Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Cranbourne

For one person, living costs are similar in Brisbane and in Cranbourne: $2,518 and $2,446 a month, rent and utilities included.

Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,518
/mo nomad
Cranbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,446
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brisbane and in Cranbourne

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brisbane and in Cranbourne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,518 per month in Brisbane vs $2,446 in Cranbourne, rent included.

  • Brisbane $2,518
  • Cranbourne $2,446

A couple spends around $3,720 per month in Brisbane vs $3,501 in Cranbourne, rent included.

  • Brisbane $3,720
  • Cranbourne $3,501

A family of three spends $4,922 per month in Brisbane vs $4,556 in Cranbourne, rent included.

  • Brisbane $4,922
  • Cranbourne $4,556

Brisbane costs about 3% more than Cranbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Brisbane and Cranbourne sit above the global median – Brisbane by 86%, Cranbourne by 80%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brisbane
Cranbourne
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.39 A$25.02
$8.55 A$12.30
103.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.9 A$102
$83.7 A$121
-15.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.09 A$15.95
$12.31 A$17.71
-9.91%
Cappuccino
$4.43 A$6.38
$2.70 A$3.88
64.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 A$4.17
$2.74 A$3.94
5.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 A$3.49
$1.65 A$2.37
47.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.42 A$12.12
$6.77 A$9.74
24.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.31 A$11.96
$7.54 A$10.85
10.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
Cranbourne
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 A$2.40
$2.61 A$3.76
-36.02%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 A$3.92
$3.28 A$4.72
-17.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.29 A$3.29
$3.75 A$5.40
-38.93%
Eggs
$4.82 A$6.94
$4.89 A$7.03
-1.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.06 A$13.03
$10.00 A$14.39
-9.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.18 A$13.21
$10.82 A$15.57
-15.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.21 A$20.45
$12.15 A$17.49
16.95%
Apples (1kg)
$4.31 A$6.20
$3.21 A$4.62
34.27%
Banana (1kg)
$3.04 A$4.38
$3.40 A$4.89
-10.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.00 A$4.32
$4.04 A$5.82
-25.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.75 A$6.84
$3.53 A$5.08
34.56%
Potato (1kg)
$2.72 A$3.92
$3.42 A$4.92
-20.47%
Onion (1kg)
$2.34 A$3.37
$2.19 A$3.15
6.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.42 A$3.48
$1.54 A$2.21
57.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 A$1.71
$1.58 A$2.28
-24.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$38.67 A$55.7
$50.6 A$72.8
-23.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.66 A$18.21
$22.29 A$32.08
-43.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.40 A$7.77
$8.63 A$12.42
-37.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.13 A$7.38
$5.16 A$7.42
-0.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Brisbane
Cranbourne
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 A$0.53
$1.37 A$1.97
-72.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.72 A$29.81
$80.9 A$116
-74.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.92 A$4.20
$6.46 A$9.29
-54.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.86 A$2.68
$1.44 A$2.07
29.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.05 A$59.1
$24.03 A$34.57
70.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.40 A$2.01
$1.32 A$1.90
6.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K A$42.8K
$26.5K A$38.2K
12.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K A$37.4K
$29.5K A$42.4K
-11.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
Cranbourne
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$159 A$229
$261 A$375
-39.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.52 A$38.16
$27.69 A$39.85
-4.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.6 A$87.2
$22.99 A$33.08
163.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
Cranbourne
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.9 A$87.6
$39.04 A$56.2
55.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.22 A$31.97
$17.35 A$24.97
28.07%
Cinema Ticket
$14.14 A$20.34
$8.66 A$12.46
63.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brisbane
Cranbourne
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,952 A$2,808
$2,170 A$3,122
-10.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$18.3K
$19.9K A$28.7K
-36.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
Cranbourne
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.3 A$120
$77.1 A$111
8.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.69 A$62.9
$27.96 A$40.23
56.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 A$163
$108 A$156
4.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 A$160
$120 A$173
-7.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
Cranbourne
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,939 A$2,790
$1,386 A$1,995
39.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,322 A$1,902
$1,201 A$1,728
10.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,408 A$4,904
$2,134 A$3,071
59.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,242 A$3,226
$1,819 A$2,617
23.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,271 A$11.9K
$5,758 A$8,286
43.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,920 A$8,518
$4,846 A$6,973
22.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brisbane
Cranbourne
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,183 A$6,020
$1,753 A$2,522
138.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.81
5.84
-0.51%

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

Last update for Brisbane: October 19, 2026

Last update for Cranbourne: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
$1.3K
Cranbourne
$1.2K 9.1% $121
Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
$363
Cranbourne
$422 16.3% $59
Eating Out
Brisbane
$306
Cranbourne
$204 33.2% $101
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
$246
Cranbourne
$312 26.5% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
$158
Cranbourne
$150 5% $7.8
Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
$89
Cranbourne
$56 36.8% $33
Getting Around
Brisbane
$34
Cranbourne
$100 191% $66

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,939 in Brisbane versus $1,386 in Cranbourne. 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 139% higher in Brisbane, 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 $84.0 in Cranbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $422 – making Brisbane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🇦🇺 Cranbourne
🕒 Local time
22:29 10:29 PM
23:29 11:29 PM
1 h ahead of Brisbane
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,287,896
21,281
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brisbane Cranbourne 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Brisbane
  • Cranbourne

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cranbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Brisbane or Cranbourne?
Brisbane costs about 3% more than Cranbourne, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Brisbane and in Cranbourne?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,777 per month in Brisbane and $3,668 in Cranbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Brisbane or Cranbourne?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cranbourne, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Brisbane or in Cranbourne?
Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Brisbane – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
How do dining costs compare in Brisbane and in Cranbourne?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Brisbane and $84.0 in Cranbourne. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Brisbane or in Cranbourne?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Cranbourne, where all-in costs run around $2,446, than in Brisbane at $2,518. In Cranbourne it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Cranbourne – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Brisbane compared to Cranbourne?
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.
Should I move to Brisbane or to Cranbourne?
If budget matters most, go with Cranbourne. 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.

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