- <em>Art Gallery of NSW - Free Entry</em>
- <em>Picnic at the Royal Botanic Gardens - Free Entry</em>
- <em>Sandoitchi Cafe</em>
- <em>Friggitoria Street Food</em>
- <em>Bills Sydney, Darlinghurst & Surrey Hills</em>
- <em>Cho Cho San</em>
- <em>Sunset at Macquarie’s Chair - Free Entry</em>
- <em>Sydney by Kayak</em>
Free things to do in Sydney
Art Gallery of NSW
Cost – Free admission (certain exhibitions attract an additional cost)
Like most major cities, Sydney has its fair share of incredible galleries. The Art Gallery of NSW is one of the most popular due to the wide selection of curated exhibitions spanning from historic to contemporary.
Entry to this flagship museum is free which means art is accessible to everyone walking through its doorway, though charges do apply to exhibits such as the annual Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes. It’s definitely worth carving out a few hours for quiet exploration of this iconic Sydney museum.
There is also the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) located at Circular Quay if you are looking for another museum with free entry. Take a stroll from the Art Gallery of NSW to the Museum of Contemporary Art through the Royal Botanic Gardens. The half-hour walk makes for a lovely stroll in the Botanic Gardens on a nice sunny day.
Picnic at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney
Cost - free entry
With approximately 55 sculptures and around 4,000 trees, Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens are at least an hour’s worth of exploration, if not more! Fun fact, the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens has the largest interior green wall in the Southern Hemisphere.
If you’re not inspired by water-based activities but keen to bask in the presence of some of Sydney’s most iconic attractions, then head to Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens for a stroll in the heart of Sydney or even better, a typical Sydneysider picnic. Entry to the gardens is free and you can pretty much set up camp anywhere you like on the lush grass amidst the manicured garden beds. There are free tours several times a week at 10.30 am and 1 pm Mon-Friday or pack a picnic and enjoy the view. If you are not keen on packing a picnic, there are some affordable food trucks at the entrance of the garden or some affordable restaurants in Circular Quay to explore and take out.
Most areas come with a vantage point of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, so BYO rug, pack your favourite things to eat and drink and while away the hours on a glorious day. There’s plenty of space to roam and interesting learning programmes to access should you wish for a curated visit, just know these might have an associated cost attached.
Cheap eats in Sydney
Sandoitchi Cafe
Cost - $3.50-$36
There are several cheap cafes and places to eat around Sydney, but Sandoitchi cafe stands out like no other. For lunch that packs a punch after a morning of art and culture check into Sandoitchi café. Located in hip Darlinghurst, this petit cafe serves sandwiches with a Japanese twist.
Getting the perfect ratio of bun and filling is no simple task but this café delivers on flavour and texture. Think pork and pickles on thick-cut white bread or spicy eggplant with miso dressing for a hit of veggies.
This place also serves a range of delicious-looking bowls from 9 am. plus you can’t leave without draining a cup of Single O coffee. The best part is, these zingy sando’s won’t break the budget, with an average cost of $13 per serve. They are easily one of the best cheap eats in Sydney.
Friggitoria Street Food
Cost - $8-$20
Dining out in Sydney doesn’t need to be expensive or fussy to be delicious. Head to Friggitoria in vibrant Kings Cross for simple Italian street food perfect for dining out on a budget. It makes for a cheap easy dinner in the typical roadside bistro style. Here you’ll be transported back to the hectic side streets of Naples with authentic dishes including Lasagna Napoletana and Panzerotto (classic Pugilese fried pizza parcel filled with tasty salami and ricotta).
For afters’, take your pick from a modest selection of Italian sweets done right, including classic creamy Tiramisu and deep-fried sweet pizza filled with gooey Nutella. Whether it is for an inexpensive meal for large groups or easy meals for two on a budget, Friggitoria is a definite go-to!
Cho Cho San
Cost – $5-$65
For a Sydney dinner with a vibe, head to the charming area of Potts Point for izakaya-style, social dining. Cho Cho San serves authentic Japanese cuisine at a long dining room bar, so it’s perfect when you’re looking for an informal place to eat with friends.
The bar is stocked high with spirits for the perfect blend to enjoy with Japanese tasters from the Raw Bar or Izakaya Snack bar. For more substantial dining try the Ramen special for $30 (for the base recipe) or splash out a little more on the Izakaya Set menu at $65 per person. Cho Cho San is definitely a great place for authentic group dining in Sydney.
Bills Sydney, Darlinghurst & Surry Hills
Cost – $6-$28
With a dining philosophy that reflects the sunny attitude of Australians, there aren’t many eateries quite as iconic as Bills. While the iconic pancake house might not be as cheap as other cheap bites in Sydney, the hotcake stacks are more than worth it.
Think classic breakfast and lunch menu items that’ll warm you from the inside out, served in communal surroundings that feel homely and generous. Not many go past the famous ricotta hotcakes served warm with banana and honeycomb butter (pictured above), there are also breakfast bowls and big Australian brekkie staple items incorporating eggs, bacon and herbed garlic mushrooms if you’re up for a big feed.
You can visit this cafe on a budget if you’re content with a hot beverage and a slice of iggy’s sourdough toast, however, to get the full Aussie breakfast experience you might want to open the purse strings a little further.
Cheap ways to enjoy the Sydney scenery
Sunset at Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair
Cost – Free to access
A ‘chair’ carved from a sandstone rock by convicts in the 1800’s, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair is a Sydney icon and an unmissable vantage point from which to soak up views of Sydney Harbour, the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge – all in 1 go!
Among the various places to visit in Sydney, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair is a formidable spot to catch the sunset at. Drop by around half an hour before sunset to see the gorgeous orange and pink hues kissing the sky as another day closes on the harbour city. Any Sydney sightseeing would be incomplete without a view of the Opera House and the Habour Bridge against the sunset. The best part is there’s no entry fee for this spectacle.
Sydney by Kayak
Cost - $50 - $380
With the cash saved on budget Sydney accommodation and the modest list of activities highlighted so far, it’s more than fair to splash out a little on an activity that will really cement some amazing Sydney memories. Sydney by Kayak is operated by a husband and wife duo who are passionate about movement and getting out on the water to experience Sydney from a whole new perspective. There may be no better way to take in the Sydney views.
Whilst many of us have travelled across (or even over the top) of the Sydney Harbour bridge, not many of us have paddled independently below it – definitely a highlight of this water-based Sydney adventure activity. Tours that start from $50 include Group Kayak Fitness and Social Paddles. Should you be looking for a more immersive experience, check out the Sunrise Kayak and Coffee tour, which allows you to experience a perfect Sydney morning from the water, watching the sunrise coffee-in-hand before the harbour kicks into full throttle. Sydney by Kayak is one of the most value-for-money things to do in Sydney.
If you’re ready to create your own adventure and looking to visit Sydney on a budget, check out these cheap accommodation Sydney options today.
