Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Burnie Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Burnie

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,635 per month in Brisbane vs $1,833 in Burnie, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,941 per month in Brisbane vs $2,780 in Burnie, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,247 per month in Brisbane vs $3,726 in Burnie, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 44% more than Burnie, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Burnie sit above the global median – Brisbane by 93%, Burnie by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.92 A$25.14

$18.60 A$26.09

-3.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 A$103

$92.5 A$130

-20.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 A$15.87

$5.86 A$8.22

93.17%

Cappuccino

$4.39 A$6.16

$3.95 A$5.55

11.14%

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

$2.91 A$4.08

$3.62 A$5.08

-19.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 A$3.54

$1.82 A$2.56

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.73 A$12.24

$4.24 A$5.95

105.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.49 A$11.91

$6.12 A$8.59

38.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.44

$1.88 A$2.64

-7.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.76

$2.54 A$3.57

5.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 A$3.32

$1.87 A$2.63

26.74%

Eggs

$5.02 A$7.05

$5.10 A$7.16

-1.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 A$13.18

$10.15 A$14.23

-7.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.29 A$13.04

$6.49 A$9.10

43.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.19 A$19.90

$17.81 A$24.99

-20.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 A$5.90

$2.84 A$3.98

48.24%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 A$4.38

$2.88 A$4.04

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.16

$2.12 A$2.97

39.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 A$7.05

$2.90 A$4.07

73.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.97

$2.63 A$3.68

7.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.49

$2.08 A$2.92

19.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 A$3.37

$2.18 A$3.06

10.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.74

$1.72 A$2.41

-27.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.66 A$54.2

$36.76 A$51.6

5.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 A$18.34

$14.72 A$20.65

-11.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.35 A$7.51

$3.47 A$4.87

54.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 A$7.11

$5.69 A$7.99

-10.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.48

$3.16 A$4.44

-89.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.08 A$29.57

$89.5 A$126

-76.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 A$4.32

$2.74 A$3.84

12.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.58

$2.13 A$2.98

-13.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.32 A$58.0

$43.68 A$61.3

-5.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 A$1.91

$1.23 A$1.73

10.57%

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

$28.4K A$39.9K

$27.2K A$38.1K

4.69%

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

$29.3K A$41.1K

$32.7K A$45.9K

-10.51%

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

$161 A$226

$217 A$305

-25.76%

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

$26.36 A$36.98

$21.76 A$30.53

21.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 A$85.5

$49.25 A$69.1

23.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 A$89.6

$54.6 A$76.6

16.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.59 A$30.29

$20.44 A$28.67

5.63%

Cinema Ticket

$17.98 A$25.22

$14.31 A$20.07

25.65%

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

$2,104 A$2,952

$2,048 A$2,873

2.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K A$18.2K

$21.6K A$30.3K

-40.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.5 A$119

$80.0 A$112

5.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 A$60.0

$25.16 A$35.30

69.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 A$161

$109 A$153

5.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$158

$96.8 A$136

16.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 A$2,809

$828 A$1,162

141.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 A$1,971

$601 A$843

133.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,457 A$4,850

$1,173 A$1,646

194.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 A$3,464

$845 A$1,186

192.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,337 A$11.7K

$6,797 A$9,536

22.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,333 A$8,884

$4,835 A$6,783

30.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,216 A$5,915

$5,200 A$7,294

-18.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.81

5.6

3.75%

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

Last update for Brisbane: September 15, 2026

Last update for Burnie: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,002 in Brisbane versus $828 in Burnie. 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 23% higher in Burnie, 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 $74.0 in Brisbane versus $92.0 in Burnie. Groceries tell a different story – $369 in Brisbane vs $342 in Burnie – so Burnie 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 Burnie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 44% more than Burnie, 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 $3,952 per month in Brisbane and $2,750 in Burnie. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $74.0 in Brisbane and $92.0 in Burnie. 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 Burnie, where all-in costs run around $1,833, than in Brisbane at $2,635. In Burnie it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Burnie – 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 Burnie. 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.