Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Blacktown

For one person, living is cheaper in Blacktown: $2,459 a month against $2,630 in Brisbane, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Brisbane outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Brisbane, Australia
Blacktown, Australia
Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,630
/mo nomad
Blacktown
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,459
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brisbane and in Blacktown

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brisbane and in Blacktown actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,630 in Brisbane versus $2,459 in Blacktown.

  • Brisbane $2,630
  • Blacktown $2,459

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,801 in Brisbane versus $3,687 in Blacktown.

  • Brisbane $3,801
  • Blacktown $3,687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,972 in Brisbane versus $4,915 in Blacktown.

  • Brisbane $4,972
  • Blacktown $4,915

Living in Brisbane is roughly 7% more expensive than in Blacktown, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brisbane 93% above, Blacktown 81% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brisbane
Blacktown
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61 A$25.15
$20.72 A$29.60
-15.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.0 A$114
$90.5 A$129
-11.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 A$16.32
$10.70 A$15.29
6.82%
Cappuccino
$4.51 A$6.45
$4.02 A$5.74
12.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 A$4.22
$3.06 A$4.36
-3.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 A$3.42
$2.54 A$3.62
-5.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.61 A$12.30
$8.47 A$12.10
1.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.36 A$11.94
$9.84 A$14.05
-15.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
Blacktown
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 A$2.31
$1.55 A$2.22
4.52%
White Bread (500g)
$2.65 A$3.79
$3.25 A$4.64
-18.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.32 A$3.32
$2.49 A$3.56
-6.83%
Eggs
$4.94 A$7.05
$5.39 A$7.70
-8.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.08 A$12.97
$12.92 A$18.45
-29.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 A$13.03
$9.66 A$13.79
-5.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.34 A$20.47
$15.16 A$21.65
-5.41%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 A$5.91
$4.02 A$5.74
2.99%
Banana (1kg)
$3.07 A$4.38
$3.23 A$4.61
-4.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.05 A$4.35
$3.61 A$5.16
-15.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.89 A$6.98
$4.98 A$7.12
-1.81%
Potato (1kg)
$2.81 A$4.01
$3.20 A$4.57
-12.19%
Onion (1kg)
$2.48 A$3.54
$2.83 A$4.05
-12.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.41 A$3.44
$2.49 A$3.56
-3.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 A$1.70
$1.40 A$2.00
-15.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$38.54 A$55.0
$44.08 A$63.0
-12.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.65 A$18.06
$14.13 A$20.17
-10.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.22 A$7.45
$4.83 A$6.90
8.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87 A$6.95
$5.72 A$8.17
-14.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Brisbane
Blacktown
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 A$0.48
$2.42 A$3.46
-85.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.97 A$29.95
$84.2 A$120
-75.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.05 A$4.35
$4.16 A$5.94
-26.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 A$2.70
$1.56 A$2.23
21.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.76 A$58.2
$42.76 A$61.1
-4.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 A$2.07
$1.38 A$1.98
5.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K A$42.4K
$27.6K A$39.4K
7.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K A$36.6K
$26.0K A$37.2K
-1.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
Blacktown
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 A$225
$181 A$258
-12.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.05 A$37.21
$27.34 A$39.05
-4.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.1 A$87.3
$56.4 A$80.5
8.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
Blacktown
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 A$87.3
$64.2 A$91.6
-4.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.36 A$31.93
$19.91 A$28.44
12.31%
Cinema Ticket
$13.95 A$19.93
$15.55 A$22.21
-10.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brisbane
Blacktown
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,044 A$2,919
$2,531 A$3,614
-19.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K A$18.4K
$20.6K A$29.4K
-37.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
Blacktown
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.4 A$118
$76.5 A$109
7.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.63 A$62.3
$57.6 A$82.3
-24.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 A$162
$110 A$156
3.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 A$158
$134 A$191
-17.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
Blacktown
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,944 A$2,776
$1,483 A$2,117
31.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 A$2,044
$1,097 A$1,566
30.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,484 A$4,976
$2,191 A$3,130
59.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,240 A$3,200
$1,798 A$2,568
24.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,322 A$13.3K
$6,217 A$8,878
49.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,003 A$10.0K
$4,514 A$6,446
55.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brisbane
Blacktown
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,144 A$5,918
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.81
5.95
-2.35%

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

Last update for Brisbane: October 24, 2026

Last update for Blacktown: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
$1.4K
Blacktown
$1.1K 23.4% $335
Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
$362
Blacktown
$397 9.7% $35
Eating Out
Brisbane
$310
Blacktown
$331 6.5% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
$245
Blacktown
$264 7.9% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
$158
Blacktown
$170 7.8% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
$89
Blacktown
$95 7% $6.2
Getting Around
Brisbane
$35
Blacktown
$106 204% $71

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,944 in Brisbane and $1,483 in Blacktown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80 in Brisbane vs $91 in Blacktown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $397 per month, with Brisbane cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🇦🇺 Blacktown
🕒 Local time
20:50 8:50 PM
21:50 9:50 PM
1 h ahead of Brisbane
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,287,896
46,942
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brisbane Blacktown 730 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Brisbane
  • Blacktown

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Blacktown cheaper than Brisbane?
Blacktown is about 6% cheaper overall, especially in utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $3,945 in Brisbane and $3,689 in Blacktown 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.
What is the rent difference between Brisbane and Blacktown?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,944 in Brisbane versus $1,483 in Blacktown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Brisbane runs roughly 75% less than in Blacktown. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $2,044 in Brisbane versus $2,531 in Blacktown. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is it better to live in Brisbane or in Blacktown?
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.
Which city is safer, Brisbane or Blacktown?
Safety-wise, Brisbane and Blacktown are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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