Make it a trip · Sydney, Australia
What Sydney costs
once you land
Real prices, from the airport ride to a room for the night, each with where we found it. Checked October 2026, around Sydney CBD and The Rocks.
Prices as the source quoted them.
Dorm bed, three cheap meals, getting around, a coffee, two beers and water.
Private room, a cheap lunch, dinner out (your half), a coffee, two beers, two rides and the top sight.
Arriving
-
Airport train station access fee Fixed
Charged on top of the normal fare to the city, about 15 minutes. Bus 420 to Mascot station then the train avoids the fee.
Source: Transport for NSW, getting to Sydney Airport (2026-10)
A$18.60 Book an airport pickup -
Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) Fixed
For US, CA, SG passports.
Apply in the official Australian ETA app. The charge stayed at A$20 after the July 2026 visa fee rise.
Source: Tern Visa, Australian visa fees 2026 (2026-07)
A$20 -
eVisitor visa, free Fixed
For GB, IE, NL, DE, FR passports.
Apply online before you fly; there is no government charge.
Source: Tern Visa, Australian visa fees 2026 (2026-07)
Free -
Visa on arrival, free Fixed
For NZ passports.
New Zealand citizens get a visa when they arrive.
Source: All Blog, Australia visa guide 2026 (2026)
Free -
Free
Getting around
-
Train, bus or ferry ride Many reports
Tap a contactless card or Opal card. Fares go by distance and are cheaper off peak.
Source: Numbeo, Sydney (2026-10)
A$4.30 -
Opal daily cap, weekdays Fixed
Trains, buses, ferries and light rail. Friday to Sunday the cap halves to A$9.65, so ferry trips to Manly are cheap.
Sources: App Journey, Sydney public transport (2026-03), Sydney Tourism, Opal guide (2026-09)
A$19.30
Eating and drinking
-
Meal at a cheap restaurant Many reports
Thai, a burger or a pub meal. Food courts in Haymarket are cheaper.
Source: Numbeo, Sydney (2026-10)
A$25 -
A$17
-
Dinner for two, three courses Many reports
A mid-range restaurant, without drinks. No tipping needed.
Source: Numbeo, Sydney (2026-10)
A$130 -
Flat white or cappuccino Many reports
Australian café coffee is excellent.
Source: Numbeo, Sydney (2026-10)
A$5.70 -
Draught beer, half a litre Many reports
A schooner is smaller and cheaper. Pubs have happy hours.
Source: Numbeo, Sydney (2026-10)
A$11.50
At the supermarket
-
A$1.70
-
A$4.10
-
Beer, half a litre, to take away Many reports
From a bottle shop; supermarkets don't sell alcohol in NSW. Most beaches ban drinking.
Source: Numbeo, Sydney (2026-10)
A$5.70
Doing
-
Sydney Opera House guided tour Fixed
Adult, about an hour, from April 2026. Watching from the forecourt or the Botanic Garden is free.
Source: Loudavym Krokem, Sydney Opera House 2026 (2026-02)
A$50 Get tickets -
Blue Mountains small-group day tour, from Range
Full day with Echo Point and a bush walk, usually A$114 to 189. The train there on your own is cheap with the weekend Opal cap.
Source: Experience Oz, Blue Mountains tours (2026)
A$114 Book the tour
Everyday
-
Self-service laundry, from Range
A wash at an inner-city laundromat. Drying costs extra.
Source: Traveloka, self-service laundry in Sydney (2026)
A$9 -
Coworking, day pass, from Range
CBD spaces charge A$60 to 70; Regus in Parramatta starts lower.
Source: LiquidSpace, SpaceCo 580 George Street (2026)
A$60
Sleeping, per night
-
Hostel dorm bed Range
December and January can top A$100 a bed.
Sources: Sydney Tourism, where to stay (2026-08), Cities Insider, Sydney short stays (2026-02)
A$45 to A$80 Find a hostel -
Private room in a hostel, from Range
Usually A$130 to 220. Budget CBD hotels cost about the same.
Source: Sydney Tourism, where to stay (2026-08)
A$130 Find a guesthouse -
Four-star hotel Many reports
Average rate. Summer weekends and New Year's Eve cost much more.
Source: Skyscanner, Sydney 4-star hotels (2026)
€121 Find a hotel
Prices change. Fixed fees come from official or widely reported figures; ranges are what travellers and operators report for 2026. Some links are affiliate links: they never change what you pay. How we make money.
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