Cost of Living Comparison Between Townsville and Sydney Cost of Living Comparison Between Townsville and Sydney

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,170 per month in Townsville vs $2,759 in Sydney, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,298 per month in Townsville vs $4,168 in Sydney, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,425 per month in Townsville vs $5,578 in Sydney, rent included.

Townsville is about 21% cheaper than Sydney, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Townsville and Sydney sit above the global median – Townsville by 62%, Sydney by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 A$16.19

$16.49 A$22.98

-29.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 A$84.4

$78.9 A$110

-23.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 A$13.45

$9.93 A$13.84

-2.82%

Cappuccino

$3.20 A$4.45

$3.38 A$4.71

-5.33%

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

$2.49 A$3.47

$2.55 A$3.55

-2.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$1.97 A$2.74

12.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 A$9.27

$6.67 A$9.30

-0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 A$7.14

$7.35 A$10.24

-30.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 A$2.10

$1.63 A$2.28

-7.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 A$2.86

$2.72 A$3.80

-24.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 A$2.30

$2.28 A$3.17

-27.63%

Eggs

$4.05 A$5.64

$5.04 A$7.03

-19.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 A$10.52

$8.92 A$12.43

-15.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 A$11.69

$8.34 A$11.63

0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.84 A$16.50

$14.12 A$19.68

-16.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 A$5.40

$3.24 A$4.51

19.75%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 A$4.22

$2.70 A$3.76

12.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 A$4.65

$3.13 A$4.36

6.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 A$6.10

$4.41 A$6.15

-0.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.69

$2.44 A$3.41

8.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.37

$2.33 A$3.25

3.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 A$2.89

$2.21 A$3.08

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 A$2.71

$1.25 A$1.74

55.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.71 A$33.04

$32.36 A$45.10

-26.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.77 A$15.00

$14.11 A$19.67

-23.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 A$4.53

$4.66 A$6.49

-30.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.82 A$10.89

$5.33 A$7.43

46.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 A$2.74

$3.28 A$4.57

-39.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 A$101

$141 A$196

-48.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 A$5.01

$3.99 A$5.56

-10.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 A$2.01

$2.93 A$4.08

-50.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.02 A$66.9

$52.5 A$73.1

-8.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 A$1.54

$1.25 A$1.74

-11.20%

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

$22.4K A$31.2K

$29.4K A$41.0K

-24.03%

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

$19.2K A$26.8K

$22.7K A$31.6K

-15.08%

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

$152 A$212

$204 A$284

-25.51%

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

$35.36 A$49.27

$24.13 A$33.62

46.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 A$81.3

$51.9 A$72.3

12.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.34 A$59.0

$61.1 A$85.2

-30.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.46 A$20.15

$20.84 A$29.04

-30.61%

Cinema Ticket

$15.56 A$21.68

$15.71 A$21.90

-0.95%

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

$1,180 A$1,644

$2,074 A$2,890

-43.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.6K

$18.9K A$26.4K

-37.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.8 A$132

$72.9 A$102

29.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 A$85.7

$58.1 A$81.0

5.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 A$137

$108 A$151

-8.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 A$163

$133 A$186

-12.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 A$1,695

$2,194 A$3,057

-44.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 A$1,531

$1,491 A$2,077

-26.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,320 A$3,233

$4,416 A$6,154

-47.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 A$2,660

$2,626 A$3,660

-27.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,065 A$7,058

$13.4K A$18.6K

-62.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,084 A$5,691

$7,589 A$10.6K

-46.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,185 A$5,831

$4,193 A$5,843

-0.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.06

6.34

-4.42%

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

Last update for Townsville: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,216 in Townsville versus $2,194 in Sydney. 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 0% 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 $61.0 in Townsville versus $79.0 in Sydney. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $349 – making Townsville 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

Townsville vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,170 in Townsville, $2,759 in Sydney – roughly 27% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,255 per month in Townsville and $4,138 in Sydney. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Townsville, 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 $61.0 in Townsville and $79.0 in Sydney. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,170 in Townsville and $2,759 in Sydney. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Townsville, where all-in costs run around $2,170, than in Sydney at $2,759. In Townsville it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Townsville – 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 Townsville. 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.