Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Denver

For one person, living is cheaper in Denver: $2,433 a month against $2,630 in Brisbane, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Brisbane outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Brisbane, Australia
Denver, Australia
Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,630
/mo nomad
Denver
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,433
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brisbane and in Denver

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 Denver actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,630 per month in Brisbane vs $2,433 in Denver, rent included.

  • Brisbane $2,630
  • Denver $2,433

A couple spends around $3,801 per month in Brisbane vs $3,666 in Denver, rent included.

  • Brisbane $3,801
  • Denver $3,666

A family of three spends $4,972 per month in Brisbane vs $4,899 in Denver, rent included.

  • Brisbane $4,972
  • Denver $4,899

Brisbane costs about 8% more than Denver, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Brisbane and Denver sit above the global median – Brisbane by 93%, Denver by 79%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brisbane
Denver
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61 A$25.15
$15.29 A$21.83
15.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.0 A$114
$82.3 A$117
-2.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 A$16.32
$10.81 A$15.44
5.74%
Cappuccino
$4.51 A$6.45
$3.62 A$5.17
24.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 A$4.22
$2.76 A$3.93
6.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 A$3.42
$2.45 A$3.50
-2.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.61 A$12.30
$8.34 A$11.91
3.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.36 A$11.94
$7.17 A$10.24
16.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
Denver
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 A$2.31
$1.63 A$2.33
-0.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.65 A$3.79
$2.71 A$3.88
-2.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.32 A$3.32
$2.51 A$3.58
-7.57%
Eggs
$4.94 A$7.05
$5.38 A$7.68
-8.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.08 A$12.97
$8.54 A$12.20
6.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 A$13.03
$8.64 A$12.33
5.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.34 A$20.47
$14.43 A$20.61
-0.62%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 A$5.91
$3.31 A$4.73
25.08%
Banana (1kg)
$3.07 A$4.38
$2.93 A$4.19
4.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.05 A$4.35
$2.80 A$4.00
8.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.89 A$6.98
$5.21 A$7.44
-6.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.81 A$4.01
$2.52 A$3.60
11.51%
Onion (1kg)
$2.48 A$3.54
$2.22 A$3.17
11.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.41 A$3.44
$2.48 A$3.55
-2.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 A$1.70
$1.75 A$2.49
-32.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$38.54 A$55.0
$46.36 A$66.2
-16.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.65 A$18.06
$12.82 A$18.31
-1.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.22 A$7.45
$4.68 A$6.68
11.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87 A$6.95
$5.25 A$7.49
-7.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Brisbane
Denver
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 A$0.48
$2.94 A$4.20
-88.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.97 A$29.95
$78.2 A$112
-73.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.05 A$4.35
$3.16 A$4.51
-3.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 A$2.70
$1.41 A$2.02
34.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.76 A$58.2
$43.23 A$61.7
-5.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 A$2.07
$1.28 A$1.82
13.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K A$42.4K
$27.1K A$38.7K
9.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K A$36.6K
$24.8K A$35.4K
3.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
Denver
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 A$225
$198 A$283
-20.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.05 A$37.21
$25.50 A$36.42
2.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.1 A$87.3
$52.3 A$74.7
16.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
Denver
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 A$87.3
$51.9 A$74.0
17.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.36 A$31.93
$19.82 A$28.30
12.82%
Cinema Ticket
$13.95 A$19.93
$15.49 A$22.12
-9.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brisbane
Denver
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,044 A$2,919
$1,868 A$2,668
9.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K A$18.4K
$23.2K A$33.2K
-44.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
Denver
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.4 A$118
$84.9 A$121
-2.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.63 A$62.3
$60.4 A$86.3
-27.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 A$162
$119 A$170
-4.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 A$158
$112 A$159
-0.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
Denver
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,944 A$2,776
$1,312 A$1,874
48.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 A$2,044
$1,169 A$1,669
22.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,484 A$4,976
$2,082 A$2,974
67.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,240 A$3,200
$2,058 A$2,938
8.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,322 A$13.3K
$6,557 A$9,364
42.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,003 A$10.0K
$4,330 A$6,184
61.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brisbane
Denver
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,144 A$5,918
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.81
5.9
-1.53%

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

Last update for Brisbane: October 24, 2026

Last update for Denver: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
$1.4K
Denver
$1.2K 18.4% $263
Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
$362
Denver
$361 0.2% $0.9
Eating Out
Brisbane
$310
Denver
$275 11.4% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
$245
Denver
$276 12.6% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
$158
Denver
$169 7.4% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
$89
Denver
$83 7% $6.2
Getting Around
Brisbane
$35
Denver
$100 188% $65

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,944 in Brisbane versus $1,312 in Denver. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Brisbane versus $82 in Denver. Groceries tell a different story – $362 in Brisbane vs $361 in Denver – so Denver wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🇦🇺 Denver
🕒 Local time
19:31 7:31 PM
20:31 8:31 PM
1 h ahead of Brisbane
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,287,896
149
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brisbane Denver 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Brisbane
  • Denver

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 Denver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Brisbane or Denver?
Brisbane costs about 8% more than Denver, 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 Denver?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,945 per month in Brisbane and $3,649 in Denver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Brisbane or Denver?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Denver, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,312 there versus $1,944 in Brisbane.
How much does it cost to live in Brisbane compared to Denver?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,630 in Brisbane and $2,433 in Denver. That makes Denver about 8% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Brisbane compared to Denver?
Public transport costs about 73% less in Brisbane. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Brisbane or in Denver?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,630 in Brisbane and $2,433 in Denver, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Denver – 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 Denver?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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