Cost of Living Comparison Between Blacktown and Brisbane Cost of Living Comparison Between Blacktown and Brisbane

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,685 in Blacktown versus $2,668 in Brisbane.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,890 in Blacktown versus $3,910 in Brisbane.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,094 in Blacktown versus $5,152 in Brisbane.

Living in Blacktown is roughly 1% more expensive than in Brisbane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Blacktown 95% above, Brisbane 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 A$27.37

$18.39 A$25.64

6.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.1 A$131

$79.5 A$111

18.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.74 A$14.97

$11.70 A$16.32

-8.21%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.67

$4.45 A$6.21

-8.54%

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

$3.24 A$4.52

$3.03 A$4.23

6.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 A$3.80

$2.62 A$3.65

4.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.65 A$12.07

$8.77 A$12.23

-1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.91 A$13.81

$8.60 A$11.99

15.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 A$2.33

$1.76 A$2.46

-5.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 A$4.82

$2.82 A$3.94

22.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.79

$2.39 A$3.33

13.81%

Eggs

$5.45 A$7.59

$5.15 A$7.18

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 A$19.78

$9.25 A$12.90

53.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.04 A$15.39

$9.25 A$12.90

19.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 A$23.14

$14.29 A$19.92

16.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 A$5.87

Banana (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.16 A$4.40

5.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 A$5.08

$2.99 A$4.17

21.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 A$7.25

$4.85 A$6.76

7.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.40

$2.77 A$3.87

14.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.05

$2.45 A$3.41

18.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 A$3.77

$2.42 A$3.37

11.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 A$2.10

$1.31 A$1.83

15.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.49 A$64.8

$40.09 A$55.9

15.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.75 A$20.57

$12.92 A$18.01

14.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.80 A$6.69

$5.44 A$7.58

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 A$7.99

$5.12 A$7.15

11.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.16 A$4.40

$0.35 A$0.48

802.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 A$122

$21.40 A$29.83

308.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 A$5.97

$3.01 A$4.20

42.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.84 A$2.57

-11.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.15 A$62.9

$43.17 A$60.2

4.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.82

$1.44 A$2.01

-9.03%

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

$28.0K A$39.0K

$28.7K A$40.0K

-2.64%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$28.6K A$39.8K

7.22%

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

$185 A$259

$170 A$237

8.99%

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

$27.65 A$38.55

$27.80 A$38.75

-0.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.0 A$80.9

$63.0 A$87.9

-7.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 A$79.9

$63.6 A$88.7

-9.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.35 A$25.58

$21.88 A$30.51

-16.13%

Cinema Ticket

$16.66 A$23.23

$16.29 A$22.72

2.27%

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

$2,455 A$3,422

$2,148 A$2,995

14.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K A$28.9K

$13.0K A$18.2K

58.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 A$112

$86.9 A$121

-7.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 A$81.6

$44.20 A$61.6

32.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$168

$113 A$158

6.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$192

$110 A$154

24.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 A$2,021

$2,054 A$2,864

-29.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 A$1,779

$1,455 A$2,029

-12.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 A$3,225

$3,464 A$4,829

-33.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 A$2,586

$2,425 A$3,380

-23.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,626 A$9,239

$8,514 A$11.9K

-22.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,249 A$7,319

$6,339 A$8,838

-17.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,229 A$5,895

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

5.87

1.36%

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

Last update for Blacktown: September 6, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,449 in Blacktown and $2,054 in Brisbane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $94.0 in Blacktown vs $80.0 in Brisbane for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $422 vs $371 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

Blacktown vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,028 in Blacktown and $4,003 in Brisbane to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,449 in Blacktown versus $2,054 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 309% less than in Blacktown. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,455 in Blacktown versus $2,148 in Brisbane. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Brisbane is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Blacktown 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 Brisbane gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Blacktown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.