Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Cairns Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Cairns

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,342 per month in Brisbane vs $2,298 in Cairns, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,309 per month in Brisbane vs $3,379 in Cairns, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,277 per month in Brisbane vs $4,460 in Cairns, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 2% more than Cairns, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Cairns sit above the global median – Brisbane by 75%, Cairns by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 A$23.41

$11.67 A$16.71

40.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.8 A$103

$80.5 A$115

-10.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 A$14.28

$10.67 A$15.28

-6.56%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.20

$3.88 A$5.55

-6.44%

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

$2.66 A$3.81

$2.88 A$4.12

-7.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.23

$2.25 A$3.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.54

$6.38 A$9.14

4.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 A$10.91

$7.30 A$10.45

4.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.31

$1.64 A$2.35

-1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.31

$2.40 A$3.43

-3.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 A$2.59

$2.77 A$3.97

-34.66%

Eggs

$4.47 A$6.41

$4.09 A$5.85

9.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 A$11.64

$8.03 A$11.50

1.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 A$11.65

$9.12 A$13.05

-10.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 A$19.57

$12.54 A$17.95

9.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.61

$2.94 A$4.22

9.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.06

$2.28 A$3.26

24.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.92

$2.66 A$3.81

3.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 A$6.03

$7.05 A$10.09

-40.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.64

$2.21 A$3.17

14.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 A$3.25

$2.24 A$3.20

1.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$2.28 A$3.26

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.84

$2.89 A$4.13

-55.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.03 A$47.28

$29.51 A$42.26

11.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 A$17.97

$12.88 A$18.45

-2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.56

$3.23 A$4.63

41.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$6.01

$3.62 A$5.18

16.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.50

$3.29 A$4.71

-89.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.71 A$38.24

$65.4 A$93.6

-59.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.33

$6.63 A$9.50

-65.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 A$2.18

$3.13 A$4.47

-51.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.81 A$48.41

$33.87 A$48.49

-0.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.10 A$1.57

9.09%

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

$29.0K A$41.4K

$22.6K A$32.3K

28.18%

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

$22.2K A$31.7K

$19.6K A$28.1K

12.93%

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

$144 A$207

$153 A$218

-5.30%

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

$26.00 A$37.23

$37.28 A$53.4

-30.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$76.4

$60.5 A$86.6

-11.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.12 A$70.3

$38.42 A$55.0

27.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 A$24.78

$15.78 A$22.59

9.63%

Cinema Ticket

$12.85 A$18.40

$13.13 A$18.80

-2.13%

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

$1,605 A$2,298

$1,636 A$2,342

-1.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,910 A$12.8K

$12.0K A$17.2K

-25.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 A$103

$85.4 A$122

-15.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.95 A$61.5

$66.8 A$95.7

-35.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 A$131

$99.0 A$142

-7.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$147

$135 A$193

-24.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 A$2,324

$1,235 A$1,768

31.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 A$1,785

$1,092 A$1,563

14.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 A$3,698

$2,041 A$2,922

26.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 A$2,705

$1,870 A$2,677

1.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,235 A$11.8K

$6,338 A$9,074

29.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,623 A$8,051

$4,904 A$7,021

14.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,180 A$5,984

$4,324 A$6,191

-3.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.96

-10.34%

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

Last update for Brisbane: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cairns: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,623 in Brisbane versus $1,235 in Cairns. 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 3% higher in Cairns, 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 $72.0 in Brisbane versus $81.0 in Cairns. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $353 – 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 Cairns: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 2% more than Cairns, 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 $3,514 per month in Brisbane and $3,447 in Cairns. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% 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 $81.0 in Cairns. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cairns, where all-in costs run around $2,298, than in Brisbane at $2,342. In Cairns it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cairns – 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 Cairns. 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.