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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,536 per month in Bathurst vs $2,613 in Brisbane, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,709 per month in Bathurst vs $3,966 in Brisbane, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,881 per month in Bathurst vs $5,318 in Brisbane, rent included.

Bathurst is about 3% cheaper than Brisbane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Bathurst and Brisbane sit above the global median – Bathurst by 85%, Brisbane by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.98 A$22.35

$17.77 A$24.85

-10.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.7 A$121

$82.6 A$115

5.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 A$15.01

$11.42 A$15.98

-6.04%

Cappuccino

$3.84 A$5.37

$4.43 A$6.20

-13.32%

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

$2.84 A$3.97

$3.03 A$4.24

-6.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 A$3.31

$2.60 A$3.64

-9.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 A$6.93

$8.55 A$11.95

-41.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 A$10.39

$8.43 A$11.80

-11.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 A$2.83

$1.72 A$2.40

18.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 A$3.89

$2.70 A$3.78

2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 A$3.05

$2.41 A$3.38

-9.54%

Eggs

$5.26 A$7.35

$5.10 A$7.14

3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 A$13.32

$9.30 A$13.00

2.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 A$13.57

$9.11 A$12.74

6.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.27 A$21.35

$14.13 A$19.77

8.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 A$5.39

$4.30 A$6.01

-10.47%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 A$4.27

$3.11 A$4.35

-1.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 A$4.61

$2.97 A$4.15

10.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 A$6.50

$4.97 A$6.95

-6.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.88 A$4.02

-7.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.53

$2.44 A$3.41

3.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.47

$2.54 A$3.56

-2.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.22 A$1.71

33.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$40.30 A$56.4

$39.99 A$55.9

0.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 A$19.66

$12.69 A$17.74

10.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.93 A$6.90

$5.31 A$7.43

-7.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 A$7.56

$5.11 A$7.14

5.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 A$4.22

$0.35 A$0.48

760.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.5 A$117

$21.53 A$30.12

287.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$4.98

$3.07 A$4.29

15.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 A$2.31

$1.84 A$2.57

-10.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 A$56.6

$42.92 A$60.0

-5.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.83

$1.43 A$1.99

-8.39%

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

$28.3K A$39.6K

$27.7K A$38.8K

2.04%

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

$31.1K A$43.5K

$29.1K A$40.8K

6.85%

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

$209 A$293

$172 A$241

21.56%

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

$42.09 A$58.9

$27.89 A$39.01

50.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 A$87.7

$63.6 A$89.0

-1.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 A$79.6

$63.6 A$89.0

-10.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 A$25.50

$21.02 A$29.41

-13.27%

Cinema Ticket

$15.43 A$21.59

$16.39 A$22.93

-5.86%

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

$2,201 A$3,079

$2,166 A$3,030

1.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K A$29.4K

$13.0K A$18.2K

61.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.1 A$111

$85.6 A$120

-7.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 A$76.8

$44.31 A$62.0

23.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 A$152

$116 A$162

-6.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 A$176

$109 A$153

15.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,420 A$1,986

$1,995 A$2,791

-28.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,249 A$1,747

$1,406 A$1,967

-11.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,282 A$3,192

$3,433 A$4,803

-33.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,893 A$2,648

$2,404 A$3,363

-21.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,559 A$9,175

$8,276 A$11.6K

-20.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,240 A$7,330

$5,834 A$8,160

-10.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,250 A$5,944

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.81

5.85

-0.68%

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

Last update for Bathurst: August 30, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,420 in Bathurst versus $1,995 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 $87.0 in Bathurst versus $83.0 in Brisbane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 vs $367 – 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 3%, 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 $3,803 per month in Bathurst and $3,919 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 288% less in Bathurst. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,201 per month in Bathurst and $2,166 in Brisbane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,536 in Bathurst and $2,613 in Brisbane. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.