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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,343 per month in Brisbane vs $1,988 in Bunbury, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,321 per month in Brisbane vs $3,082 in Bunbury, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,298 per month in Brisbane vs $4,176 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 75%, Bunbury by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.40 A$22.97

$16.31 A$22.83

0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 A$98.9

$76.8 A$107

-7.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 A$13.60

$10.35 A$14.50

-6.09%

Cappuccino

$3.62 A$5.07

$3.77 A$5.28

-3.98%

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

$2.80 A$3.92

$2.49 A$3.49

12.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$3.00

$2.02 A$2.82

5.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 A$8.96

$7.99 A$11.19

-19.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 A$11.00

$6.66 A$9.32

17.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 A$2.24

$0.97 A$1.36

64.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.24

$1.04 A$1.46

122.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 A$2.65

$1.81 A$2.54

4.42%

Eggs

$4.31 A$6.04

$4.62 A$6.47

-6.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 A$11.16

$8.58 A$12.01

-7.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 A$11.79

$7.98 A$11.18

5.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 A$18.68

$7.79 A$10.91

71.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 A$4.74

$3.50 A$4.90

-3.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.99

$3.02 A$4.23

-5.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.83

$2.61 A$3.66

4.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 A$5.95

$4.42 A$6.19

-3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.55

$2.50 A$3.50

1.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.20

$1.78 A$2.50

28.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.03

$1.65 A$2.30

30.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 A$1.83

$0.72 A$1.01

80.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.47 A$45.45

$24.26 A$33.96

33.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 A$19.74

$7.26 A$10.16

94.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 A$6.57

$3.91 A$5.47

19.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 A$5.97

$4.06 A$5.68

5.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.48

$2.62 A$3.67

-87.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.10 A$37.94

$52.7 A$73.8

-48.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.24

$4.08 A$5.72

-43.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 A$2.14

$2.22 A$3.11

-31.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.98 A$47.58

$32.05 A$44.88

6.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.65

$1.12 A$1.57

5.36%

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

$28.5K A$39.9K

$19.2K A$26.9K

48.45%

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

$22.6K A$31.6K

$17.7K A$24.7K

27.82%

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

$147 A$206

$151 A$211

-2.66%

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

$25.95 A$36.32

$28.02 A$39.22

-7.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 A$75.9

$55.7 A$78.0

-2.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.57 A$68.0

$51.7 A$72.3

-5.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.34 A$24.28

$10.03 A$14.05

72.88%

Cinema Ticket

$12.89 A$18.04

$12.94 A$18.12

-0.39%

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

$1,597 A$2,235

$1,792 A$2,509

-10.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,723 A$12.2K

$12.1K A$17.0K

-28.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 A$101

$70.7 A$99.0

1.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.20 A$60.5

$48.60 A$68.0

-11.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 A$128

$101 A$141

-9.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$143

$88.0 A$123

15.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 A$2,219

$893 A$1,251

77.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 A$1,764

$899 A$1,259

40.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,658 A$3,722

$1,682 A$2,355

58.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 A$2,652

$1,689 A$2,365

12.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,202 A$11.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 A$7,538

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,267 A$5,974

$4,789 A$6,705

-10.91%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bunbury: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,585 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 12% 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 $71.0 in Brisbane versus $77.0 in Bunbury. Groceries tell a different story – $333 in Brisbane vs $272 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 $3,515 per month in Brisbane and $2,982 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 23% 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 $71.0 in Brisbane and $77.0 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 $1,988, than in Brisbane at $2,343. 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.