Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Bendigo Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Bendigo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,285 per month in Brisbane vs $1,636 in Bendigo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,328 per month in Brisbane vs $2,464 in Bendigo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,372 per month in Brisbane vs $3,292 in Bendigo, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 40% more than Bendigo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Bendigo sit above the global median – Brisbane by 71%, Bendigo by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 A$22.26

$19.42 A$27.06

-17.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 A$98.7

$58.9 A$82.0

20.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 A$13.24

$9.49 A$13.23

0.11%

Cappuccino

$3.65 A$5.08

$3.72 A$5.18

-1.88%

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

$2.67 A$3.72

$2.55 A$3.55

4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.97

$2.21 A$3.08

-3.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.80

$7.41 A$10.33

-14.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 A$11.18

$4.68 A$6.52

71.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 A$2.14

$1.10 A$1.53

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.52 A$3.52

-9.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 A$2.60

$2.24 A$3.12

-16.96%

Eggs

$4.48 A$6.25

$4.31 A$6.00

3.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 A$11.48

$8.74 A$12.18

-5.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 A$11.28

$8.91 A$12.41

-9.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 A$18.57

$14.66 A$20.42

-9.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.27 A$4.55

3.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.81

$2.91 A$4.06

-6.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 A$3.78

$2.95 A$4.11

-8.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$5.98

$4.10 A$5.71

4.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.52

$2.25 A$3.14

12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.21

$1.93 A$2.69

19.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.14 A$2.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.72

$1.64 A$2.29

-24.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.55 A$45.36

$23.76 A$33.12

36.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 A$17.90

$9.79 A$13.64

31.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.50

$4.71 A$6.57

-1.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 A$5.83

$5.07 A$7.07

-17.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 A$0.44

$4.29 A$5.98

-92.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 A$38.35

$54.1 A$75.3

-49.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 A$3.20

$3.49 A$4.86

-34.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 A$2.20

$1.34 A$1.86

17.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.11 A$47.54

$12.96 A$18.06

163.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.11 A$1.55

11.71%

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

$29.1K A$40.5K

$25.5K A$35.6K

13.72%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$18.1K A$25.2K

24.62%

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

$146 A$204

$151 A$210

-2.95%

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

$25.26 A$35.20

$19.64 A$27.36

28.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 A$73.2

$47.49 A$66.2

10.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 A$69.2

$58.5 A$81.5

-15.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 A$24.04

$18.05 A$25.15

-4.43%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 A$18.43

$10.37 A$14.45

27.58%

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

$1,591 A$2,218

$1,167 A$1,626

36.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,689 A$12.1K

$19.5K A$27.2K

-55.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$97.9

$65.0 A$90.6

8.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.49 A$62.0

$54.0 A$75.2

-17.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 A$127

$108 A$150

-15.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 A$139

$102 A$143

-2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 A$2,252

$640 A$892

152.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 A$1,729

$482 A$672

157.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 A$3,720

$965 A$1,345

176.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,939 A$2,701

$670 A$933

189.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,525 A$11.9K

$4,522 A$6,302

88.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,824 A$8,116

$3,977 A$5,541

46.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,294 A$5,984

$3,408 A$4,749

25.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.19

0.81%

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

Last update for Brisbane: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bendigo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,616 in Brisbane versus $640 in Bendigo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Brisbane, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Brisbane versus $59.0 in Bendigo. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Brisbane vs $335 in Bendigo – so Brisbane wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bendigo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Brisbane is pricier by about 40%, 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 $3,427 per month in Brisbane and $2,455 in Bendigo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bendigo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Brisbane and $59.0 in Bendigo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,285 in Brisbane and $1,636 in Bendigo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bendigo, where all-in costs run around $1,636, than in Brisbane at $2,285. In Bendigo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bendigo – 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 Bendigo. 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.