Cost of Living Comparison Between Geelong and St. Albert, AB Cost of Living Comparison Between Geelong and St. Albert, AB

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,674 in Geelong versus $1,214 in St. Albert, AB.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,624 in Geelong versus $2,538 in St. Albert, AB.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,573 in Geelong versus $3,862 in St. Albert, AB.

Living in Geelong is roughly 120% more expensive than in St. Albert, AB, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Geelong is 95% above, St. Albert, AB is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.91 A$24.86

$20.59 CA$28.40

-13.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 A$121

$70.6 CA$97.3

23.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 A$15.01

$10.06 CA$13.88

7.55%

Cappuccino

$3.78 A$5.24

$3.93 CA$5.41

-3.82%

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

$2.67 A$3.71

$2.15 CA$2.97

24.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 A$3.15

$1.93 CA$2.66

17.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.55 A$9.10

$5.13 CA$7.08

27.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 A$8.09

$5.62 CA$7.74

3.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 A$2.36

$1.72 CA$2.37

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 A$3.16

$2.22 CA$3.07

2.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 A$2.06

$3.16 CA$4.36

-53.16%

Eggs

$3.94 A$5.47

$3.60 CA$4.96

9.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 A$12.00

$11.58 CA$15.97

-25.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 A$13.18

$11.61 CA$16.01

-18.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 A$22.08

$18.33 CA$25.27

-13.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 A$4.89

$4.50 CA$6.21

-21.78%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 A$4.22

$1.35 CA$1.86

125.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.11

$4.20 CA$5.80

-29.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 A$4.64

$3.96 CA$5.46

-15.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 A$4.30

$2.68 CA$3.69

15.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.09

$2.85 CA$3.93

-21.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.04

$2.65 CA$3.66

-17.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 A$2.36

$1.55 CA$2.14

9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$34.43 A$47.80

$14.46 CA$19.95

138.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.30 A$17.07

$12.18 CA$16.79

0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.73 A$5.17

$2.64 CA$3.63

41.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 A$4.21

$2.88 CA$3.98

5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.73 A$10.73

$2.20 CA$3.04

251.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 A$180

$63.2 CA$87.1

105.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 A$5.88

$2.90 CA$4.00

46.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.95

$1.35 CA$1.86

4.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.07 A$43.14

$21.55 CA$29.71

44.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 A$1.84

$1.19 CA$1.63

11.76%

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

$29.1K A$40.4K

$28.1K CA$38.7K

3.54%

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

$27.7K A$38.5K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

38.75%

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

$158 A$219

$184 CA$254

-14.39%

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

$26.36 A$36.59

$38.58 CA$53.2

-31.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 A$81.7

$56.3 CA$77.6

4.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.6 A$81.4

$41.61 CA$57.4

40.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.13 A$22.39

Cinema Ticket

$13.11 A$18.21

$13.34 CA$18.40

-1.72%

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

$2,220 A$3,082

$783 CA$1,079

183.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K A$45.8K

$9,897 CA$13.6K

233.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 A$113

$56.8 CA$78.3

43.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 A$71.8

$39.09 CA$53.9

32.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 A$132

$86.7 CA$120

9.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$114 CA$157

-7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 A$1,860

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 A$1,979

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,817 A$2,522

$1,348 CA$1,858

34.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 A$2,149

$1,156 CA$1,595

33.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,704 A$9,306

$2,564 CA$3,536

161.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,446 A$7,561

$2,578 CA$3,556

111.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,126 A$4,339

$3,355 CA$4,627

-6.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

4.4

32.95%

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

Last update for Geelong: August 31, 2026

Last update for St. Albert, AB: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

St. Albert, AB pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $87.0 in Geelong vs $71.0 in St. Albert, AB. Groceries flip the comparison at $339 vs $368, with Geelong 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

Geelong vs St. Albert, AB: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Geelong and St. Albert, AB differ by about 120% in total monthly costs ($2,674 vs $1,214 including rent). St. Albert, AB is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in St. Albert, AB. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $2,674 per month in Geelong versus $1,214 in St. Albert, AB – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in St. Albert, AB runs roughly 105% less than in Geelong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,214 in St. Albert, AB versus $2,674 in Geelong, a $1,000 budget is realistic in St. Albert, AB but tight or insufficient in Geelong. The gap between the two cities makes St. Albert, AB 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, Geelong and St. Albert, AB 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 St. Albert, AB gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Geelong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.