Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Yamba NSW Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Yamba NSW

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,824 per month in Sydney vs $2,152 in Yamba NSW, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,241 per month in Sydney vs $3,094 in Yamba NSW, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,658 per month in Sydney vs $4,035 in Yamba NSW, rent included.

Sydney costs about 31% more than Yamba NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Yamba NSW sit above the global median – Sydney by 111%, Yamba NSW by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 A$23.16

$16.28 A$23.25

-0.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$113

$50.1 A$71.6

58.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.70

$9.78 A$13.97

-1.94%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.70

$3.63 A$5.19

-9.37%

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

$2.46 A$3.51

$2.57 A$3.67

-4.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.81

$1.94 A$2.78

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.47

$6.43 A$9.19

3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.17

$6.93 A$9.90

2.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.35

$1.55 A$2.22

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.81

$2.19 A$3.13

21.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.34

$1.87 A$2.67

25.13%

Eggs

$5.03 A$7.18

$4.50 A$6.42

11.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.27

$8.22 A$11.74

4.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.95

$8.24 A$11.76

1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.04

$13.29 A$18.98

5.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.61

$3.21 A$4.59

0.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.92

$2.84 A$4.06

-3.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.54

$2.63 A$3.76

20.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.23

$4.34 A$6.20

0.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.49

$2.46 A$3.51

-0.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.37

$2.30 A$3.28

2.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.09

$2.15 A$3.07

0.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$1.24 A$1.77

4.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$46.40

$32.11 A$45.85

1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$19.93

$12.49 A$17.84

11.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.60

$4.55 A$6.49

1.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.57

$4.21 A$6.01

25.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 A$4.55

$2.65 A$3.79

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$204

$64.1 A$91.5

122.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 A$5.46

$2.34 A$3.34

63.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 A$4.33

$1.57 A$2.24

92.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 A$74.7

$32.89 A$46.97

59.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

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

$28.4K A$40.5K

$28.3K A$40.5K

0.19%

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

$22.4K A$32.0K

$22.2K A$31.7K

0.87%

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

$198 A$283

$144 A$206

37.61%

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

$24.17 A$34.51

$25.29 A$36.12

-4.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.0

$52.9 A$75.5

-2.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 A$86.2

$49.08 A$70.1

22.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 A$30.30

$15.63 A$22.32

35.76%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.45

$13.10 A$18.71

20.00%

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

$2,085 A$2,978

$1,650 A$2,356

26.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$26.9K

$8,763 A$12.5K

114.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 A$107

$72.4 A$103

3.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$84.7

$43.51 A$62.1

36.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$91.9 A$131

15.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$188

$103 A$146

28.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,115

$1,241 A$1,772

75.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 A$2,150

$1,075 A$1,535

40.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,461 A$6,370

$2,013 A$2,875

121.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 A$3,852

$1,705 A$2,435

58.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.3K

$5,820 A$8,311

120.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,341 A$10.5K

$5,943 A$8,487

23.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,022

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.24

1.60%

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

Last update for Sydney: July 13, 2026

Last update for Yamba NSW: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,241 in Yamba NSW. 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 $79.0 in Sydney versus $50.0 in Yamba NSW. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $326 – making Yamba NSW 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 Yamba NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,824 in Sydney, $2,152 in Yamba NSW – roughly 31% 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 $3,228 in Yamba NSW. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yamba NSW, 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 $50.0 in Yamba NSW. 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 $2,152 in Yamba NSW. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Yamba NSW, where all-in costs run around $2,152, than in Sydney at $2,824. In Yamba NSW it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yamba NSW – 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 Yamba NSW. 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.