Cost of Living Comparison Between Bathurst and Brisbane Cost of Living Comparison Between Bathurst and Brisbane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,232 per month in Bathurst vs $2,285 in Brisbane, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Bathurst vs $3,328 in Brisbane, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,317 per month in Bathurst vs $4,372 in Brisbane, rent included.

Bathurst is about 2% cheaper than Brisbane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Bathurst and Brisbane sit above the global median – Bathurst by 67%, Brisbane by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.00 A$22.29

$15.97 A$22.26

0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.6 A$107

$70.8 A$98.7

8.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 A$13.33

$9.50 A$13.24

0.63%

Cappuccino

$3.49 A$4.86

$3.65 A$5.08

-4.38%

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

$2.60 A$3.62

$2.67 A$3.72

-2.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.13 A$2.97

3.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.28

$6.32 A$8.80

5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 A$10.14

$8.02 A$11.18

-9.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 A$2.23

$1.54 A$2.14

3.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.28 A$3.18

2.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.75

$1.86 A$2.60

5.91%

Eggs

$4.28 A$5.96

$4.48 A$6.25

-4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 A$11.99

$8.24 A$11.48

4.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$8.09 A$11.28

3.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 A$19.15

$13.33 A$18.57

3.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 A$4.45

$3.38 A$4.71

-5.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.97

$2.73 A$3.81

4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.00

$2.71 A$3.78

5.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 A$5.66

$4.29 A$5.98

-5.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 A$3.36

$2.52 A$3.52

-4.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 A$2.91

$2.30 A$3.21

-9.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 A$2.95

$2.14 A$2.98

-1.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.12

$1.24 A$1.72

22.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.37 A$43.72

$32.55 A$45.36

-3.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 A$19.90

$12.85 A$17.90

11.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.60 A$6.41

$4.66 A$6.50

-1.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 A$7.52

$4.18 A$5.83

29.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.56

$0.31 A$0.44

725.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.9 A$91.8

$27.52 A$38.35

139.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 A$5.02

$2.29 A$3.20

57.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.23

$1.58 A$2.20

1.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.16 A$47.61

$34.11 A$47.54

0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.65

$1.24 A$1.73

-4.03%

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

$29.1K A$40.5K

0.10%

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

$22.3K A$31.1K

$22.6K A$31.5K

-0.99%

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

$184 A$256

$146 A$204

25.70%

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

$27.62 A$38.49

$25.26 A$35.20

9.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 A$79.2

$52.5 A$73.2

8.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 A$68.3

$49.65 A$69.2

-1.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.70 A$21.87

$17.25 A$24.04

-8.99%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 A$18.30

$13.23 A$18.43

-0.76%

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

$1,606 A$2,238

$1,591 A$2,218

0.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.5K

$8,689 A$12.1K

36.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 A$95.1

$70.3 A$97.9

-2.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 A$71.8

$44.49 A$62.0

15.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 A$139

$91.4 A$127

9.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 A$147

$100 A$139

5.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 A$1,782

$1,616 A$2,252

-20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 A$1,490

$1,241 A$1,729

-13.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,001 A$2,789

$2,670 A$3,720

-25.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,657 A$2,309

$1,939 A$2,701

-14.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,976 A$9,722

$8,525 A$11.9K

-18.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,704 A$6,555

$5,824 A$8,116

-19.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,294 A$5,984

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.24

1.60%

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

Last update for Bathurst: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,279 in Bathurst versus $1,616 in Brisbane. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Bathurst versus $71.0 in Brisbane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $327 – making Brisbane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bathurst vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Brisbane is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,347 per month in Bathurst and $3,427 in Brisbane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bathurst, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 139% less in Bathurst. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,606 per month in Bathurst and $1,591 in Brisbane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bathurst, where all-in costs run around $2,232, than in Brisbane at $2,285. In Bathurst it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bathurst – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bathurst. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brisbane makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.