Sydney vs New York Cost of Living

Sydney (Australia) · Overall index 73.6New York (United States) · Overall index 100.0

Summary

  • Overall, New York is 36% more expensive than Sydney.
  • Rent in New York is 64% more expensive than in Sydney.
  • Dining out in New York is 33% more expensive than in Sydney.
ItemSydneyNew YorkDiff
Rent+64%
1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly)$2,565$4,328+69%
1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly)$1,647$2,796+70%
3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly)$5,117$7,980+56%
3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly)$3,039$4,915+62%
Groceries+25%
Milk (1L)$1.21$1.48+22%
White bread (500g)$3.39$4.03+19%
Rice (1kg)$3.94$5.54+41%
Eggs (12)$4.39$5.18+18%
Local cheese (1kg)$11.4$16.5+45%
Chicken fillets (1kg)$12.4$13.6+10%
Beef round (1kg)$17.4$22.8+31%
Apples (1kg)$5.02$6.73+34%
Bananas (1kg)$1.93$2.56+33%
Oranges (1kg)$4.29$5.31+24%
Tomatoes (1kg)$5.4$6.04+12%
Potatoes (1kg)$2.41$3.01+25%
Onions (1kg)$2.68$3.09+15%
Lettuce (1 head)$2.13$2.85+34%
Water (1.5L bottle)$2.34$2.81+20%
Bottle of wine (mid-range)$12.2$17+39%
Transport+28%
Public transport, one-way ticket$2.2$2.75+25%
Public transport, monthly pass$108$145+34%
Taxi, base fare$3.3$4.13+25%
Taxi, per km$1.42$2.06+45%
Gasoline (1L)$0.85$0.93+9%
New compact car (e.g., VW Golf)$21,959$29,178+33%
Dining out+33%
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$20.9$25.5+22%
Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses)$92.8$140+51%
Fast food combo meal$9.43$12.7+35%
Cappuccino$4.57$5.58+22%
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant)$2.1$3.23+54%
Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant)$5.5$8.19+49%
Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant)$7.76$8.34+7%
Water (0.33L, restaurant)$1.81$2.48+37%
Telecom+20%
Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly)$49.8$64.2+29%
Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly)$52.8$66.9+27%
Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min)$0.31$0.38+23%
Video streaming subscription (monthly)$14.2$14.9+5%
Utilities & household+26%
Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly)$149$173+16%
Electricity (1 kWh)$0.21$0.25+19%
Tap water (1m³)$3.73$4.81+29%
Natural gas (1m³)$1.38$1.75+27%
Waste collection (monthly)$18.6$23.6+27%
Fitness club (monthly)$66.5$94.7+42%
Cinema ticket (1 seat)$12.6$16.6+32%
Men's haircut$29.2$36.8+26%
Domestic cleaning (1 hour)$20.8$25.1+21%
Private kindergarten (monthly)$1,990$2,473+24%

3,484 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15

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