✦ Compare
Sydney vs
Washington
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
Sydney, AU vs Washington, DC at a glance — Washington, DC is 15% cheaper than Sydney, AU overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $2,300/mo versus $2,200/mo. Top income tax: 37% vs 45%.
To keep the same standard of living in Washington, DC, you'd need
$63,774 / year
Washington, DC is 15% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Washington, DC vs Sydney, AU)
- Housing-11%
- Food & groceries-21%
- Transport-10%
- Utilities-22%
- Healthcare-8%
- Goods & services-19%
Median 1-bed rent
$2,200 /mo
Sydney, AU overview →
Median 1-bed rent
$2,300 /mo
Washington, DC overview →
◎ How Sydney, AU and Washington, DC compare
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
▤ Full comparison
| Sydney, AU | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 128 | 108 |
| Housing | 162 | 144 |
| Food | 115 | 91 |
| Transport | 105 | 95 |
| Utilities | 110 | 86 |
| Healthcare | 95 | 87 |
| Goods & services | 120 | 97 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $2,200/mo | $2,300/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $1,650/mo | $1,800/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $4,200/mo | $4,500/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $12,000 | $8,500 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $784 | $922 |
| Inexpensive meal | $18 | $20 |
| Monthly transit pass | $130 | $100 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 37% |
| VAT / sales tax | 10% | 0% |
| Social security (employee) | — | 7.7% |
| Corporate tax | 30% | 21% |
| Capital gains | — | 20% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $3,900/mo | $4,300/mo |
| Minimum wage | $2,600/mo | $1,257/mo✓ |
| GDP per capita | $65,130✓ | $90,027✓ |
| Inflation (annual) | 2.9%✓ | — |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | No |
| English proficiency | Native | Native |
| Coworking spaces | 90 | 80 |
| Time zone | UTC+10 | UTC-5 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Quality of life (overall) | 74 | 67 |
| Safety index | 74 | 50 |
| Healthcare index | 85 | 80 |
| Pollution index | 30 | 40 |
| Internet speed | 90 Mbps | 200 Mbps |
| Walkability | 78 | 77 |
| Public transport | 80 | 72 |
| Family-friendly | 76 | 62 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Health insurance | — | $470/mo |
| Life expectancy | 83 yr✓ | 79 yr✓ |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +23 °C | +2 °C |
| July avg | +13 °C | +27 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 236 | 203 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,210 mm | 1,000 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 3 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Australia vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
✓ = official statistics (US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →
Cost of living: Sydney vs Washington — in your currency
Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).
Good to know before you move to Sydney
Beaches, sunshine and a high quality of life — for a price, with housing among the least affordable in the developed world.
- Currency
- Australian dollar ($ 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
Good to know before you move to Washington
The US capital — stable government and consulting jobs, a strong transit system and grand monuments.
- Currency
- US dollar ($ USD)
- Languages
- English
- Time zone
- UTC-5
- Internet
- 200 Mbps
- English
- Native language
- Safety
- 50/100
- Climate
- ❄ 2°C · ☀ 27°C · 203 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- A/B · 120V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Dupont Circle · Georgetown · Shaw
Plan your move to Sydney
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsPlanetofhotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
Sponsored
Plan your move to Washington
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsPlanetofhotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Parking & carWay.com
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Sydney to Washington: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Sydney to Washington, your cost of living will be roughly 15% cheaper. Washington’s cost-of-living index is 108 versus 128 for Sydney (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Sydney cheaper than Washington?
Washington is about 15% cheaper than Sydney overall — its cost-of-living index is 108 versus 128 for Sydney.
Which is more expensive, Sydney or Washington?
Sydney is more expensive than Washington. Its cost-of-living index is 128 vs 108 (US = 100) — about 19% higher.
Is rent cheaper in Sydney or Washington?
Rent is cheaper in Sydney — about $2,200/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,300 in Washington.
How much do you need to earn in Washington to live like in Sydney?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Sydney is worth about $63,774 in Washington. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Sydney or Washington?
United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 45% in Australia.
◷ More comparisons from Sydney
How we calculate these figures →
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.