Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bathurst and Brisbane

For one person, living costs are similar in Bathurst and in Brisbane: $2,495 and $2,520 a month, rent and utilities included.

Bathurst
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,495
/mo nomad
Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,520
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bathurst and in Brisbane

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bathurst and in Brisbane actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,495 per month in Bathurst vs $2,520 in Brisbane, rent included.

  • Bathurst $2,495
  • Brisbane $2,520

A couple spends around $3,607 per month in Bathurst vs $3,730 in Brisbane, rent included.

  • Bathurst $3,607
  • Brisbane $3,730

A family of three spends $4,719 per month in Bathurst vs $4,940 in Brisbane, rent included.

  • Bathurst $4,719
  • Brisbane $4,940

Bathurst is about 1% cheaper than Brisbane, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Bathurst and Brisbane sit above the global median – Bathurst by 85%, Brisbane by 87%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bathurst
Brisbane
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.07 A$21.69
$17.58 A$25.29
-14.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.3 A$120
$69.8 A$101
19.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 A$15.17
$11.18 A$16.09
-5.72%
Cappuccino
$3.76 A$5.41
$4.26 A$6.13
-11.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 A$4.22
$2.88 A$4.15
1.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 A$3.18
$2.50 A$3.60
-11.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.94 A$7.11
$8.55 A$12.30
-42.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.57 A$10.90
$8.10 A$11.66
-6.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bathurst
Brisbane
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.90 A$2.74
$1.62 A$2.33
17.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.74 A$3.94
$2.66 A$3.83
3.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.27 A$3.27
$2.20 A$3.17
3.18%
Eggs
$4.91 A$7.06
$4.93 A$7.10
-0.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.25 A$13.31
$9.03 A$12.99
2.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.55 A$13.74
$9.04 A$13.01
5.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.70 A$21.16
$13.86 A$19.94
6.06%
Apples (1kg)
$3.94 A$5.67
$4.11 A$5.92
-4.14%
Banana (1kg)
$3.04 A$4.38
$3.00 A$4.32
1.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.32 A$4.78
$2.91 A$4.18
14.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.51 A$6.49
$4.87 A$7.01
-7.39%
Potato (1kg)
$2.68 A$3.86
$2.74 A$3.95
-2.19%
Onion (1kg)
$2.32 A$3.34
$2.44 A$3.51
-4.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.42 A$3.48
$2.40 A$3.46
0.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 A$2.32
$1.22 A$1.76
31.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$41.35 A$59.5
$38.84 A$55.9
6.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.80 A$19.85
$12.35 A$17.78
11.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.83 A$6.95
$5.12 A$7.37
-5.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.17 A$7.44
$4.90 A$7.04
5.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Bathurst
Brisbane
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.92 A$4.20
$0.36 A$0.52
711.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$82.4 A$119
$20.68 A$29.76
298.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.43 A$4.94
$3.05 A$4.39
12.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 A$2.25
$1.77 A$2.55
-11.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.22 A$56.4
$41.12 A$59.2
-4.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 A$1.86
$1.45 A$2.08
-11.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.0K A$38.9K
$26.7K A$38.4K
1.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8K A$42.9K
$27.8K A$39.9K
7.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bathurst
Brisbane
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$199 A$286
$159 A$228
25.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.97 A$59.0
$25.86 A$37.21
58.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.2 A$88.1
$60.3 A$86.8
1.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bathurst
Brisbane
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.8 A$78.8
$61.9 A$89.1
-11.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.57 A$25.28
$22.88 A$32.93
-23.21%
Cinema Ticket
$14.86 A$21.38
$17.41 A$25.06
-14.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bathurst
Brisbane
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,122 A$3,054
$1,928 A$2,774
10.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.3K A$29.2K
$12.6K A$18.1K
61.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bathurst
Brisbane
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.2 A$113
$84.4 A$121
-7.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.7 A$78.7
$44.85 A$64.5
21.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 A$161
$110 A$159
1.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 A$176
$109 A$157
12.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bathurst
Brisbane
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,398 A$2,011
$1,927 A$2,773
-27.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 A$1,739
$1,325 A$1,906
-8.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,183 A$3,141
$3,276 A$4,714
-33.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,830 A$2,633
$2,266 A$3,261
-19.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,771 A$8,305
$8,315 A$12.0K
-30.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,885 A$7,030
$5,955 A$8,569
-17.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bathurst
Brisbane
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,100 A$5,900
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.84
5.81
0.52%

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

Last update for Bathurst: October 11, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bathurst
$1.2K
Brisbane
$1.3K 9.6% $116
Groceries & Markets
Bathurst
$372
Brisbane
$357 4% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bathurst
$301
Brisbane
$245 18.7% $56
Eating Out
Bathurst
$258
Brisbane
$306 18.6% $48
Clothing & Footwear
Bathurst
$165
Brisbane
$157 5% $8.3
Getting Around
Bathurst
$105
Brisbane
$34 67.7% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Bathurst
$85
Brisbane
$97 14.5% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,398 in Bathurst versus $1,927 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 $83.0 in Bathurst versus $70.0 in Brisbane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $357 – making Brisbane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Bathurst
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🕒 Local time
01:23 1:23 AM
00:23 12:23 AM
1 h behind Bathurst
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
36,230
2,287,896
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bathurst Brisbane 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bathurst
  • Brisbane

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Brisbane cheaper than Bathurst?
Yes – Brisbane is pricier by about 1%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,742 per month in Bathurst and $3,781 in Brisbane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 298% less in Bathurst. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,122 per month in Bathurst and $1,928 in Brisbane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Bathurst or in Brisbane?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bathurst, where all-in costs run around $2,495, than in Brisbane at $2,520. In Bathurst it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bathurst or Brisbane more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Bathurst or Brisbane?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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