Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Bunbury Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Bunbury

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,333 per month in Brisbane vs $1,973 in Bunbury, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,344 per month in Brisbane vs $3,086 in Bunbury, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Brisbane vs $4,199 in Bunbury, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 18% more than Bunbury, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Brisbane and Bunbury sit above the global median – Brisbane by 74%, Bunbury by 47%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.00 A$22.60

$16.22 A$22.92

-1.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 A$99.5

$78.5 A$111

-10.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.64 A$13.61

$10.33 A$14.60

-6.68%

Cappuccino

$3.60 A$5.08

$3.79 A$5.35

-5.01%

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

$2.76 A$3.90

$2.47 A$3.49

11.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 A$3.06

$1.92 A$2.72

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.61 A$9.33

$7.65 A$10.81

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 A$11.24

$6.39 A$9.03

24.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$1.00 A$1.41

62.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 A$3.19

$1.01 A$1.42

123.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 A$2.56

$1.91 A$2.69

-5.24%

Eggs

$4.37 A$6.18

$4.46 A$6.30

-2.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 A$11.30

$8.65 A$12.23

-7.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 A$11.54

$7.75 A$10.95

5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.70 A$19.36

$7.60 A$10.74

80.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.80

$3.47 A$4.90

-2.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 A$4.04

$2.94 A$4.16

-2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.82

$2.61 A$3.69

3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 A$6.19

$4.42 A$6.24

-0.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.56

$2.53 A$3.57

-0.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 A$3.18

$1.72 A$2.43

30.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 A$3.03

$1.59 A$2.24

35.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.76

$0.77 A$1.09

62.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.92 A$45.09

$23.80 A$33.62

34.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 A$17.60

$7.08 A$10.00

75.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.59

$3.94 A$5.57

18.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 A$5.69

$4.17 A$5.90

-3.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.48

$2.55 A$3.60

-86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.33 A$38.62

$51.1 A$72.2

-46.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 A$3.16

$4.03 A$5.70

-44.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 A$2.21

$2.22 A$3.13

-29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.01 A$46.64

$32.23 A$45.54

2.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.67

$1.11 A$1.58

6.31%

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

$28.9K A$40.9K

$19.6K A$27.7K

47.27%

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

$22.5K A$31.9K

$17.8K A$25.2K

26.60%

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

$145 A$204

$150 A$211

-3.42%

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

$25.67 A$36.27

$27.82 A$39.31

-7.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 A$76.7

$54.6 A$77.2

-0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.91 A$69.1

$52.0 A$73.5

-6.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.47 A$24.68

$9.98 A$14.10

75.05%

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 A$18.47

$12.99 A$18.35

0.69%

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

$1,643 A$2,322

$1,783 A$2,519

-7.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,911 A$12.6K

$12.2K A$17.2K

-26.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 A$99.7

$70.9 A$100

-0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.11 A$62.3

$48.78 A$68.9

-9.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 A$130

$102 A$144

-9.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 A$139

$88.5 A$125

11.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 A$2,267

$893 A$1,262

79.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 A$1,747

$904 A$1,277

36.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,572 A$3,634

$1,713 A$2,421

50.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,867 A$2,638

$1,681 A$2,375

11.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,332 A$11.8K

$6,047 A$8,544

37.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,049 A$8,547

$5,337 A$7,540

13.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,322 A$6,107

$4,667 A$6,594

-7.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.42

-2.80%

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

Last update for Brisbane: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bunbury: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,605 in Brisbane versus $893 in Bunbury. 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 8% higher in Bunbury, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Brisbane versus $79.0 in Bunbury. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Brisbane vs $269 in Bunbury – so Bunbury 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 Bunbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 18% more than Bunbury, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,499 per month in Brisbane and $2,960 in Bunbury. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 22% more in Brisbane, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Brisbane and $79.0 in Bunbury. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bunbury, where all-in costs run around $1,973, than in Brisbane at $2,333. In Bunbury it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bunbury – 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 Bunbury. 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.