Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Forster

For one person, living costs are similar in Brisbane and in Forster: $2,644 and $2,595 a month, rent and utilities included.

127

Cost of Living Index in Brisbane
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Brisbane Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Forster
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Forster Living Index

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Brisbane

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,644

/mo nomad

Forster

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,595

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brisbane and in Forster

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

A single person spends $2,644 per month in Brisbane vs $2,595 in Forster, rent included.

Brisbane $2,644
Forster $2,595

A couple spends around $3,821 per month in Brisbane vs $3,737 in Forster, rent included.

Brisbane $3,821
Forster $3,737

A family of three spends $4,999 per month in Brisbane vs $4,879 in Forster, rent included.

Brisbane $4,999
Forster $4,879

Brisbane and Forster have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Brisbane and Forster sit above the global median – Brisbane by 96%, Forster by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.81 A$25.38

$17.58 A$25.05

1.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 A$122

$92.1 A$131

-7.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.28 A$16.07

$10.66 A$15.19

5.82%

Cappuccino

$4.45 A$6.34

$3.90 A$5.56

14.10%

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

$2.80 A$4.00

$2.82 A$4.02

-0.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 A$3.49

$2.22 A$3.17

10.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.60 A$12.26

$6.87 A$9.79

25.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.36 A$11.92

$5.45 A$7.76

53.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.50

$1.64 A$2.34

7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 A$3.66

$2.91 A$4.15

-11.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 A$3.11

$2.38 A$3.39

-8.40%

Eggs

$4.95 A$7.05

$5.62 A$8.01

-11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 A$13.65

$12.01 A$17.11

-20.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 A$12.84

$9.38 A$13.37

-3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.95

$16.88 A$24.05

-17.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 A$6.00

$3.90 A$5.56

7.95%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.53

$3.10 A$4.42

2.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.98

$3.40 A$4.85

-17.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 A$6.88

$4.22 A$6.02

14.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 A$4.00

$3.24 A$4.62

-13.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.36

$2.48 A$3.54

-4.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 A$3.36

$2.38 A$3.39

-0.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 A$1.69

$1.21 A$1.73

-1.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$39.08 A$55.7

$44.92 A$64.0

-13.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.84 A$18.29

$14.05 A$20.03

-8.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.27 A$7.52

$3.96 A$5.65

33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 A$6.99

$4.07 A$5.80

20.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 A$0.51

$2.83 A$4.03

-87.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.39 A$30.48

$84.7 A$121

-74.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 A$3.71

$3.50 A$4.98

-25.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 A$2.68

$1.65 A$2.35

13.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.67 A$59.4

$40.37 A$57.5

3.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.10

$1.51 A$2.15

-1.99%

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

$29.0K A$41.3K

$30.0K A$42.7K

-3.23%

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

$25.9K A$36.9K

$27.9K A$39.8K

-7.11%

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

$160 A$228

$252 A$360

-36.71%

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

$26.65 A$37.98

$27.69 A$39.46

-3.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 A$87.3

$56.6 A$80.6

8.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$87.0

$57.0 A$81.2

7.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 A$32.28

$17.43 A$24.83

30.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.15 A$20.16

$17.45 A$24.87

-18.91%

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

$1,982 A$2,824

$2,354 A$3,354

-15.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.8K A$38.2K

$27.9K A$39.7K

-3.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 A$121

$80.3 A$114

6.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.37 A$66.1

$71.4 A$102

-35.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$158

$113 A$162

-2.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 A$156

$130 A$186

-15.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,957 A$2,789

$1,391 A$1,982

40.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 A$2,054

$1,217 A$1,734

18.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,481 A$4,960

$2,287 A$3,259

52.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,234 A$3,183

$1,794 A$2,556

24.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,571 A$13.6K

$5,826 A$8,303

64.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,938 A$9,887

$4,884 A$6,959

42.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,134 A$5,891

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.92

-1.35%

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

Last update for Brisbane: November 3, 2026

Last update for Forster: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Brisbane

$1.4K 54.5%

Forster

$1.2K 46.9% 15.5% $224

Groceries & Markets

Brisbane

$362 13.7%

Forster

$379 14.6% 4.8% $17

Eating Out

Brisbane

$310 11.7%

Forster

$285 11% 8.2% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Brisbane

$248 9.4%

Forster

$337 13% 35.9% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Brisbane

$158 6%

Forster

$178 6.9% 12.3% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Brisbane

$89 3.4%

Forster

$92 3.5% 2.8% $2.5

Getting Around

Brisbane

$35 1.3%

Forster

$108 4.2% 209% $73

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,957 in Brisbane versus $1,391 in Forster. 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 $85 in Brisbane versus $92 in Forster. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $379 – making Brisbane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Brisbane

🇦🇺 Forster

🕒 Local time

05:24 5:24 AM

06:24 6:24 AM

1 h ahead of Brisbane

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,287,896

20,554

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.702 USD

1 AUD = 0.625 EUR

1 AUD = 0.702 USD

1 AUD = 0.625 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Brisbane Forster 530 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Brisbane
Forster

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 Forster: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,965 per month in Brisbane and $3,893 in Forster. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Forster, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,391 there versus $1,957 in Brisbane.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Brisbane – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

Kindergarten costs $1,982 per month in Brisbane and $2,354 in Forster. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,644 in Brisbane and $2,595 in Forster, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Brisbane has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,595 in Forster to $2,644 in Brisbane. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.