Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Albany Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Albany

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,292 in Sydney versus $2,634 in Albany.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,899 in Sydney versus $3,759 in Albany.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,505 in Sydney versus $4,883 in Albany.

Living in Sydney is roughly 25% more expensive than in Albany, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 141% above, Albany 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 A$25.24

$19.88 A$28.03

-9.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.0 A$131

$84.2 A$119

10.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 A$17.01

$10.46 A$14.75

15.30%

Cappuccino

$3.96 A$5.58

$4.59 A$6.48

-13.73%

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

$2.89 A$4.07

$2.53 A$3.56

14.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.19

$2.11 A$2.98

7.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 A$11.12

$8.49 A$11.97

-7.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.22

$7.88 A$11.11

-7.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 A$2.56

$1.71 A$2.41

5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 A$3.89

$2.81 A$3.96

-2.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.41

$2.02 A$2.85

19.80%

Eggs

$5.82 A$8.20

$5.20 A$7.33

11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 A$17.67

$8.47 A$11.94

47.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.88 A$13.93

$9.22 A$13.01

7.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 A$23.34

$16.88 A$23.81

-1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 A$5.13

$4.24 A$5.98

-14.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.42

$3.15 A$4.44

-0.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.82

$3.50 A$4.93

-2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.66

$4.88 A$6.88

-3.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.66

$2.77 A$3.91

19.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.52

$2.53 A$3.57

-1.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.35

$2.26 A$3.19

5.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.76

$1.67 A$2.35

-25.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.38 A$65.4

$41.55 A$58.6

11.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.44

$15.43 A$21.76

-6.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 A$6.04

$5.50 A$7.75

-22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 A$5.67

$5.82 A$8.21

-30.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.71

$2.76 A$3.90

21.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 A$223

$84.0 A$118

88.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.90

$3.62 A$5.11

-4.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 A$2.36

$1.54 A$2.18

8.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 A$57.8

$39.75 A$56.1

3.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.03

$1.27 A$1.79

13.39%

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

$30.5K A$43.0K

$29.7K A$41.9K

2.55%

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

$30.4K A$42.9K

$33.2K A$46.9K

-8.40%

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

$229 A$323

$212 A$298

8.38%

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

$27.42 A$38.67

$29.02 A$40.92

-5.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$80.4

$49.64 A$70.0

14.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 A$113

$63.4 A$89.5

26.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 A$34.74

$18.13 A$25.57

35.85%

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 A$25.28

$15.65 A$22.07

14.50%

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

$2,317 A$3,267

$2,301 A$3,245

0.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K A$41.0K

$21.1K A$29.7K

38.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 A$113

$87.2 A$123

-7.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 A$106

$57.5 A$81.1

30.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$156

$102 A$143

9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$190

$125 A$176

7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 A$3,654

$1,534 A$2,163

68.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 A$2,675

$1,104 A$1,556

71.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,109 A$7,205

$2,283 A$3,220

123.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 A$4,420

$1,824 A$2,573

71.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.3K

$6,616 A$9,330

106.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,458 A$11.9K

$4,720 A$6,657

79.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 A$5,928

$2,688 A$3,790

56.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

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

Last update for Sydney: September 12, 2026

Last update for Albany: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,591 in Sydney and $1,534 in Albany. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 56% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $93.0 in Sydney vs $84.0 in Albany. Groceries flip the comparison at $387 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

Sydney vs Albany: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albany wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Albany the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 56% higher in Sydney, 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: $2,591 in Sydney versus $1,534 in Albany. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,292 per month in Sydney versus $2,634 in Albany – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Albany runs roughly 88% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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, Sydney 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.

Expats usually find Albany gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.