What $1,000 Buys You: 5 English-Speaking Cities (From Dublin to Auckland)
Five Cities. One Budget.
What Does $1,000 USD Get You?
Same budget. Five English-speaking cities. What that money actually buys.
This is not a lifestyle guide or a “should you move there” post.
It’s a price check.
A basket of basics that shows what your dollar buys in Dublin, London, Toronto, Sydney and Auckland.
What’s in the basket:
Housing.
Utilities and internet.
Groceries.
Some meals out.
Public transport with a few ride shares.
Mobile data.
Gym (even if just a few days).
Light work setup (couple of co-working days or café sessions).
One small treat each week.
What I leave out:
Flights.
Health insurance.
Visas and work permits.
Nightlife and big shopping trips.
Debt payments or savings goals.
Let’s see how you get around with $1.000 in your pocket in those five. As you probably already expect, this budget won’t get you very far in those particular cities.
Dublin, Ireland
Ireland’s capital on the River Liffey. Historic pubs, tech industry hub, and easy access to coastal walks.
Exchange rate used: 1 USD = 0.92 EUR.
Housing
Private room in a shared apartment from local listings.
Utilities and Wi-Fi included.
Total: 760 USD.
Connectivity
Total: 22 USD.
Gym
Total: 35 USD.
Groceries for home cooking
Eggs, chicken, rice, pasta, greens, fruit, bread, milk, coffee, oil, basics for breakfast and dinner at Tesco, Lidl, or Aldi.
Subtotal: 260 USD.
Meals out
Subtotal: 80 USD.
Cafés
Three coffees for work sessions.
Subtotal: 14 USD.
Work setup
One coworking day pass for a focus day.
Subtotal: 35 USD.
Getting around
TFI 90-minute fares on Leap Card for buses and Luas.
A few short Ubers.
Subtotal: 45 USD.
Small joys
One treat for the month.
DART train to Howth for coastal walk and fish and chips.
Subtotal: 15 USD.
Laundry and toiletries
Detergent, shampoo, basics, two loads at laundromat a week.
Subtotal: 30 USD.
Total spent: 760 + 22 + 35 + 260 + 80 + 14 + 35 + 45 + 15 + 30 = $1,296.
We went $296 over budget. But rent in Dublin comes at a price unfortunately, and we’re not going to split a single room.
What we cannot buy
A private studio near city center.
A full co-working membership.
Monthly transport pass.
Daily Ubers across the city.
Restaurant dinners more than once a week.
Weekend trips to Galway or Cork.
Regular café work sessions.
Entertainment like concerts or theater.
London, United Kingdom
The UK capital. Historic landmarks, world-class museums, global business hub, multicultural neighborhoods.
Exchange rate used: 1 USD = 0.77 GBP.
Housing
Private room in a shared apartment from local listings (we are looking at outer zones like Stratford, Walthamstow, or Peckham to stay near budget).
Utilities and Wi-Fi included.
Total: 650 USD.
Connectivity
Prepaid SIM with 30-day data pack.
Total: 20 USD.
Gym
Total: 40 USD.
Groceries for home cooking
Eggs, chicken, rice, pasta, greens, fruit, bread, milk, coffee, oil, basics for breakfast and dinner at Aldi or Lidl.
Subtotal: 250 USD.
Meals out
Four neighborhood lunches or cheap dinners.
Subtotal: 50 USD.
Cafés
Three coffees for work sessions.
Subtotal: 12 USD.
Work setup
One coworking day pass for a focus day.
Subtotal: 35 USD.
Getting around
Oyster card for buses and trains.
A few short Ubers.
Subtotal: 60 USD.
Small joys
Laundry and toiletries
Detergent, shampoo, basics, two loads at laundromat a week.
Subtotal: 45 USD.
Total spent: 650 + 20 + 40 + 250 + 50 + 12 + 35 + 60 + 15 + 45 = $1,177.
We went $177 over budget. London is expensive. Always has been. Still, there simply is nowhere else quite like it.
What we cannot buy
A private studio near city center.
A full co-working membership.
Monthly transport pass.
Daily Ubers across the city.
Restaurant dinners more than once a week.
Weekend trips to Scotland or Europe.
Regular café work sessions.
Entertainment like West End shows or Premier League matches.
Toronto, Canada
A huge, multicultural city on Lake Ontario. Cold winters, solid transit, and neighborhoods that feel like different countries.
Exchange rate used: 1 USD = 1.39 CAD.
Housing
Private room in a shared apartment in North York or Scarborough from local listings.
Utilities and Wi-Fi included.
Total: 650 USD.
Connectivity
Prepaid SIM with 30-day data pack.
Total: 25 USD.
Gym
Budget gym membership at Planet Fitness or Fit4Less.
Total: 12 USD.
Groceries for home cooking
Eggs, chicken, rice, pasta, greens, fruit, bread, milk, coffee, oil, basics for breakfast and dinner at Loblaws, No Frills, or Walmart.
Subtotal: 220 USD.
Meals out
Subtotal: 85 USD.
Cafés
Subtotal: 18 USD.
Work setup
One coworking day pass for a focus day.
Subtotal: 18 USD.
Getting around
Small joys
One treat for the month.
Waterfront walk with snacks or museum visit.
Subtotal: 15 USD.
Laundry and toiletries
Detergent, shampoo, basics from Shoppers Drug Mart or Walmart, two loads at laundromat a week.
Subtotal: 25 USD.
Total spent 650 + 25 + 12 + 220 + 85 + 18 + 18 + 55 + 15 + 25 = $1,123.
We went $123 over budget. But Toronto had the best gym deal at $12, so we’re not complaining.
What we cannot buy
A private studio anywhere near downtown.
A full co-working membership.
TTC monthly pass.
Daily Ubers across the city.
Restaurant dinners more than once a week.
Weekend trips to Montreal or Niagara Falls.
Regular café sessions for work.
Entertainment like concerts or sports games.
Sydney, Australia
Australia’s largest city with a stunning natural harbor. World-famous landmarks, surf beaches, and a strong tech ecosystem.
Exchange rate used: 1 USD = 1.54 AUD.
Housing
Private room in a shared apartment from local listings (we cannot live in a central area in Sydney and stay within budget, but there is public transport to get us to the CBD).
Utilities and Wi-Fi included.
Total: 780 USD.
Connectivity
Prepaid SIM with 30-day data pack.
Total: 20 USD.
Gym
Total: 55 USD.
Groceries for home cooking
Eggs, chicken, rice, pasta, greens, fruit, bread, milk, coffee, oil, basics for breakfast and dinner at Woolworths, Coles, or Aldi.
Subtotal: 150 USD.
Meals out
Four neighborhood lunches or cheap dinners (not CBD).
Subtotal: 45 USD.
Cafés
Three coffees for work sessions.
Subtotal: 10 USD.
Work setup
One coworking day pass for a focus day.
Subtotal: 30 USD.
Getting around
Opal card for buses and trains.
A few short Ubers.
Subtotal: 50 USD.
Small joys
One treat for the month.
Train to Blue Mountains for bushwalks and Three Sisters.
Subtotal: 10 USD.
Laundry and toiletries
Detergent, shampoo, basics, two loads at laundromat a week.
Subtotal: 35 USD.
Total spent: 780 + 20 + 55 + 150 + 45 + 10 + 30 + 50 + 10 + 35 = $1,185.
We went $185 over budget. But harbor views and mountain escapes are what you came for. And we also compromised on the area we stay at. If we would rent a room in a central area, the $1.000 would be housing budget alone.
What we cannot buy
A private studio near city center.
A full co-working membership.
Monthly transport pass.
Daily Ubers across the city.
Restaurant dinners more than once a week.
Weekend trips to Melbourne or Byron Bay.
Regular café work sessions.
Entertainment like concerts or sporting events.
Auckland, New Zealand
A beautiful harbor city across volcanic islands. Mild climate, Polynesian culture, and access to beaches and islands.
Exchange rate used: 1 USD = 1.64 NZD.
Housing
Private room in a shared apartment from local listings.
Utilities and Wi-Fi included.
Total: 715 USD.
Connectivity
Total: 25 USD.
Gym
Total: 55 USD.
Groceries for home cooking
Eggs, chicken, rice, pasta, greens, fruit, bread, milk, coffee, oil, basics for breakfast and dinner at Countdown or Pak’nSave.
Subtotal: 280 USD.
Meals out
Subtotal: 55 USD.
Cafés
Three coffees for work sessions.
Subtotal: 14 USD.
Work setup
One coworking day pass for a focus day.
Subtotal: 23 USD.
Getting around
A few short Ubers.
Subtotal: 40 USD.
Small joys
One treat for the month.
Off-peak ferry to Waiheke Island for wine tasting and beaches.
Subtotal: 30 USD.
Laundry and toiletries
Detergent, shampoo, basics, two loads at laundromat a week.
Subtotal: 30 USD.
Total spent: 715 + 25 + 55 + 280 + 55 + 14 + 23 + 40 + 30 + 30 = $1,267.
We went $267 over budget. But islands and volcanoes are what you came for. You can’t visit New Zealand and NOT take in the stunning nature.
What we cannot buy
A private studio near city center.
A full co-working membership.
Monthly transport pass.
Daily Ubers across the city.
Restaurant dinners more than once a week.
Weekend trips to Rotorua or Bay of Islands.
Regular café work sessions.
Entertainment like concerts or rugby matches.
Head To Head
Cheapest gym
Toronto at $12. You can actually afford to work out.
Best transport value
Auckland at $40. Smaller city means getting around won’t drain your budget.
Worth the overspend
Auckland and Sydney. $185-$267 over, but you’re hiking mountains and taking ferries to islands on weekends.
Most painful
Dublin. $296 over. Rent is $760 and you haven’t done anything yet.
The real answer
None of these work on $1,000. But now you know what these cities actually cost.
Closing
Same budget. Five cities. All of them went over.
Or something very exotic like Ashgabat, Tehran, or Bishkek?
Drop your pick in the comments.
Thanks for reading and being part of this journey,
— Ben
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