Sydney vs San Francisco Cost of Living
Sydney (Australia) · Overall index 73.6 — San Francisco (United States) · Overall index 95.1
Summary
- Overall, San Francisco is 29% more expensive than Sydney.
- Rent in San Francisco is 48% more expensive than in Sydney.
- Transport in San Francisco is 30% more expensive than in Sydney.
| Item | Sydney | San Francisco | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +48% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,565 | $3,208 | +25% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,647 | $2,609 | +58% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $5,117 | $7,487 | +46% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $3,039 | $4,864 | +60% |
| Groceries | +17% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.21 | $1.31 | +8% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.39 | $4.2 | +24% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.94 | $5.82 | +48% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.39 | $4.57 | +4% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $11.4 | $16.3 | +43% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $12.4 | $12.6 | +2% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $17.4 | $22.3 | +28% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.02 | $5.88 | +17% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.93 | $2.46 | +27% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.29 | $4.54 | +6% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.4 | $5.5 | +2% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.41 | $3.06 | +27% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.68 | $2.72 | +1% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.13 | $2.75 | +29% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.34 | $2.41 | +3% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $12.2 | $15.4 | +26% |
| Transport | +30% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.2 | $3.1 | +41% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $108 | $139 | +29% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.3 | $4.48 | +36% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.42 | $1.91 | +35% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.85 | $0.99 | +16% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $21,959 | $27,640 | +26% |
| Dining out | +25% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $20.9 | $21.5 | +3% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $92.8 | $115 | +24% |
| Fast food combo meal | $9.43 | $11.6 | +23% |
| Cappuccino | $4.57 | $5.52 | +21% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.1 | $3.04 | +45% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.5 | $8.59 | +56% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $7.76 | $8.71 | +12% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.81 | $2.32 | +28% |
| Telecom | +25% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $49.8 | $68.5 | +38% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $52.8 | $71.8 | +36% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.31 | $0.37 | +19% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $14.2 | $15.8 | +11% |
| Utilities & household | +25% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $149 | $176 | +18% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.21 | $0.23 | +10% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.73 | $5.1 | +37% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.38 | $1.47 | +7% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $18.6 | $25.8 | +39% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $66.5 | $94.8 | +43% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $12.6 | $17.5 | +39% |
| Men's haircut | $29.2 | $33.2 | +14% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $20.8 | $29.6 | +42% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,990 | $2,199 | +11% |
3,586 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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