2.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.42 A$1.98

14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.69 A$3.75

1.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$1.78 A$2.49

28.09%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$4.10 A$5.72

22.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$9.92 A$13.82

-10.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$8.94 A$12.46

-6.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$14.75 A$20.55

-4.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.26 A$4.54

-0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.89 A$4.03

-6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$2.97 A$4.13

5.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.72 A$6.58

-6.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.31 A$3.22

5.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.10 A$2.92

10.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.45 A$3.42

-9.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.29 A$1.80

-3.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$31.00 A$43.20

4.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$15.00 A$20.90

-5.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$5.03 A$7.01

-7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$6.12 A$8.53

-12.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$2.61 A$3.64

25.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$64.9 A$90.4

116.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$4.01 A$5.59

-0.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.08

$1.74 A$2.43

68.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.1

$40.98 A$57.1

28.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.18 A$1.64

5.93%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.0K A$40.4K

1.58%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$22.7K A$31.7K

-0.30%

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

$204 A$284

$226 A$315

-9.84%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$30.12 A$41.97

-19.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$52.5 A$73.2

-1.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$48.58 A$67.7

25.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.42 A$21.49

35.15%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$13.86 A$19.31

13.35%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,718 A$2,394

20.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$13.4K A$18.7K

40.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$71.6 A$99.8

1.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$56.8 A$79.1

2.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$99.2 A$138

8.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$116 A$162

14.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$1,274 A$1,775

72.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$1,060 A$1,477

40.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$2,038 A$2,840

116.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,655 A$2,307

58.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$4,257 A$5,932

-1.49%

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 Wodonga: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,194 in Sydney versus $1,274 in Wodonga. 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 2% higher in Wodonga, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $79.0 in Wodonga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $356 – making Sydney 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 Wodonga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,759 in Sydney, $2,299 in Wodonga – roughly 20% 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 $3,448 in Wodonga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wodonga, 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 $79.0 in Wodonga. 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 $2,299 in Wodonga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Wodonga, where all-in costs run around $2,299, than in Sydney at $2,759. In Wodonga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wodonga – 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 Wodonga. 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.