✦ Compare
Melbourne 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.
To keep the same standard of living in Sydney, AU, you'd need
$81,067 / year
Sydney, AU is 8% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Sydney, AU vs Melbourne, AU)
- Housing+17%
- Food & groceries+3%
- Transport+5%
- Utilities+2%
- Healthcare0%
- Goods & services+3%
▤ Full comparison
| Melbourne, AU | Sydney, AU | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 118 | 128 |
| Housing | 138 | 162 |
| Food | 112 | 115 |
| Transport | 100 | 105 |
| Utilities | 108 | 110 |
| Healthcare | 95 | 95 |
| Goods & services | 116 | 120 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $1,800/mo | $2,200/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $1,350/mo | $1,650/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $3,400/mo | $4,200/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $9,000 | $12,000 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $847 | $784 |
| Inexpensive meal | $17 | $18 |
| Monthly transit pass | $110 | $130 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 45% |
| VAT / sales tax | 10% | 10% |
| Corporate tax | 30% | 30% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $3,900/mo | $3,900/mo |
| Minimum wage | $2,600/mo | $2,600/mo |
| GDP per capita | $65,000 | $65,000 |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | No |
| English proficiency | Native | Native |
| Coworking spaces | 70 | 90 |
| Time zone | UTC+10 | UTC+10 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 68 | 74 |
| Healthcare index | 85 | 85 |
| Pollution index | 30 | 30 |
| Internet speed | 90 Mbps | 90 Mbps |
| Walkability | 78 | 78 |
| Public transport | 80 | 80 |
| Family-friendly | 74 | 76 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Life expectancy | 83 yr | 83 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +20 °C | +23 °C |
| July avg | +10 °C | +13 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 180 | 236 |
| Rainfall / year | 600 mm | 1,210 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1.5 h | 3 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Australia vs Australia. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Is Melbourne cheaper than Sydney?
Sydney is about 8% more expensive than Melbourne overall — its cost-of-living index is 128 versus 118 for Melbourne.
How much do you need to earn in Sydney to live like in Melbourne?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Melbourne is worth about $81,067 in Sydney. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Melbourne or Sydney?
Both cities are in the same country, so national income tax (45%) and VAT are identical; only local cost of living differs.
◷ More comparisons from Melbourne
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.