Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Adelaide Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Adelaide

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,342 in Brisbane versus $2,344 in Adelaide.

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 A$23.42

$16.61 A$23.80

-1.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.8 A$103

$82.0 A$117

-12.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 A$14.29

$9.80 A$14.04

1.73%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.21

$3.33 A$4.78

9.01%

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

$2.66 A$3.81

$2.56 A$3.66

3.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.23

$2.30 A$3.29

-2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.55

$6.56 A$9.40

1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 A$10.92

$7.90 A$11.33

-3.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.31

$1.48 A$2.13

9.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.31

$2.67 A$3.83

-13.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 A$2.59

$2.01 A$2.88

-9.95%

Eggs

$4.47 A$6.41

$4.51 A$6.46

-0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 A$11.65

$9.88 A$14.15

-17.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 A$11.66

$8.44 A$12.09

-3.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 A$19.58

$14.33 A$20.52

-4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.61

$2.82 A$4.04

14.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.07

$2.64 A$3.78

7.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.92

$3.00 A$4.29

-8.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 A$6.04

$3.92 A$5.62

7.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.64

$2.65 A$3.80

-4.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 A$3.25

$2.13 A$3.06

6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$2.18 A$3.12

-0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.84

$1.59 A$2.28

-19.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.03 A$47.32

$29.05 A$41.62

13.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 A$17.98

$13.96 A$20.00

-10.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.57

$4.38 A$6.28

4.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$6.02

$5.28 A$7.56

-20.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.50

$2.82 A$4.04

-87.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.71 A$38.27

$74.5 A$107

-64.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.33

$4.33 A$6.21

-46.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 A$2.18

$1.88 A$2.69

-19.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.81 A$48.44

$42.82 A$61.4

-21.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.72

$1.19 A$1.70

0.84%

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

$29.0K A$41.5K

$29.3K A$42.0K

-1.18%

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

$22.2K A$31.8K

$25.7K A$36.9K

-13.83%

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

$144 A$207

$211 A$302

-31.44%

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

$26.00 A$37.26

$25.72 A$36.85

1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$76.5

$51.3 A$73.5

4.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.12 A$70.4

$36.92 A$52.9

33.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 A$24.79

$8.07 A$11.56

114.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.85 A$18.42

$14.07 A$20.15

-8.67%

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

$1,605 A$2,300

$1,038 A$1,488

54.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,910 A$12.8K

$7,486 A$10.7K

19.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 A$103

$70.3 A$101

2.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.95 A$61.5

$53.6 A$76.9

-19.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 A$131

$108 A$154

-15.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$147

$103 A$147

-0.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 A$2,325

$1,309 A$1,875

24.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 A$1,786

$1,085 A$1,555

14.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 A$3,701

$2,038 A$2,920

26.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 A$2,706

$1,725 A$2,471

9.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,235 A$11.8K

$8,989 A$12.9K

-8.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,623 A$8,056

$6,127 A$8,778

-8.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,180 A$5,988

$3,807 A$5,455

9.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.41

-2.65%

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

Last update for Brisbane: July 12, 2026

Last update for Adelaide: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,623 in Brisbane and $1,309 in Adelaide. 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: $72.0 in Brisbane vs $82.0 in Adelaide for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $344 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

Brisbane vs Adelaide: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 10% higher in Brisbane, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,623 in Brisbane versus $1,309 in Adelaide. 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, Brisbane and Adelaide 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.