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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.92 A$25.28

$19.88 A$28.03

-9.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 A$104

$84.2 A$119

-12.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 A$15.96

$10.46 A$14.75

8.22%

Cappuccino

$4.39 A$6.19

$4.59 A$6.48

-4.36%

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

$2.91 A$4.10

$2.53 A$3.56

15.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 A$3.56

$2.11 A$2.98

19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.73 A$12.31

$8.49 A$11.97

2.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.49 A$11.97

$7.88 A$11.11

7.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.46

$1.71 A$2.41

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.78

$2.81 A$3.96

-4.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 A$3.34

$2.02 A$2.85

17.33%

Eggs

$5.02 A$7.08

$5.20 A$7.33

-3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 A$13.25

$8.47 A$11.94

10.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.29 A$13.11

$9.22 A$13.01

0.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.19 A$20.01

$16.88 A$23.81

-15.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 A$5.93

$4.24 A$5.98

-0.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 A$4.40

$3.15 A$4.44

-0.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.18

$3.50 A$4.93

-15.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 A$7.09

$4.88 A$6.88

3.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.99

$2.77 A$3.91

2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.51

$2.53 A$3.57

-1.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 A$3.39

$2.26 A$3.19

6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.75

$1.67 A$2.35

-25.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.66 A$54.5

$41.55 A$58.6

-6.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 A$18.44

$15.43 A$21.76

-15.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.35 A$7.55

$5.50 A$7.75

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 A$7.14

$5.82 A$8.21

-12.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.48

$2.76 A$3.90

-87.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.08 A$29.73

$84.0 A$118

-74.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 A$4.34

$3.62 A$5.11

-14.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.59

$1.54 A$2.18

19.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.32 A$58.3

$39.75 A$56.1

3.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 A$1.92

$1.27 A$1.79

7.09%

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

$28.4K A$40.1K

$29.7K A$41.9K

-4.38%

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

$29.3K A$41.3K

$33.2K A$46.9K

-11.91%

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

$161 A$227

$212 A$298

-23.76%

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

$26.36 A$37.18

$29.02 A$40.92

-9.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 A$85.9

$49.64 A$70.0

22.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 A$90.1

$63.4 A$89.5

0.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.59 A$30.45

$18.13 A$25.57

19.08%

Cinema Ticket

$17.98 A$25.36

$15.65 A$22.07

14.89%

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

$2,104 A$2,967

$2,301 A$3,245

-8.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K A$18.3K

$21.1K A$29.7K

-38.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.5 A$119

$87.2 A$123

-3.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 A$60.3

$57.5 A$81.1

-25.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 A$162

$102 A$143

13.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$158

$125 A$176

-9.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 A$2,824

$1,534 A$2,163

30.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 A$1,981

$1,104 A$1,556

27.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,457 A$4,876

$2,283 A$3,220

51.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 A$3,482

$1,824 A$2,573

35.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,337 A$11.8K

$6,616 A$9,330

26.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,333 A$8,931

$4,720 A$6,657

34.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,216 A$5,946

$2,688 A$3,790

56.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.81

5.87

-1.02%

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

Last update for Brisbane: September 15, 2026

Last update for Albany: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,002 in Brisbane and $1,534 in Albany. 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: $74.0 in Brisbane vs $84.0 in Albany for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $387 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

Brisbane vs Albany: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 57% higher in Brisbane, 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: $2,002 in Brisbane versus $1,534 in Albany. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,104 in Brisbane versus $2,301 in Albany. 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, Brisbane and Albany 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.