Cost of Living Comparison Between Albury and Sydney Cost of Living Comparison Between Albury and Sydney

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,259 in Albury versus $3,344 in Sydney.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,411 in Albury versus $4,844 in Sydney.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,564 in Albury versus $6,343 in Sydney.

Living in Albury costs roughly 32% less than in Sydney, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Albury 64% above, Sydney 143% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 A$27.49

$17.60 A$24.56

11.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.7 A$131

$94.7 A$132

-1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 A$14.73

$12.08 A$16.86

-12.58%

Cappuccino

$4.20 A$5.86

$4.01 A$5.59

4.74%

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

$3.19 A$4.45

$2.87 A$4.00

11.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 A$3.78

$2.28 A$3.18

18.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 A$10.05

$8.09 A$11.29

-11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.11

$7.15 A$9.97

1.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 A$2.35

$1.82 A$2.54

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 A$4.73

$2.73 A$3.80

24.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.34 A$3.27

11.11%

Eggs

$5.62 A$7.84

$5.84 A$8.15

-3.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 A$12.58

$12.90 A$18.00

-30.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.00 A$15.35

$9.71 A$13.55

13.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 A$18.26

$16.78 A$23.41

-21.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 A$4.90

$3.84 A$5.36

-8.59%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.40

$3.08 A$4.30

2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 A$5.09

$3.40 A$4.74

7.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.14 A$7.17

$4.58 A$6.39

12.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.54

$3.17 A$4.43

2.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 A$2.97

$2.55 A$3.56

-16.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 A$3.35

$2.46 A$3.44

-2.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.13

$1.28 A$1.79

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.34 A$39.54

$46.08 A$64.3

-38.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.70 A$20.51

$14.12 A$19.70

4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.40

$4.21 A$5.88

8.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 A$8.16

$4.08 A$5.70

43.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 A$5.34

$3.34 A$4.66

14.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.5 A$104

$153 A$213

-51.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 A$5.05

$3.57 A$4.99

1.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 A$2.31

$1.60 A$2.23

3.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.60 A$60.9

$41.39 A$57.8

5.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 A$1.80

$1.37 A$1.91

-5.84%

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

$27.8K A$38.9K

$30.6K A$42.7K

-9.05%

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

$28.3K A$39.5K

$30.9K A$43.1K

-8.27%

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

$184 A$257

$230 A$321

-19.99%

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

$28.03 A$39.11

$27.25 A$38.03

2.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 A$79.1

$56.8 A$79.2

-0.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 A$200

$75.3 A$105

90.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 A$33.06

$24.26 A$33.86

-2.35%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 A$18.55

$17.75 A$24.77

-25.13%

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

$2,218 A$3,096

$2,234 A$3,117

-0.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K A$29.5K

$29.5K A$41.2K

-28.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 A$88.7

$79.7 A$111

-20.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.64 A$59.5

$73.2 A$102

-41.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 A$138

$112 A$156

-11.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$156

$131 A$183

-14.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 A$1,621

$2,627 A$3,666

-55.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$908 A$1,267

$1,809 A$2,524

-49.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,969 A$2,748

$5,241 A$7,314

-62.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 A$2,031

$3,037 A$4,238

-52.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,339 A$11.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,899 A$6,836

$4,164 A$5,811

17.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

5.84

1.88%

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

Last update for Albury: September 1, 2026

Last update for Sydney: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,162 in Albury and $2,627 in Sydney. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Albury pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $94.0 in Albury vs $95.0 in Sydney. Groceries flip the comparison at $388 vs $387, with Sydney cheaper for home cooking.

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

Albury vs Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albury wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Albury the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Albury, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,162 in Albury versus $2,627 in Sydney. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sydney pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Albury – a meal for two runs $94.0 versus $95.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,259 in Albury versus $3,344 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albury but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Albury the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Albury and Sydney are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Albury gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.