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Charlotte vs Sydney

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Sydney, AU, you'd need

$92,375 / year

Sydney, AU is 23% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Sydney, AU vs Charlotte, NC)

  • Housing+45%
  • Food & groceries+17%
  • Transport+4%
  • Utilities+12%
  • Healthcare-5%
  • Goods & services+19%

â–¤ Full comparison

Charlotte, NCSydney, AU
Cost of living
Overall cost index104128
Housing112162
Food98115
Transport101105
Utilities98110
Healthcare10095
Goods & services101120
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,500/mo$2,200/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,200/mo$1,650/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$2,700/mo$4,200/mo
Buy price / m² centre$3,800$12,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$965$784
Inexpensive meal$16$18
Monthly transit pass$88$130
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)37%45%
VAT / sales tax0%10%
Social security (employee)7.7%—
Corporate tax21%30%
Capital gains20%—
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$4,300/mo$3,900/mo
Minimum wage$1,257/mo$2,600/mo
GDP per capita$82,000$65,000
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyNativeNative
Coworking spaces3590
Time zoneUTC-5UTC+10
Quality of life
Safety index5674
Healthcare index7885
Pollution index4030
Internet speed200 Mbps90 Mbps
Walkability4078
Public transport3580
Family-friendly6676
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$450/mo—
Life expectancy79 yr83 yr
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+6 °C+23 °C
July avg+27 °C+13 °C
Sunny days / year218236
Rainfall / year1,100 mm1,210 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h3 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs Australia. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

? Frequently asked questions

Is Charlotte cheaper than Sydney?

Sydney is about 23% more expensive than Charlotte overall — its cost-of-living index is 128 versus 104 for Charlotte.

How much do you need to earn in Sydney to live like in Charlotte?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Charlotte is worth about $92,375 in Sydney. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Charlotte or Sydney?

United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 45% in Australia.

â—· More comparisons from Charlotte

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.