Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Albury Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Albury

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,635 in Brisbane versus $2,266 in Albury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,941 in Brisbane versus $3,439 in Albury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,247 in Brisbane versus $4,613 in Albury.

Living in Brisbane is roughly 16% more expensive than in Albury, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brisbane 93% above, Albury 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.92 A$25.10

$19.67 A$27.54

-8.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 A$103

$92.6 A$130

-20.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 A$15.85

$10.89 A$15.26

3.95%

Cappuccino

$4.39 A$6.15

$4.06 A$5.69

8.13%

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

$2.91 A$4.07

$3.18 A$4.45

-8.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 A$3.53

$2.76 A$3.87

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.73 A$12.22

$7.01 A$9.82

24.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.49 A$11.89

$7.19 A$10.07

18.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.44

$1.60 A$2.24

8.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.75

$3.26 A$4.56

-17.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 A$3.32

$2.70 A$3.78

-12.22%

Eggs

$5.02 A$7.03

$5.58 A$7.81

-10.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 A$13.16

$8.57 A$12.00

9.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.29 A$13.02

$10.69 A$14.98

-13.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.19 A$19.87

$12.81 A$17.94

10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 A$5.89

$3.30 A$4.62

27.58%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 A$4.37

$3.19 A$4.47

-2.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.15

$3.59 A$5.03

-17.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 A$7.04

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$3.18 A$4.45

-11.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.48

$2.10 A$2.94

18.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 A$3.36

$2.38 A$3.33

0.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.74

$1.50 A$2.09

-17.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.66 A$54.1

$28.07 A$39.32

37.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 A$18.31

$15.05 A$21.08

-13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.35 A$7.49

$4.44 A$6.21

20.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 A$7.09

$5.70 A$7.98

-11.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.48

$3.87 A$5.42

-91.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.08 A$29.52

$72.4 A$101

-70.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 A$4.31

$3.60 A$5.05

-14.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.58

$1.67 A$2.34

10.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.32 A$57.9

$43.59 A$61.1

-5.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 A$1.90

$1.28 A$1.79

6.25%

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

$28.4K A$39.8K

$27.1K A$38.0K

4.74%

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

$29.3K A$41.0K

$28.3K A$39.7K

3.35%

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

$161 A$226

$188 A$263

-14.26%

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

$26.36 A$36.92

$27.50 A$38.52

-4.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 A$85.3

$56.7 A$79.3

7.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 A$89.4

$144 A$201

-55.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.59 A$30.24

$23.34 A$32.69

-7.50%

Cinema Ticket

$17.98 A$25.18

$13.16 A$18.43

36.63%

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

$2,104 A$2,947

$2,200 A$3,081

-4.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K A$18.1K

$21.1K A$29.6K

-38.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.5 A$118

$63.3 A$88.6

33.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 A$59.9

$43.12 A$60.4

-0.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 A$161

$98.3 A$138

16.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$157

$113 A$158

-0.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 A$2,804

$1,154 A$1,617

73.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 A$1,968

$912 A$1,277

54.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,457 A$4,842

$1,993 A$2,791

73.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 A$3,458

$1,414 A$1,980

74.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,337 A$11.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,333 A$8,869

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,216 A$5,905

$4,869 A$6,820

-13.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.81

5.95

-2.35%

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

Last update for Brisbane: September 15, 2026

Last update for Albury: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,002 in Brisbane and $1,154 in Albury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Albury pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Brisbane vs $93.0 in Albury for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $379 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 Albury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albury wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Brisbane. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Albury the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Albury. 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: $2,002 in Brisbane versus $1,154 in Albury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Brisbane pay roughly 3% 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 $93.0 versus $74.0 in Brisbane. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,266 in Albury versus $2,635 in Brisbane, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albury but tight or insufficient in Brisbane. 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, Brisbane and Albury 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 16% less than in Brisbane. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.