Wollongong at a glance
- Wollongong is the cheapest of Australia's 15 priced cities: $1,753 a month in essentials, 36% below Sydney at $2,738.
- The average net salary of $4,426 covers that 2.5×.
- 101.7 men per 100 women aged 20–39, measured at SA3 (statistical area) level.
- PM2.5 averages 8.1 µg/m³ a year, 2× the WHO guideline of 5.
Green is the better side of each figure. Every line is computed from the tables below.
Monthly cost breakdown
Rent outside centre plus utilities, groceries, dining and local transport make up the essentials figure. Not a full lifestyle budget. The middle column is the median across the 15 Australia cities we track, so every row says whether Wollongong is the cheap side of its own market or the dear one. Green is the better side of each row.
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $1,753 | $2,315 | 1.32× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $862 | $1,382 | 1.60× as much |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $1,005 | $1,737 | 1.73× as much |
| Groceriesmonthly, one person | $185 | $196 | $11 |
| Dining outmonthly, one person | $385 | $400 | $15 |
| Utilitiesmonthly: power, water, heating, internet | $239 | $244 | $5 |
| Local transportmonthly pass or fare equivalent | $82 | $93 | $11 |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $4,426 | $4,199 | $226 |
| Rent, 3-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $1,668 | $1,975 | $307 |
| Rent, 3-bed city centremonthly, USD | $1,995 | $2,517 | 1.26× as much |
Single person, USD. Data updated August 6, 2026.
Everyday prices
What single items cost in Wollongong, in USD. The monthly figures above are built from these. Cheaper side of each row in green.
Eating out
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $17.21 | $17.63 | $0.42 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal for 2, mid-range, three courses | $84.30 | $84.30 | same |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $10.54 | $10.58 | $0.04 |
| Cappuccino, regular | $3.51 | $4.00 | $0.49 |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $7.02 | $8.08 | $1.06 |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $7.02 | $7.73 | $0.71 |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $3.12 | $2.85 | $0.27 |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $2.25 | $2.42 | $0.17 |
Groceries
| Milk, 1 L | $1.17 | $1.72 | 1.47× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread, 500 g | $2.90 | $2.66 | $0.24 |
| White rice, 1 kg | $2.18 | $2.14 | $0.04 |
| Eggs, 12 | $4.06 | $5.25 | 1.29× as much |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $10.54 | $9.80 | $0.74 |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $9.48 | $9.40 | $0.08 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $2.98 | $3.87 | 1.30× as much |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $2.53 | $2.96 | $0.43 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $4.63 | $4.67 | $0.04 |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $2.37 | $2.78 | $0.41 |
| Onions, 1 kg | $2.55 | $2.41 | $0.14 |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $1.45 | $1.63 | $0.18 |
Transport & bills
| One-way ticket, local transport | $2.04 | $3.00 | 1.47× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi start | $4.07 | $3.51 | $0.56 |
| Taxi, 1 km | $1.61 | $1.61 | same |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $1.28 | $1.28 | same |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $187.78 | $187.78 | same |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $51.40 | $56.53 | $5.13 |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $27.92 | $28.89 | $0.97 |
Leisure
| Gym, monthly | $82.22 | $55.19 | 1.49× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema, one seat | $13.35 | $15.52 | $2.17 |
Dating-age sex ratio
Wollongong has 101.7 men per 100 women aged 20–39 (SA3 (statistical area) level). That is the 4th-highest of 16 Australia cities we track. Australia's national figure is 102.1 — about even.
A supply figure, 20–39. The dating-pool model is in Pro.
How Wollongong ranks against every city we track
Wollongong sits ahead of 97% of the 534 cities we track on salary against local costs. On local salary it is ahead of 94% of 545. Its weakest measure is cost of living, ahead of only 27% of 542.
Longer is better on every row: bar length is where Wollongong sits among all the cities carrying that measure, which is why the count differs by row.
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Photo: Mx. Granger, CC0.
