Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Albury Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Albury

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,344 in Sydney versus $2,259 in Albury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,844 in Sydney versus $3,411 in Albury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,343 in Sydney versus $4,564 in Albury.

Living in Sydney is roughly 48% more expensive than in Albury, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 143% above, Albury 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 A$24.56

$19.70 A$27.49

-10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 A$132

$93.7 A$131

1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 A$16.86

$10.56 A$14.73

14.39%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.59

$4.20 A$5.86

-4.52%

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

$2.87 A$4.00

$3.19 A$4.45

-10.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.71 A$3.78

-15.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 A$11.29

$7.20 A$10.05

12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 A$9.97

$7.25 A$10.11

-1.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 A$2.54

$1.68 A$2.35

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 A$3.80

$3.39 A$4.73

-19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.27

$2.60 A$3.63

-10.00%

Eggs

$5.84 A$8.15

$5.62 A$7.84

3.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 A$18.00

$9.01 A$12.58

43.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 A$13.55

$11.00 A$15.35

-11.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 A$23.41

$13.09 A$18.26

28.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 A$5.36

$3.51 A$4.90

9.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 A$4.30

$3.16 A$4.40

-2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.74

$3.65 A$5.09

-6.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 A$6.39

$5.14 A$7.17

-10.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.43

$3.25 A$4.54

-2.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.56

$2.13 A$2.97

19.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.44

$2.40 A$3.35

2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.79

$1.52 A$2.13

-15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.08 A$64.3

$28.34 A$39.54

62.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 A$19.70

$14.70 A$20.51

-3.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 A$5.88

$4.58 A$6.40

-8.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 A$5.70

$5.85 A$8.16

-30.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.66

$3.82 A$5.34

-12.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$153 A$213

$74.5 A$104

105.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$4.99

$3.62 A$5.05

-1.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.23

$1.65 A$2.31

-3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.39 A$57.8

$43.60 A$60.9

-5.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.91

$1.29 A$1.80

6.20%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$27.8K A$38.9K

9.95%

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

$30.9K A$43.1K

$28.3K A$39.5K

9.02%

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

$230 A$321

$184 A$257

24.98%

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

$27.25 A$38.03

$28.03 A$39.11

-2.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 A$79.2

$56.7 A$79.1

0.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 A$105

$143 A$200

-47.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.26 A$33.86

$23.69 A$33.06

2.41%

Cinema Ticket

$17.75 A$24.77

$13.29 A$18.55

33.56%

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

$2,234 A$3,117

$2,218 A$3,096

0.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$21.1K A$29.5K

39.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 A$111

$63.6 A$88.7

25.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.2 A$102

$42.64 A$59.5

71.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$99.0 A$138

12.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$183

$112 A$156

17.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 A$3,666

$1,162 A$1,621

126.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 A$2,524

$908 A$1,267

99.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,241 A$7,314

$1,969 A$2,748

166.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,037 A$4,238

$1,455 A$2,031

108.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,339 A$11.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 A$5,811

$4,899 A$6,836

-15.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.95

-1.85%

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

Last update for Sydney: August 29, 2026

Last update for Albury: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,627 in Sydney and $1,162 in Albury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Albury pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $95.0 in Sydney vs $94.0 in Albury. Groceries flip the comparison at $387 vs $388, 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 Albury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albury wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Sydney. 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 18% 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: $2,627 in Sydney versus $1,162 in Albury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sydney pay roughly 0% 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 $94.0 versus $95.0 in Sydney. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,259 in Albury versus $3,344 in Sydney, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albury but tight or insufficient in Sydney. 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, Sydney 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 48% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.