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: $2,799 in Sydney versus $2,187 in Albany.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,217 in Sydney versus $3,239 in Albany.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,636 in Sydney versus $4,291 in Albany.

Living in Sydney is roughly 28% more expensive than in Albany, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 110% above, Albany 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.02 A$22.80

$14.43 A$20.54

11.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$111

$77.1 A$110

1.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.61 A$13.68

$7.79 A$11.09

23.36%

Cappuccino

$3.33 A$4.74

$3.98 A$5.66

-16.33%

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

$2.44 A$3.47

$2.32 A$3.30

5.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 A$2.83

$1.62 A$2.31

22.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.58 A$9.36

$7.28 A$10.36

-9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 A$10.03

$7.29 A$10.37

-3.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.32

$1.50 A$2.13

8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 A$3.96

$2.31 A$3.29

20.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.34

$2.04 A$2.90

15.20%

Eggs

$5.14 A$7.31

$4.24 A$6.03

21.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 A$12.28

$8.41 A$11.97

2.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 A$12.30

$8.22 A$11.70

5.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$19.97

$13.78 A$19.61

1.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.64

$3.21 A$4.57

1.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.89

$2.86 A$4.08

-4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.50

$2.91 A$4.15

8.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 A$6.30

$4.19 A$5.96

5.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.59

$2.44 A$3.47

3.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 A$3.39

$2.20 A$3.13

8.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.02

$2.08 A$2.96

1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.78

$1.56 A$2.22

-19.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.62 A$46.43

$30.31 A$43.14

7.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.07 A$20.02

$15.18 A$21.61

-7.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.78 A$6.80

$4.53 A$6.45

5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 A$7.73

$5.42 A$7.71

0.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 A$4.73

$2.61 A$3.72

27.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$205

$64.4 A$91.6

123.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 A$5.59

$3.63 A$5.17

8.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.17

$1.61 A$2.29

81.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$74.7

$33.27 A$47.36

57.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 A$1.72

$1.14 A$1.62

6.14%

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

$28.8K A$41.0K

$29.0K A$41.3K

-0.76%

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

$22.9K A$32.6K

$22.3K A$31.7K

2.66%

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

$205 A$292

$185 A$263

11.07%

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

$24.05 A$34.24

$27.19 A$38.70

-11.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 A$76.3

$36.11 A$51.4

48.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 A$87.7

$48.26 A$68.7

27.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 A$30.27

$15.93 A$22.68

33.46%

Cinema Ticket

$15.43 A$21.96

$13.04 A$18.56

18.33%

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

$2,064 A$2,939

$1,599 A$2,275

29.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$26.8K

$12.2K A$17.4K

54.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$104

$68.1 A$97.0

6.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 A$83.0

$50.3 A$71.6

15.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$152

$99.2 A$141

7.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$189

$105 A$150

26.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 A$3,032

$1,272 A$1,810

67.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 A$2,112

$1,081 A$1,539

37.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,449 A$6,333

$2,021 A$2,877

120.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,639 A$3,756

$1,650 A$2,349

59.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K A$18.7K

$5,672 A$8,073

131.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,985 A$11.4K

$4,937 A$7,028

61.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,200 A$5,979

$2,609 A$3,713

61.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

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

Last update for Sydney: July 27, 2026

Last update for Albany: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,130 in Sydney and $1,272 in Albany. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney pays 61% 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: $78.0 in Sydney vs $77.0 in Albany for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $339 per month, with Albany 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

Sydney vs Albany: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albany wins on cost – living expenses run 28% 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 61% 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: $2,130 in Sydney versus $1,272 in Albany. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,799 per month in Sydney versus $2,187 in Albany – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Albany runs roughly 123% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,187 in Albany versus $2,799 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albany but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Albany 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, 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 28% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.