Cost of living · Australia

Sydney Cost of Living

Monthly cost of living breakdown for Sydney, Australia

Cost Level: High

Housing

1BR Apartment — City Center A$2,800–5,000/mo (CBD); A$2,000–3,300/mo (west)
USD Reference Approx. USD 1,950–3,480/mo (1BR centre) · at 2026-10-09 FX rates

Food & Dining

Budget Restaurant / Local Eatery A$16–28 (fast food); A$65–130 (restaurant for 2)
Monthly Groceries A$450–800/mo

Transport

Monthly Transport Cost Opal card monthly avg A$200–300 (weekly cap system)

Train + buses + light rail + ferries; Opal card accepted. Car useful in suburbs. Sydney Airport City Rail ~13 min to Central Station.

Monthly Budget Summary

Budget Lifestyle (single)
USD 2,000–3,000
Comfortable Lifestyle (single)
USD 3,000–5,000
Family Budget (2–3 people)
USD 6,000–10,000

Band-level illustration: these three totals come from this city's cost band (level 4 of 5), not from the expenses above — every city on the same band shows the same ranges.

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Important Note

Data above is approximate and indicative. Actual costs vary by location, personal lifestyle, and exchange rate fluctuations. Verify with local sources after arrival.

Source: Richbay editorial estimate (indicative, not guaranteed)

Estimate baseline: 2026-07-20

How we estimate
  • Coverage: the city and its immediate surrounding area.
  • Housing: public statistics and current listing ranges (1-bedroom, city-centre baseline).
  • Food & transport: supermarket / restaurant reference baskets and official operator fares.
  • Currency conversion uses a reference rate; any USD figures are computed at the rate shown.
  • Confidence: Medium — an editorial estimate, not a crowdsourced index.
  • Cost level is relative to Richbay’s global city set, not an absolute index.
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