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: $2,344 in Adelaide versus $2,342 in Brisbane.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,408 in Adelaide versus $3,309 in Brisbane.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,472 in Adelaide versus $4,277 in Brisbane.

Monthly costs are close between Adelaide and Brisbane; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Adelaide 75% above, Brisbane 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.61 A$23.80

$16.35 A$23.42

1.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.0 A$117

$71.8 A$103

14.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 A$14.04

$9.97 A$14.29

-1.71%

Cappuccino

$3.33 A$4.78

$3.63 A$5.21

-8.26%

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

$2.56 A$3.66

$2.66 A$3.81

-3.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 A$3.29

$2.25 A$3.23

2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.56 A$9.40

$6.66 A$9.55

-1.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 A$11.33

$7.62 A$10.92

3.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.13

$1.62 A$2.31

-8.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.83

$2.31 A$3.31

15.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.88

$1.81 A$2.59

11.05%

Eggs

$4.51 A$6.46

$4.47 A$6.41

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.88 A$14.15

$8.13 A$11.65

21.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.44 A$12.09

$8.14 A$11.66

3.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 A$20.52

$13.67 A$19.58

4.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.04

$3.22 A$4.61

-12.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.78

$2.84 A$4.07

-7.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.29

$2.74 A$3.92

9.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 A$5.62

$4.21 A$6.04

-6.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.80

$2.54 A$3.64

4.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 A$3.06

$2.27 A$3.25

-6.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 A$3.12

$2.16 A$3.10

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 A$2.28

$1.28 A$1.84

24.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.05 A$41.62

$33.03 A$47.32

-12.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$20.00

$12.55 A$17.98

11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 A$6.28

$4.58 A$6.57

-4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 A$7.56

$4.20 A$6.02

25.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 A$4.04

$0.35 A$0.50

705.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.5 A$107

$26.71 A$38.27

178.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 A$6.21

$2.32 A$3.33

86.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 A$2.69

$1.52 A$2.18

23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.82 A$61.4

$33.81 A$48.44

26.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.70

$1.20 A$1.72

-0.83%

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

$29.3K A$42.0K

$29.0K A$41.5K

1.20%

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

$25.7K A$36.9K

$22.2K A$31.8K

16.05%

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

$211 A$302

$144 A$207

45.87%

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

$25.72 A$36.85

$26.00 A$37.26

-1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 A$73.5

$53.4 A$76.5

-3.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.92 A$52.9

$49.12 A$70.4

-24.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.07 A$11.56

$17.30 A$24.79

-53.35%

Cinema Ticket

$14.07 A$20.15

$12.85 A$18.42

9.49%

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

$1,038 A$1,488

$1,605 A$2,300

-35.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,486 A$10.7K

$8,910 A$12.8K

-15.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$101

$72.0 A$103

-2.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 A$76.9

$42.95 A$61.5

24.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$154

$91.2 A$131

17.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 A$147

$102 A$147

0.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 A$1,875

$1,623 A$2,325

-19.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 A$1,555

$1,247 A$1,786

-12.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 A$2,920

$2,583 A$3,701

-21.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 A$2,471

$1,889 A$2,706

-8.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,989 A$12.9K

$8,235 A$11.8K

9.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,127 A$8,778

$5,623 A$8,056

8.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,807 A$5,455

$4,180 A$5,988

-8.91%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,309 in Adelaide and $1,623 in Brisbane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brisbane pays 10% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $82.0 in Adelaide vs $72.0 in Brisbane for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $328 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

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Brisbane. 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: $1,309 in Adelaide versus $1,623 in Brisbane. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Brisbane runs roughly 179% less than in Adelaide. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Adelaide. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,342 in Brisbane versus $2,344 in Adelaide, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brisbane but tight or insufficient in Adelaide. The gap between the two cities makes Brisbane 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.

It comes down to priorities – Brisbane wins on affordability, Adelaide on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.