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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Sydney vs $1,945 in Wollongong, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,168 per month in Sydney vs $2,779 in Wollongong, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,578 per month in Sydney vs $3,613 in Wollongong, rent included.

Sydney costs about 42% more than Wollongong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Wollongong sit above the global median – Sydney by 106%, Wollongong by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$14.77 A$20.58

11.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$110

$87.5 A$122

-9.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.84

$9.98 A$13.91

-0.50%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.41 A$4.75

-0.88%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$2.67 A$3.72

-4.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.27 A$3.16

-13.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.30

$5.88 A$8.19

13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.24

$7.43 A$10.35

-1.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.18 A$1.64

38.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.80

$2.29 A$3.19

18.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$1.57 A$2.19

45.22%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.03

$3.50 A$4.88

44.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.43

$9.73 A$13.55

-8.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$8.57 A$11.94

-2.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.68

$14.43 A$20.10

-2.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$2.75 A$3.83

17.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.51 A$3.50

7.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$2.30 A$3.20

36.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.28 A$5.97

3.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.41

$2.04 A$2.85

19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$1.83 A$2.55

27.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.39 A$3.32

-7.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.06 A$1.48

17.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.10

$31.30 A$43.62

3.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.67

$14.61 A$20.35

-3.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.49

$3.01 A$4.19

54.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$3.49 A$4.86

52.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.57

$2.45 A$3.42

33.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$196

$47.30 A$65.9

197.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.56

$4.05 A$5.64

-1.48%

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

$40.88 A$57.0

28.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.74

$1.15 A$1.60

8.70%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.6K A$39.8K

3.08%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$23.0K A$32.1K

-1.61%

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

$204 A$284

$182 A$254

11.90%

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

$24.13 A$33.62

$28.20 A$39.30

-14.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$48.07 A$67.0

7.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.2

$75.3 A$105

-18.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.04

$15.67 A$21.84

32.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$21.90

$11.52 A$16.06

36.37%

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

$2,074 A$2,890

$1,580 A$2,201

31.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.4K

$13.4K A$18.6K

41.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$57.8 A$80.6

26.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.0

$57.2 A$79.7

1.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$98.0 A$137

10.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$110 A$153

21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,057

$975 A$1,359

124.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,077

$793 A$1,105

88.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,154

$1,912 A$2,665

130.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,660

$1,051 A$1,465

149.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$4,606 A$6,418

190.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$3,764 A$5,246

101.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,843

$3,972 A$5,535

5.57%

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 Wollongong: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,194 in Sydney versus $975 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 6% 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 $87.0 in Wollongong. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Sydney vs $313 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: $2,759 in Sydney, $1,945 in Wollongong – roughly 42% 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 $2,918 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 $87.0 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 $2,759 in Sydney and $1,945 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 $1,945, than in Sydney at $2,759. 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.