One of Wollongong’s southern suburbs can lay claim to the state’s cheapest home-delivered pad thai.
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A Fairfax Media analysis of Menulog data covering more than 3000 NSW restaurants has revealed the cheapest areas to buy the popular noodle dish – as well as others like a large Margherita pizza and Indian butter chicken curry.
The analysis shows that each of the menu items are generally cheaper in southern areas of the Illawarra.
The data reflects what is available for home delivery in a postcode – not what is delivered from a suburb.
Pad thai
When it comes to pad thai, the cheapest in NSW was found in the 2506 postcode (Berkeley) – where noodle fans can get their hands on the dish for an average price of just $9.70.
The Illawarra’s most expensive pad thai was in the Albion Park area (postcode 2527) at $14.25.
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Average pad thai prices by Illawarra postcode
- 2500 - $13.59
- 2502 - $11.21
- 2505 - $11.77
- 2506 - $9.70
- 2508 - N/A
- 2515 - $13.93
- 2516 - $13.48
- 2517 - $13.02
- 2518 - $13.33
- 2519 - $13.76
- 2525 - $13.96
- 2526 - $11.18
- 2527 - $14.25
- 2528 - $13.78
- 2529 - $14.05
- 2530 - $11.77
- 2533 - $12.90
Green curry
The Albion Park area also took out out the gong for the most expensive green curry. On average, residents of postcode 2527 pay $17.01 for the dish.
The cheapest postcode to buy the curry was 2530 – around Dapto, Kanahooka and Haywards Bay – where the price was $10.50.
Average green curry prices by Illawarra postcode
- 2500 - $13.79
- 2502 - $12.53
- 2505 - $13.20
- 2506 - $10.50
- 2508 - N/A
- 2515 - $13.98
- 2516 - $13.67
- 2517 - $13.19
- 2518 - $13.34
- 2519 - $13.33
- 2525 - $13.66
- 2526 - $12.45
- 2527 - $17.01
- 2528 - $15.50
- 2529 - $15.88
- 2530 - $10.50
- 2533 - $12.90
Large Margherita
For pizza lovers, that analysis showed a large margherita will set you back $19.50 in Helensburgh (postcode 2508), while it’ll cost, on average, $15.25 in the 2519 postcode (Balgownie, Fairy Meadow and Mount Ousley area).
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Average large margherita prices by Illawarra postcode
- 2500 - $15.70
- 2502 - $15.35
- 2505 - $16.19
- 2506 - $15.25
- 2508 - $19.50
- 2515 - $18.74
- 2516 - $17.98
- 2517 - $17.98
- 2518 - $17.21
- 2519 - $15.25
- 2525 - $15.65
- 2526 - $16.81
- 2527 - $16.74
- 2528 - $16.60
- 2529 - $16.74
- 2530 - $16.52
- 2533 - N/A
Butter chicken
The cheapest butter chicken was in the Kiama area (postcode 2533) at $15.90 on average.
The same dish costs $17.63 in postcode 2517 (Woonona and Russell Vale area).
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Average butter chicken prices by Illawarra postcode
- 2500 - $17.52
- 2502 - $16.99
- 2505 - $16.99
- 2506 - $16.99
- 2508 - $16.99
- 2515 - $17.32
- 2516 - $17.45
- 2517 - $17.63
- 2518 - $17.54
- 2519 - $17.51
- 2525 - $17.54
- 2526 - $17.42
- 2527 - $16.60
- 2528 - $16.77
- 2529 - $16.47
- 2530 - $17.42
- 2533 - $15.90
About the data
Menulog processed 13.8 million orders nationally in 2016 and its delivery network covers 91 per cent of the population in NSW and almost 100 per cent of the greater Sydney region.
All menu items were assessed on February 5, 2018 and dishes were identified with the following heuristics:
- Butter chicken - matched on the words "butter chicken".
- Pad thai - Seafood, duck and vegetarian options were excluded because they skewed prices higher and lower and were not ordered very often.
- Large Margherita pizza refers to 12-14" pizzas, and excludes 'Extra Large'.
- Green curry refers to all green curry dishes.