Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Coffs Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Coffs Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,285 per month in Brisbane vs $2,303 in Coffs Harbour, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,328 per month in Brisbane vs $3,372 in Coffs Harbour, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,372 per month in Brisbane vs $4,441 in Coffs Harbour, rent included.

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

Both Brisbane and Coffs Harbour sit above the global median – Brisbane by 71%, Coffs Harbour by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 A$22.38

$16.37 A$22.93

-2.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 A$99.2

$95.8 A$134

-26.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 A$13.31

$9.81 A$13.74

-3.16%

Cappuccino

$3.65 A$5.11

$3.23 A$4.53

13.00%

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

$2.67 A$3.74

$2.61 A$3.65

2.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.98

$1.89 A$2.65

12.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.85

$6.61 A$9.26

-4.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 A$11.24

$7.98 A$11.19

0.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 A$2.15

$1.43 A$2.00

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 A$3.20

$2.62 A$3.67

-12.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 A$2.61

$2.24 A$3.14

-16.96%

Eggs

$4.48 A$6.28

$3.10 A$4.34

44.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 A$11.54

$7.18 A$10.07

14.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 A$11.34

$6.35 A$8.90

27.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 A$18.67

$12.45 A$17.44

7.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 A$4.74

$3.51 A$4.92

-3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.83

$2.83 A$3.96

-3.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 A$3.80

$3.75 A$5.26

-27.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$6.02

$3.90 A$5.47

10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.54

$1.32 A$1.84

90.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.22

$2.32 A$3.25

-0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$3.00

$1.92 A$2.69

11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.73

$2.39 A$3.35

-48.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.55 A$45.61

$20.98 A$29.40

55.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 A$18.00

$14.34 A$20.09

-10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.54

$6.43 A$9.00

-27.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 A$5.86

$6.76 A$9.48

-38.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 A$0.44

$4.31 A$6.03

-92.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 A$38.56

$65.3 A$91.5

-57.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 A$3.21

$2.00 A$2.80

14.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 A$2.21

$1.44 A$2.02

9.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.11 A$47.80

$33.21 A$46.53

2.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.74

$1.14 A$1.59

8.77%

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

$29.1K A$40.7K

$28.7K A$40.2K

1.21%

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

$22.6K A$31.6K

$21.8K A$30.6K

3.30%

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

$146 A$205

$163 A$229

-10.36%

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

$25.26 A$35.40

$9.88 A$13.84

155.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 A$73.6

$51.3 A$71.9

2.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 A$69.6

$48.41 A$67.8

2.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 A$24.17

$15.61 A$21.87

10.51%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 A$18.53

$13.02 A$18.25

1.61%

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

$1,591 A$2,230

$2,113 A$2,961

-24.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,689 A$12.2K

$7,213 A$10.1K

20.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$98.5

$62.0 A$86.8

13.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.49 A$62.3

$48.78 A$68.4

-8.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 A$128

$91.2 A$128

0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 A$140

$123 A$172

-18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 A$2,265

$1,280 A$1,794

26.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 A$1,739

$1,210 A$1,696

2.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 A$3,741

$1,985 A$2,781

34.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,939 A$2,716

$1,852 A$2,595

4.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,525 A$11.9K

$3,708 A$5,196

129.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,824 A$8,161

$3,623 A$5,076

60.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,294 A$6,017

$3,745 A$5,247

14.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.35

-1.73%

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

Last update for Brisbane: June 1, 2026

Last update for Coffs Harbour: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,616 in Brisbane versus $1,280 in Coffs Harbour. 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 15% higher in Brisbane, 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 $96.0 in Coffs Harbour. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $341 – 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 Coffs Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Coffs Harbour 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 $3,455 in Coffs Harbour. 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 4% more in Coffs Harbour, 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 $96.0 in Coffs Harbour. 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 Coffs Harbour at $2,303. In Brisbane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Coffs Harbour 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, Coffs Harbour makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.