Our Cost of Living in Sydney

Sydney is one of the most expensive cities to live in.  That is why before deciding to move here, we spent time crunching the numbers.     I googled and asked around about the cost of living and how much do we need to earn to offset it and  to somehow live comfortably.  The meaning of comfortable living varies from person to person.   As stated in my previous post, comfortable living for me means I could afford to  eat at McDo (Maccas as what they call here) whenever I want. However, one Quarter Pounder meal costs around 12 AUD (444 PHP) here.  Expensive! So, I adjusted my meaning of  comfortable living. lol  

Below are the breakdown of our expenses so you will have an idea if you're planning to visit or  move here.  

FOOD/GROCERIES

Our weekly budget for food is 150 AUD per week.  It's reasonable considering that we are a family of three and  we always eat at home   and we  eat a lot.  I don't scrimp on food but of course food wastage is a big no. PM (Plan your Meals) is the key. lol. 

Jasmine Rice - 2.95 AUD per kg 

Milk (Devondale) - 1.45 per liter

Sliced Bread (Helgas) - 3.90 AUD (there are cheaper brands)

Beef - Depends on the cut (ground beef is 10 AUD per kg,  round steak  is 15AUD,  prime cuts cost between  30 to 60AUD)  

Pork - depends on the cut (belly is 20 AUD, shoulder 10AUD)

Whole chicken - 4 AUD

Fruits - Depends on the season (banana is around 2.50 per kg, avocado is 2.50 each)

Potato - 3 AUD per kg 

Carrots - 2 per kg

Egg - 3.50

Note: Prices vary depending on the brand, quality etc. 

RENT

The cost of rent here is expensive. We pay  550 AUD (20,350 Php) per week.  Yes. PER WEEK!  We live in a 2-bedroom apartment (condo unit), 20 kilometers away from Sydney CBD.  It is way more expensive if you live in the city or near the beaches.  There are rental houses which cost lesser.  They are just a bit farther.   However, the distance is not really a problem because the train system here is efficient.   We  just chose  to  live in this apartment because it is conveniently located.  It is  near schools, mall, train station and parks.  We do not need to buy a car.   And I really love the ambiance of our neighborhood.  It is a busy suburb, and  I like it.  Although there are only few Filipinos living here , the "busyness" makes me miss the Philippines a little less.  Should you want to check the rental rates  in Sydney, you may go to Domain.com.au or Realestate.com.au.

UTILITIES

As to the cost of utilities, I think it's not that expensive.   Our usual electric bill is 75 AUD per month.    But because it's Summer, it went up to 85 per month.  Our gas/hot water bill is around 70 AUD per month.  Water bill is included in the rent.   By the way, we drink tap water here.  For internet and landline, we pay 70Aud per month.  We are  pay 20 AUD each per month for our cellphone credit/load.  

TRANSPORTATION

I can't share much about the cost of transportation because we do not have a car and most of the time, we just walk. The shopping centers,  church, park and my daughter's school can be reached by foot.   For the bus and train fares, you may check transportnsw.info.

EDUCATION

Public school here is free for citizens and residents.  Since we are working visa holders,  I read somewhere that we need to pay 5000 or 6000 AUD per year.  I did not bother to confirm because I found out that the tuition fee in  Catholic Schools is not very expensive.   I pay 2,600 AUD per year for my daughter's tuition fee, almost the same amount as her tuition fee back in the Philippines.   However, the after-school classes like Tutorial, Art classes, Swimming, Piano classes are pricey.  Reading/Math Tutorial is 500-700 AUD per term (10 sessions) ,  Art Classes is 300 AUD per term (10 sessions), Swimming is 19 AUD per session, Piano class is 550 per term (10 sessions).  The amount stated may vary per school.  I enrolled my daughter in Swimming class because it's less expensive.  lol 

ENTERTAINMENT

As to entertainment, it would depend on your kind of entertainment.  For us, beaches  already entertain us big time.   They are free and very accessible.    Eating out is  expensive.  Fastfood/food court meal starts at 10 AUD.  In a sit-down restaurant, you will be spending around 25 AUD per person. Hot coffee costs around 4 AUD. I have not tried dining in a high-end restaurant. If you love going to the movies like my husband, prepare to shell out 20 AUD or more.

La Perouse

Kiama

HEALTHCARE 

Since we are not residents here, we are required to get our own private healthcare.   The monthly premium for the three of us is 370 AUD per month.  

  

CLOTHING

I seldom buy clothes because I am trying to lead a minimalist life.  But when I do,  Uniqlo is my go-to store.   I think the prices are almost the same as the Uniqlo stores in the Philippines.  A basic T-shirt costs 15 AUD.   Department stores also sell cheap clothing.  I was able to buy plain t-shirts for 3 AUD each.    

OTHERS     

Cost of  Service is expensive here. Haircut is around 15AUD or more, depending on the location of the salon.   We also tried home service massage. We were charged 55 AUD per hour.   After two massage sessions, my back pain magically vanished! lol. 

So yeah, it's expensive to live in Sydney. However, if you're planning to work and migrate here, don't be discouraged because  the income to cost of living ratio is  not bad at all.   The minimum wage here  is 19.84  AUD (734 Php) per hour.  Besides,  there are ways to cut your expenses.  Your cost of living depends significantly on your lifestyle.     I can say that we live a simpler and slower life here.   There are less distractions. We only buy the stuff that we truly need and which truly make us happy.    

Another thing, you can survive, enjoy life  and still have savings by working hard.  In our case, it's my husband who works really hard to support us financially. I am still unemployed. My current job is to support my husband and daughter emotionally.  I think they have already adjusted and they don't need me 24/7.   So, I will start jobhunting  soon because I miss working err earning money.  lol

Thank you for reading, guys!