Sydney Cost of Living
What it costs to live in Sydney: consumer prices, wages, jobs, earnings and property, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Prices in Sydney rose 4.3% in the year to Sep 2026, against 4.3% nationally: the 7th fastest rise of 8 capital cities. The all-groups index stood at 104.3.
Valid: Sep 2026 · Source: ABS Consumer Price Index (6401.0) · Index base: September 2025 = 100
Sydney CPI over time
All-groups CPI index for Sydney against the national index. A higher index means prices have risen more since September 2025. Hover for detail.
Price change by category in Sydney
Annual change for each CPI category, year to Sep 2026.
- Water and sewerage +29.3%
- Automotive fuel +22.3%
- Utilities +14.0%
- Electricity +12.4%
- Private motoring +8.6%
- Transport +8.3%
- Gas and other household fuels +6.7%
- Housing +5.8%
- Milk +5.7%
- Beef and veal +5.6%
- Insurance +5.2%
- Medical and hospital services +4.7%
- Restaurant meals +4.3%
- Alcohol and tobacco +4.3%
- Meals out and take away foods +4.0%
- Take away and fast foods +3.6%
- Rents +3.5%
- Food and non-alcoholic beverages +3.4%
- Communication +2.3%
- Bread +2.2%
- Cheese +2.0%
- Motor vehicles +1.5%
- Poultry +0.2%
- Pharmaceutical products −1.2%
- Coffee, tea and cocoa −1.3%
- Eggs −2.4%
Inflation in each capital city
Annual change in the all-groups CPI for each capital city, fastest rise first.
| Rank | City | Annual change | Change, to scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Hobart | +5.3% | |
| #2 | Darwin | +5.2% | |
| #3 | Adelaide | +5.0% | |
| #4 | Canberra | +4.7% | |
| #5 | Perth | +4.5% | |
| #6 | Brisbane | +4.4% | |
| #7 | Sydney (this city) | +4.3% | |
| #8 | Melbourne | +4.0% |
Wages in NSW
The Wage Price Index measures the change in hourly rates of pay. NSW against the national index, and wage growth less Sydney inflation.
Employment in NSW
Unemployment rate and labour force participation for New South Wales.
What NSW earns
Full-time adult average weekly earnings for New South Wales. ABS Cat. 6302.0.
Housing in NSW
Mean dwelling price and affordability for New South Wales. ABS Cat. 6432.0.
Mean dwelling price by state
- New South Wales $1,304,900
- Queensland $1,130,600
- Western Australia $1,123,700
- Australian Capital Territory $981,700
- South Australia $979,600
- Victoria $918,400
- Tasmania $733,200
- Northern Territory $614,400
Other capital cities
Prices, wages, jobs and property for each of the other capitals.