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Minneapolis 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.

Minneapolis, MN vs Sydney, AU at a glance — Sydney, AU is 23% more expensive than Minneapolis, MN overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $2,200/mo versus $1,450/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 37%.

$/ year

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

$91,913 / year

Sydney, AU is 23% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Sydney, AU vs Minneapolis, MN)

  • Housing+49%
  • Food & groceries+14%
  • Transport+2%
  • Utilities+15%
  • Healthcare-10%
  • Goods & services+17%

◎ How Minneapolis, MN and Sydney, AU compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Minneapolis, MNSydney, AU

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Minneapolis, MNSydney, AU
Cost of living
Overall cost index104128
Housing109162
Food101115
Transport103105
Utilities96110
Healthcare10595
Goods & services103120
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,450/mo$2,200/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,150/mo$1,650/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$2,600/mo$4,200/mo
Buy price / m² centre$3,800$12,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$960$784
Inexpensive meal$18$18
Monthly transit pass$96$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$90,027✓$65,130✓
Inflation (annual)—2.9%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyNativeNative
Coworking spaces4090
Time zoneUTC-6UTC+10
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6574
Safety index5574
Healthcare index8285
Pollution index3530
Internet speed200 Mbps90 Mbps
Walkability7078
Public transport5880
Family-friendly7076
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$450/mo—
Life expectancy79 yr✓83 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg-8 °C+23 °C
July avg+23 °C+13 °C
Sunny days / year198236
Rainfall / year800 mm1,210 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1.5 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.

✓ = official statistics (US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Minneapolis vs Sydney — in your currency

MinneapolisSydney
1-bed rent, city centre$1,450$2,200
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,150$1,650
Inexpensive meal$18$18
Monthly transit pass$96$130
Utilities (monthly)$160$150

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Minneapolis

High quality of life, strong jobs and lakes everywhere — winters are seriously cold.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-6
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ -8°C · ☀ 23°C · 198 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
North Loop · Uptown · Northeast

Good to know before you move to Sydney

Beaches, sunshine and a high quality of life — for a price, with housing among the least affordable in the developed world.

Currency
Australian dollar ($ AUD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC+10
Internet
90 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
74/100
Climate
❄ 23°C · ☀ 13°C · 236 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
I · 230V
Driving
Left-hand side
Popular areas
Surry Hills · Bondi · Newtown

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Minneapolis to Sydney: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Minneapolis to Sydney, your cost of living will be roughly 23% more expensive. Sydney’s cost-of-living index is 128 versus 104 for Minneapolis (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Minneapolis cheaper than Sydney?

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

Which is more expensive, Minneapolis or Sydney?

Sydney is more expensive than Minneapolis. Its cost-of-living index is 128 vs 104 (US = 100) — about 23% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Minneapolis or Sydney?

Rent is cheaper in Minneapolis — about $1,450/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,200 in Sydney.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Minneapolis is worth about $91,913 in Sydney. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Minneapolis or Sydney?

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

◷ More comparisons from Minneapolis

How we calculate these figures →

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