Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Wollongong Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Wollongong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,824 per month in Sydney vs $1,929 in Wollongong, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,241 per month in Sydney vs $2,776 in Wollongong, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,658 per month in Sydney vs $3,623 in Wollongong, rent included.

Sydney costs about 46% more than Wollongong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Wollongong sit above the global median – Sydney by 111%, Wollongong by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 A$23.24

$14.81 A$21.22

9.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$114

$86.2 A$123

-7.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.74

$9.97 A$14.28

-3.81%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.72

$3.31 A$4.74

-0.60%

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

$2.46 A$3.53

$2.56 A$3.67

-3.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.82

$2.25 A$3.22

-12.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.50

$5.87 A$8.41

12.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.21

$7.53 A$10.78

-5.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.36

$1.13 A$1.62

46.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.19 A$3.13

21.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.61 A$2.31

45.34%

Eggs

$5.03 A$7.21

$3.51 A$5.03

43.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.31

$10.09 A$14.46

-14.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.99

$8.45 A$12.10

-0.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.10

$14.50 A$20.77

-3.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.63

$2.84 A$4.07

13.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.94

$2.54 A$3.64

8.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.56

$2.29 A$3.29

38.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.25

$4.08 A$5.85

6.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.51

$2.07 A$2.97

18.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.38

$1.79 A$2.56

31.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$2.49 A$3.57

-13.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$1.02 A$1.46

26.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$46.55

$31.03 A$44.46

4.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$20.00

$13.56 A$19.43

2.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.62

$2.87 A$4.12

60.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.60

$3.52 A$5.04

50.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 A$4.56

$2.50 A$3.59

27.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$205

$47.67 A$68.3

199.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 A$5.48

$4.03 A$5.77

-5.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 A$4.35

$1.78 A$2.55

70.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 A$75.0

$40.78 A$58.4

28.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.17 A$1.67

2.56%

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

-0.12%

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

$22.4K A$32.1K

$22.6K A$32.3K

-0.77%

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

$198 A$284

$184 A$264

7.59%

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

$24.17 A$34.62

$28.49 A$40.81

-15.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.2

$48.46 A$69.4

6.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 A$86.5

$75.4 A$108

-19.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 A$30.40

$15.42 A$22.09

37.61%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.52

$11.81 A$16.92

33.11%

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

$2,085 A$2,988

$1,557 A$2,231

33.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$27.0K

$13.5K A$19.3K

39.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 A$108

$59.3 A$84.9

26.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$85.0

$55.8 A$79.9

6.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$152

$96.6 A$138

9.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$188

$112 A$160

17.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,126

$965 A$1,382

126.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 A$2,157

$802 A$1,149

87.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,461 A$6,391

$1,962 A$2,812

127.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 A$3,865

$1,046 A$1,499

157.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.4K

$4,562 A$6,537

180.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,341 A$10.5K

$3,605 A$5,165

103.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,042

$4,286 A$6,141

-1.61%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Wollongong: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,182 in Sydney versus $965 in Wollongong. 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 Wollongong, 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 $86.0 in Wollongong. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Sydney vs $309 in Wollongong – so Wollongong 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 Wollongong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,824 in Sydney, $1,929 in Wollongong – roughly 46% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,235 per month in Sydney and $2,893 in Wollongong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wollongong, 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 Wollongong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,824 in Sydney and $1,929 in Wollongong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Wollongong, where all-in costs run around $1,929, than in Sydney at $2,824. In Wollongong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wollongong – 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 Wollongong. 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.