Cost of Living Comparison Between Adelaide and Brisbane Cost of Living Comparison Between Adelaide and Brisbane

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,269 in Adelaide versus $2,285 in Brisbane.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,382 in Adelaide versus $3,328 in Brisbane.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,496 in Adelaide versus $4,372 in Brisbane.

Living in Adelaide costs roughly 1% less than in Brisbane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Adelaide 69% above, Brisbane 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.99 A$23.82

$15.97 A$22.39

6.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 A$117

$70.8 A$99.3

17.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 A$13.38

$9.50 A$13.32

0.42%

Cappuccino

$3.39 A$4.76

$3.65 A$5.12

-7.12%

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

$2.65 A$3.72

$2.67 A$3.74

-0.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 A$3.23

$2.13 A$2.98

7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.60 A$9.26

$6.32 A$8.86

4.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 A$11.15

$8.02 A$11.25

-0.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.07

$1.54 A$2.15

-3.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.74

$2.28 A$3.20

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.82

$1.86 A$2.61

8.06%

Eggs

$4.51 A$6.32

$4.48 A$6.29

0.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 A$14.16

$8.24 A$11.55

22.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 A$11.67

$8.09 A$11.35

2.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.17 A$19.87

$13.33 A$18.68

6.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.84

$3.38 A$4.74

-18.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.74

$2.73 A$3.83

-2.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.06

$2.71 A$3.80

7.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.59

$4.29 A$6.02

-7.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.73

$2.52 A$3.54

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.97

$2.30 A$3.23

-7.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 A$3.13

$2.14 A$3.00

4.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.29

$1.24 A$1.73

31.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.47 A$39.91

$32.55 A$45.64

-12.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 A$19.97

$12.85 A$18.01

10.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.49 A$6.29

$4.66 A$6.54

-3.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 A$7.28

$4.18 A$5.86

24.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 A$4.13

$0.31 A$0.44

848.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.7 A$105

$27.52 A$38.58

171.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 A$5.87

$2.29 A$3.22

82.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.59

$1.58 A$2.22

16.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.47 A$59.6

$34.11 A$47.82

24.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.24 A$1.74

-4.03%

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

$28.5K A$39.9K

$29.1K A$40.7K

-1.98%

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

$25.8K A$36.2K

$22.6K A$31.6K

14.52%

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

$211 A$296

$146 A$205

44.56%

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

$25.92 A$36.33

$25.26 A$35.42

2.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$72.1

$52.5 A$73.6

-2.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 A$52.3

$49.65 A$69.6

-24.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.81 A$10.95

$17.25 A$24.18

-54.72%

Cinema Ticket

$14.01 A$19.64

$13.23 A$18.54

5.90%

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

$1,029 A$1,443

$1,591 A$2,231

-35.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,258 A$10.2K

$8,689 A$12.2K

-16.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 A$96.3

$70.3 A$98.5

-2.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 A$75.4

$44.49 A$62.4

20.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$150

$91.4 A$128

16.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$143

$100 A$140

2.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 A$1,799

$1,616 A$2,266

-20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 A$1,541

$1,241 A$1,740

-11.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 A$2,774

$2,670 A$3,743

-25.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 A$2,375

$1,939 A$2,718

-12.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,479 A$13.3K

$8,525 A$12.0K

11.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,290 A$8,818

$5,824 A$8,165

7.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,870 A$5,425

$4,294 A$6,020

-9.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

6.24

2.72%

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

Last update for Adelaide: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,283 in Adelaide and $1,616 in Brisbane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brisbane pays 11% 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: $83.0 in Adelaide vs $71.0 in Brisbane for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $327 per month, with Brisbane 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

Adelaide vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Adelaide and Brisbane differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,269 vs $2,285 including rent). Adelaide is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Brisbane earns 11% less. 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: $1,283 in Adelaide versus $1,616 in Brisbane. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,029 in Adelaide versus $1,591 in Brisbane. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Brisbane pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,269 in Adelaide versus $2,285 in Brisbane, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Adelaide but tight or insufficient in Brisbane. The gap between the two cities makes Adelaide 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, Adelaide and Brisbane 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 Adelaide gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Brisbane. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.