Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Brookvale

For one person, living costs are similar in Brisbane and in Brookvale: $2,630 and $2,565 a month, rent and utilities included.

Brisbane, Australia
Brookvale, Australia
Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,630
/mo nomad
Brookvale
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,565
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brisbane and in Brookvale

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 Brookvale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,630 per month in Brisbane vs $2,565 in Brookvale, rent included.

  • Brisbane $2,630
  • Brookvale $2,565

A couple spends around $3,801 per month in Brisbane vs $3,679 in Brookvale, rent included.

  • Brisbane $3,801
  • Brookvale $3,679

A family of three spends $4,972 per month in Brisbane vs $4,794 in Brookvale, rent included.

  • Brisbane $4,972
  • Brookvale $4,794

Brisbane and Brookvale have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Brisbane and Brookvale sit above the global median – Brisbane by 93%, Brookvale by 88%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brisbane
Brookvale
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61 A$25.15
$17.79 A$25.41
-1.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.0 A$114
$89.0 A$127
-10.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 A$16.32
$10.41 A$14.87
9.80%
Cappuccino
$4.51 A$6.45
$4.04 A$5.77
11.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 A$4.22
$2.92 A$4.18
1.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 A$3.42
$2.27 A$3.24
5.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.61 A$12.30
$8.23 A$11.76
4.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.36 A$11.94
$7.32 A$10.45
14.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
Brookvale
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 A$2.31
$1.58 A$2.25
2.53%
White Bread (500g)
$2.65 A$3.79
$2.97 A$4.24
-10.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.32 A$3.32
$2.38 A$3.40
-2.52%
Eggs
$4.94 A$7.05
$5.16 A$7.36
-4.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.08 A$12.97
$11.84 A$16.91
-23.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 A$13.03
$9.56 A$13.65
-4.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.34 A$20.47
$15.61 A$22.30
-8.14%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 A$5.91
$3.94 A$5.62
5.08%
Banana (1kg)
$3.07 A$4.38
$3.17 A$4.52
-3.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.05 A$4.35
$3.38 A$4.82
-9.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.89 A$6.98
$5.13 A$7.33
-4.68%
Potato (1kg)
$2.81 A$4.01
$3.22 A$4.60
-12.73%
Onion (1kg)
$2.48 A$3.54
$2.87 A$4.10
-13.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.41 A$3.44
$2.32 A$3.32
3.88%
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
$44.39 A$63.4
-13.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.65 A$18.06
$14.25 A$20.35
-11.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.22 A$7.45
$4.02 A$5.74
29.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87 A$6.95
$4.05 A$5.78
20.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Brisbane
Brookvale
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 A$0.48
$3.11 A$4.44
-89.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.97 A$29.95
$87.3 A$125
-75.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.05 A$4.35
$3.49 A$4.99
-12.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 A$2.70
$1.59 A$2.28
18.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.76 A$58.2
$40.58 A$58.0
0.44%
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
$28.1K A$40.2K
5.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K A$36.6K
$26.6K A$38.0K
-3.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
Brookvale
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 A$225
$183 A$262
-13.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.05 A$37.21
$27.11 A$38.71
-3.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.1 A$87.3
$56.5 A$80.7
8.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
Brookvale
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 A$87.3
$57.6 A$82.3
6.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.36 A$31.93
$15.86 A$22.65
40.98%
Cinema Ticket
$13.95 A$19.93
$15.87 A$22.66
-12.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brisbane
Brookvale
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,044 A$2,919
$2,397 A$3,423
-14.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K A$18.4K
$20.4K A$29.2K
-36.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
Brookvale
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.4 A$118
$76.3 A$109
7.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.63 A$62.3
$57.7 A$82.3
-24.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 A$162
$107 A$153
6.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 A$158
$127 A$181
-12.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
Brookvale
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,944 A$2,776
$990 A$1,414
96.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 A$2,044
$1,251 A$1,787
14.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,484 A$4,976
$2,216 A$3,165
57.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,240 A$3,200
$1,793 A$2,560
24.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,322 A$13.3K
$5,889 A$8,410
58.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,003 A$10.0K
$4,963 A$7,087
41.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brisbane
Brookvale
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,144 A$5,918
$1,423 A$2,033
191.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.81
5.92
-1.86%

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

Last update for Brisbane: October 24, 2026

Last update for Brookvale: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
$1.4K
Brookvale
$1.3K 12.6% $180
Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
$362
Brookvale
$382 5.5% $20
Eating Out
Brisbane
$310
Brookvale
$299 3.8% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
$245
Brookvale
$267 9% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
$158
Brookvale
$165 4.9% $7.8
Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
$89
Brookvale
$89 0.3% $0.3
Getting Around
Brisbane
$35
Brookvale
$111 219% $76

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,944 in Brisbane versus $990 in Brookvale. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Brisbane are about 2.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Brisbane versus $89 in Brookvale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $382 – making Brisbane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🇦🇺 Brookvale
🕒 Local time
19:17 7:17 PM
20:17 8:17 PM
1 h ahead of Brisbane
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,287,896
3,127
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 Brookvale 720 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Brisbane
  • Brookvale

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 Brookvale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Brisbane and in Brookvale?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,945 per month in Brisbane and $3,847 in Brookvale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Brisbane or Brookvale?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Brookvale, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $990 there versus $1,944 in Brisbane.
Are groceries more expensive in Brisbane or in Brookvale?
Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Brisbane – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
How do childcare costs compare in Brisbane and in Brookvale?
Kindergarten costs $2,044 per month in Brisbane and $2,397 in Brookvale. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Brisbane or in Brookvale?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,630 in Brisbane and $2,565 in Brookvale, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Brisbane or Brookvale?
It depends on your priorities. Brisbane has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,565 in Brookvale to $2,630 in Brisbane. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Brisbane compared to Brookvale?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Brisbane or to Brookvale?
If budget matters most, go with Brookvale. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brisbane makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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