Cost of Living Comparison Between Albany and Brisbane Cost of Living Comparison Between Albany and Brisbane

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,634 in Albany versus $2,635 in Brisbane.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,759 in Albany versus $3,941 in Brisbane.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,883 in Albany versus $5,247 in Brisbane.

Monthly costs are close between Albany and Brisbane; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Albany 93% above, Brisbane 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 A$28.03

$17.92 A$25.28

10.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.2 A$119

$73.6 A$104

14.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.46 A$14.75

$11.32 A$15.96

-7.60%

Cappuccino

$4.59 A$6.48

$4.39 A$6.19

4.56%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 A$3.56

$2.91 A$4.10

-13.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 A$2.98

$2.52 A$3.56

-16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.49 A$11.97

$8.73 A$12.31

-2.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 A$11.11

$8.49 A$11.97

-7.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 A$2.41

$1.74 A$2.46

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 A$3.96

$2.68 A$3.78

4.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 A$2.85

$2.37 A$3.34

-14.77%

Eggs

$5.20 A$7.33

$5.02 A$7.08

3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.47 A$11.94

$9.40 A$13.25

-9.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 A$13.01

$9.29 A$13.11

-0.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.88 A$23.81

$14.19 A$20.01

18.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 A$5.98

$4.21 A$5.93

0.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 A$4.44

$3.12 A$4.40

0.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$4.93

$2.96 A$4.18

18.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.88

$5.03 A$7.09

-2.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.91

$2.83 A$3.99

-2.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.57

$2.49 A$3.51

1.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 A$3.19

$2.40 A$3.39

-5.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 A$2.35

$1.24 A$1.75

34.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$41.55 A$58.6

$38.66 A$54.5

7.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 A$21.76

$13.07 A$18.44

18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.50 A$7.75

$5.35 A$7.55

2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 A$8.21

$5.07 A$7.14

14.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 A$3.90

$0.34 A$0.48

711.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.0 A$118

$21.08 A$29.73

298.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 A$5.11

$3.08 A$4.34

17.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 A$2.18

$1.84 A$2.59

-16.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.75 A$56.1

$41.32 A$58.3

-3.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 A$1.79

$1.36 A$1.92

-6.62%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.7K A$41.9K

$28.4K A$40.1K

4.58%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.2K A$46.9K

$29.3K A$41.3K

13.52%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$212 A$298

$161 A$227

31.17%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.02 A$40.92

$26.36 A$37.18

10.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.64 A$70.0

$60.9 A$85.9

-18.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 A$89.5

$63.9 A$90.1

-0.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.13 A$25.57

$21.59 A$30.45

-16.03%

Cinema Ticket

$15.65 A$22.07

$17.98 A$25.36

-12.96%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,301 A$3,245

$2,104 A$2,967

9.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K A$29.7K

$12.9K A$18.3K

62.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.2 A$123

$84.5 A$119

3.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 A$81.1

$42.77 A$60.3

34.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$143

$115 A$162

-11.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 A$176

$112 A$158

11.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 A$2,163

$2,002 A$2,824

-23.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 A$1,556

$1,405 A$1,981

-21.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,283 A$3,220

$3,457 A$4,876

-33.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 A$2,573

$2,469 A$3,482

-26.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,616 A$9,330

$8,337 A$11.8K

-20.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,720 A$6,657

$6,333 A$8,931

-25.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,688 A$3,790

$4,216 A$5,946

-36.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.81

1.03%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Albany: September 14, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Albany and $2,002 in Brisbane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brisbane pays 57% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $84.0 in Albany vs $74.0 in Brisbane for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $369 per month, with Brisbane cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Albany vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Brisbane. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,534 in Albany versus $2,002 in Brisbane. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,301 in Albany versus $2,104 in Brisbane. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Albany – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $74.0 in Brisbane. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Albany is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Albany and Brisbane are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Albany wins on affordability, Brisbane on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.