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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,285 in Brisbane versus $2,149 in Blacktown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Brisbane versus $3,166 in Blacktown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,372 in Brisbane versus $4,183 in Blacktown.

Living in Brisbane is roughly 6% more expensive than Blacktown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brisbane 71% above, Blacktown 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 A$22.26

$9.60 A$13.38

66.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 A$98.7

$86.5 A$121

-18.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 A$13.24

$6.84 A$9.53

38.89%

Cappuccino

$3.65 A$5.08

$2.88 A$4.01

26.74%

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

$2.67 A$3.72

$1.76 A$2.45

51.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.97

$1.60 A$2.24

33.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.80

$6.61 A$9.21

-4.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 A$11.18

$7.34 A$10.23

9.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 A$2.14

$0.96 A$1.34

60.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 A$3.18

$0.92 A$1.29

147.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 A$2.60

$0.93 A$1.30

100.00%

Eggs

$4.48 A$6.25

$2.61 A$3.64

71.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 A$11.48

$10.07 A$14.04

-18.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 A$11.28

$9.24 A$12.88

-12.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 A$18.57

$15.00 A$20.90

-11.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.23 A$4.50

4.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.81

$2.94 A$4.10

-7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 A$3.78

$3.10 A$4.32

-12.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$5.98

$3.92 A$5.47

9.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.52

$2.28 A$3.18

10.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.21

$1.27 A$1.77

81.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.74 A$2.43

22.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.72

$0.30 A$0.42

313.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.55 A$45.36

$26.17 A$36.47

24.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 A$17.90

$14.15 A$19.71

-9.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.50

$5.01 A$6.98

-6.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 A$5.83

$6.08 A$8.47

-31.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 A$0.44

$2.66 A$3.70

-88.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 A$38.35

$64.8 A$90.3

-57.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 A$3.20

$4.02 A$5.60

-43.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 A$2.20

$1.74 A$2.43

-9.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.11 A$47.54

$40.45 A$56.4

-15.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.13 A$1.58

9.73%

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

$29.1K A$40.5K

$21.7K A$30.3K

33.73%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$16.7K A$23.3K

34.87%

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

$146 A$204

$220 A$306

-33.43%

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

$25.26 A$35.20

$29.44 A$41.02

-14.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 A$73.2

$44.76 A$62.4

17.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 A$69.2

$48.38 A$67.4

2.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 A$24.04

$15.52 A$21.62

11.15%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 A$18.43

$12.86 A$17.91

2.88%

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

$1,591 A$2,218

$1,723 A$2,401

-7.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,689 A$12.1K

$13.3K A$18.5K

-34.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$97.9

$71.7 A$99.9

-1.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.49 A$62.0

$55.8 A$77.7

-20.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 A$127

$97.5 A$136

-6.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 A$139

$116 A$161

-13.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 A$2,252

$1,241 A$1,729

30.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 A$1,729

$1,064 A$1,483

16.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 A$3,720

$1,988 A$2,771

34.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,939 A$2,701

$1,645 A$2,293

17.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,525 A$11.9K

$6,631 A$9,240

28.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,824 A$8,116

$5,159 A$7,189

12.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,294 A$5,984

$3,958 A$5,516

8.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.29

-0.79%

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

Last update for Brisbane: June 1, 2026

Last update for Blacktown: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,616 in Brisbane and $1,241 in Blacktown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brisbane pays 8% 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: $71.0 in Brisbane vs $86.0 in Blacktown. Groceries flip the comparison at $327 vs $306, with Blacktown cheaper for home cooking.

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 Blacktown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Blacktown is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Brisbane pays 8% more on average, 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: $1,616 in Brisbane versus $1,241 in Blacktown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Blacktown runs roughly 135% less than in Brisbane. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,591 in Brisbane versus $1,723 in Blacktown. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,149 in Blacktown versus $2,285 in Brisbane, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Blacktown but tight or insufficient in Brisbane. The gap between the two cities makes Blacktown 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 Blacktown 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 Blacktown 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.