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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,285 per month in Brisbane vs $2,317 in Cairns, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,328 per month in Brisbane vs $3,472 in Cairns, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,372 per month in Brisbane vs $4,627 in Cairns, rent included.

Brisbane is about 1% cheaper than Cairns, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Cairns sit above the global median – Brisbane by 71%, Cairns by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 A$22.26

$11.59 A$16.15

37.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 A$98.7

$81.4 A$113

-13.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 A$13.24

$10.88 A$15.16

-12.68%

Cappuccino

$3.65 A$5.08

$3.75 A$5.23

-2.67%

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

$2.67 A$3.72

$2.84 A$3.96

-5.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.97

$2.30 A$3.21

-7.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.80

$6.43 A$8.96

-1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 A$11.18

$6.96 A$9.70

15.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 A$2.14

$1.74 A$2.42

-11.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.44 A$3.40

-6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 A$2.60

$2.68 A$3.74

-30.60%

Eggs

$4.48 A$6.25

$4.00 A$5.58

12.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 A$11.48

$8.18 A$11.40

0.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 A$11.28

$9.26 A$12.90

-12.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 A$18.57

$12.76 A$17.78

4.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 A$4.71

$2.98 A$4.15

13.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.81

$2.23 A$3.10

22.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 A$3.78

$2.75 A$3.83

-1.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$5.98

$7.39 A$10.30

-41.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.52

$2.23 A$3.11

13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.21

$2.33 A$3.25

-1.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.27 A$3.16

-5.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.72

$2.86 A$3.99

-56.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.55 A$45.36

$28.71 A$40.01

13.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 A$17.90

$11.50 A$16.02

11.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.50

$3.40 A$4.74

37.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 A$5.83

$3.49 A$4.86

19.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 A$0.44

$3.27 A$4.56

-90.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 A$38.35

$64.9 A$90.5

-57.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 A$3.20

$6.64 A$9.26

-65.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 A$2.20

$3.19 A$4.44

-50.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.11 A$47.54

$33.95 A$47.31

0.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.10 A$1.53

12.73%

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

$29.1K A$40.5K

$22.8K A$31.8K

27.44%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$19.1K A$26.7K

17.90%

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

$146 A$204

$149 A$207

-1.72%

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

$25.26 A$35.20

$37.35 A$52.1

-32.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 A$73.2

$58.6 A$81.6

-10.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 A$69.2

$38.65 A$53.9

28.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 A$24.04

$15.95 A$22.23

8.15%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 A$18.43

$13.24 A$18.45

-0.08%

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

$1,591 A$2,218

$1,636 A$2,280

-2.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,689 A$12.1K

$11.9K A$16.6K

-26.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$97.9

$83.6 A$116

-15.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.49 A$62.0

$66.6 A$92.8

-33.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 A$127

$101 A$141

-9.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 A$139

$139 A$194

-28.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 A$2,252

$1,230 A$1,714

31.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 A$1,729

$1,111 A$1,548

11.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 A$3,720

$1,987 A$2,769

34.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,939 A$2,701

$1,866 A$2,601

3.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,525 A$11.9K

$6,707 A$9,347

27.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,824 A$8,116

$5,132 A$7,151

13.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,294 A$5,984

$4,549 A$6,338

-5.59%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cairns: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,616 in Brisbane versus $1,230 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 6% higher in Cairns, 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 $71.0 in Brisbane versus $81.0 in Cairns. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $356 – 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

Cairns costs about 1% more than Brisbane, 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 $3,427 per month in Brisbane and $3,476 in Cairns. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 9% more in Cairns, 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 $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 Brisbane, where all-in costs run around $2,285, than in Cairns at $2,317. In Brisbane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cairns it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Brisbane – 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 Brisbane. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cairns makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.