Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Darwin vs Sydney

Darwin vs Sydney

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Sydney 5% cheaper Low / Moderate

Darwin

Christian Bass/Unsplash

Sydney

Dan Freeman/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$4,025

Darwin

$3,809

Sydney

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Low

Darwin

Moderate

Sydney

Air Quality

5/5

Darwin

5/5

Sydney

Healthcare

Low

Darwin

Low

Sydney

Population

118.5k

Darwin

4.3m

Sydney

Darwin and Sydney are both in Australia, making this one of the most common comparisons for digital nomads planning a base in the region. This guide breaks down the key differences across cost, internet, safety, weather, and quality of life.

Cost of Living

Sydney has a modest cost advantage at $3809/mo compared to Darwin's $4025/mo — a 5% gap that matters over time.

For families, Darwin costs $5634.15944423448/mo compared to Sydney's $6875.703836018018/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Sydney edges ahead with 85 Mbps (#103 globally) versus Darwin's 80 Mbps (#0) — a modest difference for most workflows.

Quality of Life

Sydney has a stronger safety profile than Darwin, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Darwin and Sydney.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Darwin is June (around 31 degrees, 0mm rain, score 403), while Sydney peaks in March (28 degrees, 0mm rain, score 440). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

DarwinSydney

Nomad$4,025/mo$3,809/mo

Expat$2,634/mo$2,938/mo

Local$1,610/mo$1,964/mo

Family$5,634/mo$6,876/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

DarwinSydney

City Speed

80 Mbps

85 Mbps#103

Country Speed80 Mbps80 Mbps

Environment & Health

DarwinSydney

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionLowLow

ClimateHighHigh

Humidity7555

Quality of Life

DarwinSydney

SafetyLowModerate

HealthcareLowLow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Darwin

Sydney

Jan

34°

19mm162

28°

1mm416

Feb

38°

4mm239

29°

0mm421

Mar

38°

12mm239

28°

0mm440

Apr

37°

0mm383

23°

0mm410

May

35°

0mm363

18°

1mm353

Jun

31°

0mm403

14°

0mm400

Jul

32°

0mm403

13°

0mm402

Aug

34°

0mm383

18°

0mm392

Sep

36°

0mm381

20°

0mm425

Oct

39°

1mm355

22°

0mm401

Nov

40°

5mm322

26°

1mm378

Dec

40°

6mm301

29°

0mm430

Who Should Choose Darwin?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 118.5k residents
Peak season in June — 31 degrees, score 403

Who Should Choose Sydney?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Major city energy with 4.3m residents
Peak season in March — 28 degrees, score 440

Overall Verdict

The data favors Sydney as the more well-rounded choice. At $3809/mo versus Darwin's $4025/mo, that is a 5% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Darwin Sydney

ItemDarwinSydneyDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$14.27$13.59

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$74.75$81.55

McMeal or equivalent combo$10.87$9.5

13%

Cappuccino (regular)$3.46$3.11

10%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$6.8$6.12

10%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$5.78$6.29

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$2.37$2.23

Water (0.33L)$2.32$2.06

11%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.16$1.4

17%

White bread (500g)$2.07$2.31

10%

White rice (1kg)$2.31$1.88

19%

Eggs (12)$4.25$3.77

11%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$8.43$8.01

Beef round (1kg)$14.78$13.67

Local cheese (1kg)$7.61$7.76

Apples (1kg)$3.56$2.89

19%

Bananas (1kg)$2.91$2.36

19%

Oranges (1kg)$3.3$2.51

24%

Tomatoes (1kg)$4.3$5.28

19%

Potatoes (1kg)$2.89$2.33

19%

Onions (1kg)$2.8$2.1

25%

Lettuce (1 head)$2.8$2.61

Water (1.5L bottle)$2.31$1.47

36%

Wine, mid-range bottle$13.59$12.23

10%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$4.38$4.27

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$4.93$4.61

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$26.5$27.18

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$2.04$3.06

33%

Monthly transport pass$43.14$147.73

71%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$3.81$3.19

16%

Taxi per 1km$1.05$1.9

45%

Taxi 1hr waiting$37.64$40.77

Gasoline (1L)$1.34$1.38

Volkswagen Golf (new)$19,334.04$23,785.29

19%

Toyota Corolla (new)$18,311.95$19,828.64

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$170.7$133.25

22%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$60.68$50.66

17%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.42$0.45

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$43.09$57.5

25%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$20.9$15.34

27%

Cinema, 1 ticket$16.65$14.27

14%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$1,766.91$1,671.95

International primary school/yr$7,588.64$15,310.53

50%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$64.56$76.13

15%

Summer dress (chain store)$40.77$50.78

20%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$105.33$104.46

Men's leather business shoes$113.26$119.03

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,062.41$1,720.76

38%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$634.27$1,276.4

50%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$2,355.88$3,362.87

30%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,770.3$2,175.19

19%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$3,086.42$11,820.92

74%

Price per m², outside centre$2,378.53$6,996.74

66%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$4,728.33$4,683.94

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$4.08$2.97

27%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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