Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Brookvale Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Brookvale

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,290 per month in Brisbane vs $2,233 in Brookvale, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Brisbane vs $3,329 in Brookvale, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,298 per month in Brisbane vs $4,425 in Brookvale, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 3% more than Brookvale, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Brookvale sit above the global median – Brisbane by 72%, Brookvale by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.57 A$23.58

$16.15 A$22.99

2.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.1 A$103

$79.4 A$113

-9.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 A$14.07

$9.69 A$13.79

2.06%

Cappuccino

$3.72 A$5.30

$3.40 A$4.84

9.41%

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

$2.73 A$3.89

$2.48 A$3.53

10.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 A$3.18

$1.92 A$2.73

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.47 A$9.21

$6.31 A$8.99

2.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.00 A$11.39

$7.25 A$10.32

10.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 A$2.21

$1.46 A$2.08

6.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 A$3.17

$2.67 A$3.80

-16.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 A$2.69

$1.85 A$2.63

2.16%

Eggs

$4.33 A$6.17

$4.26 A$6.06

1.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 A$11.83

$8.98 A$12.78

-7.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.41 A$11.98

$8.60 A$12.25

-2.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 A$18.89

$13.94 A$19.84

-4.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.64

$3.27 A$4.65

-0.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.05

$2.74 A$3.90

3.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.88

$2.98 A$4.24

-8.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 A$6.06

$4.64 A$6.60

-8.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.50

$2.27 A$3.24

8.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.35

$2.28 A$3.25

3.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 A$3.18

$2.24 A$3.19

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.78

$1.29 A$1.84

-3.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.09 A$47.09

$30.58 A$43.52

8.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 A$18.04

$13.72 A$19.53

-7.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.56 A$6.49

$4.66 A$6.64

-2.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 A$5.80

$5.20 A$7.40

-21.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 A$0.45

$2.55 A$3.63

-87.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 A$39.17

$65.9 A$93.8

-58.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 A$3.33

$3.85 A$5.49

-39.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.27

$1.55 A$2.21

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.75 A$48.03

$40.85 A$58.2

-17.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.70

$1.15 A$1.64

3.48%

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

$28.4K A$40.4K

$28.3K A$40.3K

0.05%

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

$22.6K A$32.1K

$22.1K A$31.4K

2.08%

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

$145 A$207

$202 A$288

-28.26%

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

$25.93 A$36.90

$29.71 A$42.30

-12.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.9 A$76.8

$53.6 A$76.3

0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.29 A$68.7

$48.82 A$69.5

-1.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 A$24.05

$15.92 A$22.66

6.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.26 A$18.87

$13.74 A$19.56

-3.49%

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

$1,610 A$2,292

$1,733 A$2,466

-7.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,630 A$12.3K

$13.3K A$19.0K

-35.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 A$102

$69.8 A$99.3

3.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.16 A$61.4

$56.6 A$80.6

-23.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 A$131

$99.5 A$142

-7.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 A$141

$114 A$162

-12.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 A$2,322

$924 A$1,316

76.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 A$1,792

$1,045 A$1,488

20.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,589 A$3,686

$2,036 A$2,899

27.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,870 A$2,662

$1,690 A$2,406

10.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,117 A$11.6K

$6,108 A$8,694

32.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,833 A$8,303

$4,999 A$7,116

16.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,158 A$5,919

$1,379 A$1,963

201.51%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Brookvale: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,631 in Brisbane versus $924 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 run about 202% 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 $72.0 in Brisbane versus $79.0 in Brookvale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $342 – making Brisbane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Brisbane costs about 3% more than Brookvale, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,436 per month in Brisbane and $3,349 in Brookvale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Brisbane – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Brisbane and $79.0 in Brookvale. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Brookvale, where all-in costs run around $2,233, than in Brisbane at $2,290. In Brookvale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Brookvale – 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 Brookvale. 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.