Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Fujairah Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Fujairah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,285 per month in Brisbane vs $1,469 in Fujairah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,328 per month in Brisbane vs $2,391 in Fujairah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,372 per month in Brisbane vs $3,313 in Fujairah, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 55% more than Fujairah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Brisbane and Fujairah sit above the global median – Brisbane by 71%, Fujairah by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 A$22.26

$6.72 AED 24.66

137.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 A$98.7

$40.39 AED 148

75.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 A$13.24

$6.68 AED 24.54

42.22%

Cappuccino

$3.65 A$5.08

$5.76 AED 21.16

-36.63%

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

$2.67 A$3.72

$0.74 AED 2.71

260.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.97

$0.56 AED 2.05

280.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.80

$10.79 AED 39.65

-41.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 A$11.18

$10.27 AED 37.72

-21.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 A$2.14

$1.59 AED 5.83

-3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 A$3.18

$1.32 AED 4.85

72.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 A$2.60

$1.71 AED 6.27

8.77%

Eggs

$4.48 A$6.25

$2.27 AED 8.34

97.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 A$11.48

$12.94 AED 47.51

-36.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 A$11.28

$7.88 AED 28.93

2.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 A$18.57

$15.14 AED 55.6

-11.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 A$4.71

$2.21 AED 8.13

52.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.81

$1.80 AED 6.63

51.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 A$3.78

$1.48 AED 5.43

83.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$5.98

$1.30 AED 4.78

230.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.52

$1.01 AED 3.70

149.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.21

$1.00 AED 3.67

130.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.74 AED 6.38

22.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.72

$0.49 AED 1.82

153.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.55 A$45.36

$6.36 AED 23.34

411.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 A$17.90

$13.68 AED 50.2

-6.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.50

$2.57 AED 9.44

81.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 A$5.83

$2.21 AED 8.11

89.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 A$0.44

$1.65 AED 6.05

-81.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 A$38.35

$53.3 AED 196

-48.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 A$3.20

$1.54 AED 5.64

48.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 A$2.20

$0.71 AED 2.61

122.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.11 A$47.54

$8.03 AED 29.50

324.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$0.77 AED 2.83

61.04%

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

$29.1K A$40.5K

$45.0K AED 165.2K

-35.41%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$21.9K AED 80.3K

3.18%

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

$146 A$204

$146 AED 537

-0.02%

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

$25.26 A$35.20

$45.74 AED 168

-44.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 A$73.2

$102 AED 375

-48.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 A$69.2

$18.59 AED 68.3

167.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 A$24.04

$39.94 AED 147

-56.81%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 A$18.43

$8.73 AED 32.07

51.55%

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

$1,591 A$2,218

$220 AED 809

622.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,689 A$12.1K

$5,209 AED 19.1K

66.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$97.9

$118 AED 432

-40.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.49 A$62.0

$55.1 AED 202

-19.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 A$127

$139 AED 509

-34.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 A$139

$138 AED 508

-27.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 A$2,252

$551 AED 2,022

193.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 A$1,729

$405 AED 1,486

206.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 A$3,720

$1,517 AED 5,572

75.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,939 A$2,701

$1,094 AED 4,018

77.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,525 A$11.9K

$1,504 AED 5,523

466.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,824 A$8,116

$1,040 AED 3,821

459.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,294 A$5,984

$3,706 AED 13.6K

15.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

4.88

27.87%

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

Last update for Brisbane: June 1, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,616 in Brisbane versus $551 in Fujairah. 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 16% 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 $40.00 in Fujairah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $265 – making Fujairah 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 Fujairah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 55% more than Fujairah, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $2,204 in Fujairah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 23% more in Brisbane, 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 $40.00 in Fujairah. 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 Fujairah, where all-in costs run around $1,469, than in Brisbane at $2,285. In Fujairah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Fujairah – 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 Fujairah. 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.