Christchurch vs Sydney Cost of Living
Christchurch (New Zealand) · Overall index 53.3 — Sydney (Australia) · Overall index 73.6
Summary
- Overall, Sydney is 38% more expensive than Christchurch.
- Rent in Sydney is 95% more expensive than in Christchurch.
- Transport in Sydney is 38% more expensive than in Christchurch.
| Item | Christchurch | Sydney | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +95% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,425 | $2,565 | +80% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $864 | $1,647 | +91% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,563 | $5,117 | +100% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,443 | $3,039 | +111% |
| Groceries | +27% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.98 | $1.21 | +23% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.69 | $3.39 | +26% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.56 | $3.94 | +11% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.05 | $4.39 | +44% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.32 | $11.4 | +22% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.22 | $12.4 | +34% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.8 | $17.4 | +18% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.21 | $5.02 | +19% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.55 | $1.93 | +25% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.25 | $4.29 | +32% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.83 | $5.4 | +41% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.87 | $2.41 | +29% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.06 | $2.68 | +30% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.78 | $2.13 | +20% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.62 | $2.34 | +44% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.7 | $12.2 | +14% |
| Transport | +38% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.64 | $2.2 | +34% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $74.4 | $108 | +45% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.23 | $3.3 | +48% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.22 | $1.42 | +16% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.56 | $0.85 | +52% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $16,194 | $21,959 | +36% |
| Dining out | +30% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $15.8 | $20.9 | +32% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $74.1 | $92.8 | +25% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.26 | $9.43 | +30% |
| Cappuccino | $3.3 | $4.57 | +38% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.81 | $2.1 | +16% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.53 | $5.5 | +21% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.3 | $7.76 | +46% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.46 | $1.81 | +24% |
| Telecom | +9% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $49.9 | $49.8 | 0% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $54.5 | $52.8 | -3% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.27 | $0.31 | +15% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $11.3 | $14.2 | +26% |
| Utilities & household | +28% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $113 | $149 | +32% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.14 | $0.21 | +50% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.65 | $3.73 | +2% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.9 | $1.38 | +53% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $14.9 | $18.6 | +25% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $54.8 | $66.5 | +21% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.83 | $12.6 | +28% |
| Men's haircut | $24.6 | $29.2 | +19% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $18.3 | $20.8 | +14% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,290 | $1,990 | +54% |
3,682 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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