Budget Showdown: Adelaide vs Sydney
Adelaide and Sydney are both great cities to consider spending your next few years in. Each has its own unique strengths, including stunning beaches, vibrant festivals, and picturesque scenery.
However, there are significant differences between the two, particularly when it comes to the cost of living. By the end of this article, hopefully, you’ll be better equipped to make an informed decision about which city is the right fit for you.
Is Adelaide cheaper than Sydney?
Before we go in-depth about the differences between the two cities, you should first know that Adelaide is cheaper than Sydney. To be precise, it’s 20% cheaper according to Living Cost.
Refer to the table below to see their exact difference in terms of cost of living:
| Adelaide | Sydney | |
| Cost of living for 1 person | $1,915 | $2,397 |
| Cost of living for a family of 4 | $4,598 | $5,724 |
This doesn’t come as a surprise given that Sydney has a much higher population, causing a higher demand for housing. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that Sydney has 3.8 million more people than Adelaide in June 2022.
In addition, Sydney is the 10th most expensive city to live in the world according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.
If you’re planning to move to Adelaide and need help with finances, a financial advisor can help you.
Is housing cheaper in Adelaide than in Sydney?
Housing is cheaper in Adelaide than in Sydney. This is true for rent and median prices for purchasing properties.
A summary of data from Budget Direct can be seen below showing the differences in the rental rates in both cities:
| Adelaide | Sydney | |
| Rent for 1-bedroom apartment in the CBD | $1,604.44 | $2,576.66 |
| Rent for 1-bedroom apartment outside CBD | $1,211.88 | $1,854.70 |
| Rent for 3-bedroom apartment in the CBD | $2,572.22 | $4,895.16 |
| Rent for 3-bedroom apartment outside the CBD | $3,108.82 | $1,797.69 |
On the other hand, you can see the differences in the median price for properties in both cities here, based on numbers from Real Estate and Rate City.
| Property types | Adelaide | Sydney |
| Houses | $782,000 | $1,230,581 |
| Apartment | $480,000 | $776,780 |
If you’re looking for a real estate agent who can help you find the best rates in Adelaide, we have a list that can help you.
Is utility cheaper in Adelaide than in Sydney?
Utility in Adelaide is cheaper than in Sydney according to Finder. The exact price of utilities can be seen below.
| Utilities | Adelaide | Sydney |
| For 1 person every month (heating, electricity, and gas) | $140 | $182 |
| Internet | $76 | $78 |
Is food cheaper in Adelaide than in Sydney?
Food is more expensive in Adelaide than in Sydney according to Expatistan. The exact values can be seen below.
| Food | Adelaide | Sydney |
| Lunch in the CBD | $27 | $20 |
| Fast food combo meal | $14 | $14 |
| Boneless chicken breast | $6 | $7 |
| 1 liter of milk | $2.19 | $1.73 |
| 1 dozen eggs | $4.63 | $5.73 |
| 1 kg tomatoes | $7 | $9 |
| Local cheese | $11 | $10 |
| 1 kg of apples | $4.50 | $5.01 |
| 1 kg of potatoes | $4.10 | $3.6 |
| Domestic beer | $7 | $5.10 |
| Red wine | $19 | $18 |
Speaking of wine, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Adelaide’s is more expensive given that it’s one of the best in the world.
Is transportation cheaper in Adelaide than in Sydney?
Transportation in Adelaide is much cheaper than in Sydney as of May 2023.
As we’ll see in the table below with numbers provided by Numbeo, Adelaide’s transportation costs are cheaper, especially the monthly pass.
Keep in mind that public transportation in Adelaide is operated by one company, Adelaide Metro, while Sydney’s is operated by many.
| Transportation | Adelaide | Sydney |
| One-way ticket | $4.50 | $5 |
| Monthly pass | $110 | $217.39 |
| Taxi starting fare | $5 | $5 |
| Taxi fare after 1 km | $2.80 | $3 |
| 1 liter gasoline | $2.01 | $2.04 |
| Volkswagen Golf* | $34,882 | $35,290 |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan* | $28,616.67 | $30,180.44 |
Are clothing expenses cheaper in Adelaide than in Sydney?
Clothing is much more expensive in Adelaide than in Sydney, as we’ll see in the table below.
| Clothing | Adelaide | Sydney |
| Jeans | $134.08 | $120.84 |
| Summer dress | $109.24 | $85.95 |
| Mid-priced running shoes | $200.45 | $171.24 |
A possible reason why Sydney has higher rates is that it has a larger retail economy, giving way for more competition.
