Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Balga Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Balga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,342 in Brisbane versus $2,210 in Balga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,309 in Brisbane versus $3,280 in Balga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,277 in Brisbane versus $4,349 in Balga.

Living in Brisbane is roughly 6% more expensive than in Balga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brisbane 75% above, Balga 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 A$23.42

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.8 A$103

$78.3 A$112

-8.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 A$14.29

$10.34 A$14.81

-3.58%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.21

$3.63 A$5.20

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

$2.66 A$3.81

$2.46 A$3.53

8.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.23

$1.93 A$2.76

16.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.55

$7.90 A$11.32

-15.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 A$10.92

$6.59 A$9.44

15.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.31

$1.45 A$2.07

11.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.31

$2.34 A$3.36

-1.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 A$2.59

$1.93 A$2.77

-6.22%

Eggs

$4.47 A$6.41

$4.60 A$6.59

-2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 A$11.65

$8.31 A$11.90

-2.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 A$11.66

$8.42 A$12.07

-3.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 A$19.58

$13.93 A$19.96

-1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.61

$3.50 A$5.02

-8.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.07

$2.99 A$4.29

-5.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.92

$2.92 A$4.19

-6.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 A$6.04

$4.72 A$6.76

-10.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.64

$2.40 A$3.44

5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 A$3.25

$1.78 A$2.55

27.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$1.99 A$2.85

8.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.84

$1.50 A$2.15

-14.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.03 A$47.32

$32.15 A$46.06

2.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 A$17.98

$13.19 A$18.90

-4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.57

$3.79 A$5.43

20.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$6.02

$4.13 A$5.91

1.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.50

$2.59 A$3.71

-86.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.71 A$38.27

$64.1 A$91.8

-58.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.33

$3.94 A$5.64

-41.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 A$2.18

$2.12 A$3.04

-28.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.81 A$48.44

$49.14 A$70.4

-31.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.72

$1.13 A$1.61

6.19%

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

$29.0K A$41.5K

$29.3K A$42.0K

-1.16%

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

$22.2K A$31.8K

$24.7K A$35.4K

-10.16%

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

$144 A$207

$155 A$222

-6.95%

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

$26.00 A$37.26

$27.60 A$39.54

-5.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$76.5

$54.5 A$78.1

-2.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.12 A$70.4

$48.89 A$70.1

0.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 A$24.79

$15.73 A$22.53

9.98%

Cinema Ticket

$12.85 A$18.42

$16.47 A$23.60

-21.98%

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

$1,605 A$2,300

$1,767 A$2,531

-9.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,910 A$12.8K

$12.2K A$17.5K

-27.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 A$103

$70.5 A$101

2.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.95 A$61.5

$47.65 A$68.3

-9.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 A$131

$101 A$145

-9.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$147

$105 A$151

-2.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 A$2,325

$1,261 A$1,807

28.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 A$1,786

$1,086 A$1,556

14.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 A$3,701

$2,014 A$2,885

28.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 A$2,706

$1,664 A$2,384

13.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,235 A$11.8K

$5,310 A$7,608

55.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,623 A$8,056

$5,503 A$7,885

2.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,180 A$5,988

$3,288 A$4,711

27.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.42

-2.80%

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

Last update for Brisbane: July 12, 2026

Last update for Balga: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,623 in Brisbane and $1,261 in Balga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brisbane pays 27% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $72.0 in Brisbane vs $78.0 in Balga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $334 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 Balga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane and Balga differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,342 vs $2,210 including rent). Balga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 27% 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 $1,261 in Balga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Balga – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $72.0 in Brisbane. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,342 per month in Brisbane versus $2,210 in Balga – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,210 in Balga versus $2,342 in Brisbane, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Balga but tight or insufficient in Brisbane. The gap between the two cities makes Balga 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 Balga 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 Balga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Brisbane. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.