🇦🇺Cost of Living in Brisbane

Australia · Population: 2,600,000 · Cost Index: 72/100

Cost of Living in Brisbane

Australia · Oceania

The capital of Queensland and Australia's third-largest city, Brisbane is a sun-drenched river city with a relaxed subtropical lifestyle. Rapidly growing ahead of the 2032 Olympics, it offers excellent outdoor living and a more affordable alternative to Sydney and Melbourne.

2,600,000

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $2,850 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Brisbane

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$2,850

per month

Couple

$4,280

per month

Family of 4

$5,990

per month

Student

$2,140

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Brisbane, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $1,900.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$1,600.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$1,200.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$2,800.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$2,000.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $12.71

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$16.00

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$75.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$10.00

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.70

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$2.50

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$2.20

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$4.30

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$9.50

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.40

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$2.50

Transportation

Avg: $22.83

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$105.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$2.80

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$3.20

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$1.80

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.35

Utilities

Avg: $80.00

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$160.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$30.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$50.00

Healthcare

Avg: $60.33

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$48.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$115.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$18.00

Entertainment

Avg: $19.45

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$52.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$15.00

Cappuccino(per cup)

$3.80

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$7.00

Clothing

Avg: $72.33

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$72.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$45.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$100.00

Popular Brisbane comparisons

Brisbane vs Sydney Brisbane vs Melbourne Brisbane vs Perth Brisbane vs Adelaide Brisbane vs New York Brisbane vs London Brisbane vs Tokyo Brisbane vs Singapore

Frequently asked questions about Brisbane

Is Brisbane expensive to live in?

Brisbane has a cost of living index of 72 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This makes it relatively expensive compared with most cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in Brisbane?

A single person needs an estimated $2,850 per month to live in Brisbane, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in Brisbane?

Brisbane's cost of living index is 72 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in Brisbane?

Brisbane scores 74 out of 100 for quality of life and 64 out of 100 for safety in our index.

Data & sources

As an independent cross-check, the World Bank puts the overall price level in Australia at 94 relative to the United States (=100) in 2024. View source

Cost figures on this site are independent estimates, cross-referenced with public data sources including World Bank, Numbeo, Eurostat, OECD.