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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,342 per month in Brisbane vs $1,498 in Fujairah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,309 per month in Brisbane vs $2,391 in Fujairah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,277 per month in Brisbane vs $3,285 in Fujairah, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 56% more than Fujairah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Brisbane and Fujairah sit above the global median – Brisbane by 75%, Fujairah by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 A$23.42

$6.76 AED 24.81

141.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.8 A$103

$40.16 AED 148

78.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 A$14.29

$6.76 AED 24.83

47.49%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.21

$5.64 AED 20.71

-35.64%

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

$2.66 A$3.81

$0.72 AED 2.65

269.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.23

$0.55 AED 2.03

309.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.55

$10.69 AED 39.25

-37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 A$10.92

$10.17 AED 37.35

-25.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.31

$1.64 AED 6.01

-1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.31

$1.34 AED 4.92

72.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 A$2.59

$1.72 AED 6.32

5.23%

Eggs

$4.47 A$6.41

$2.28 AED 8.36

96.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 A$11.65

$12.49 AED 45.86

-34.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 A$11.66

$7.55 AED 27.74

7.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 A$19.58

$15.57 AED 57.2

-12.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.61

$2.28 AED 8.36

41.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.07

$1.82 AED 6.68

56.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.92

$1.55 AED 5.70

76.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 A$6.04

$1.28 AED 4.69

228.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.64

$1.01 AED 3.71

151.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 A$3.25

$1.05 AED 3.85

116.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$1.76 AED 6.46

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.84

$0.50 AED 1.83

156.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.03 A$47.32

$6.24 AED 22.92

429.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 A$17.98

$13.44 AED 49.35

-6.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.57

$2.55 AED 9.36

79.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$6.02

$2.19 AED 8.05

91.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.50

$1.58 AED 5.81

-77.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.71 A$38.27

$51.7 AED 190

-48.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.33

$1.54 AED 5.64

50.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 A$2.18

$0.70 AED 2.57

117.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.81 A$48.44

$8.02 AED 29.45

321.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.72

$0.79 AED 2.89

51.90%

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

$29.0K A$41.5K

$44.6K AED 163.7K

-35.06%

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

$22.2K A$31.8K

$22.6K AED 82.9K

-1.82%

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

$144 A$207

$146 AED 537

-1.30%

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

$26.00 A$37.26

$44.73 AED 164

-41.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$76.5

$102 AED 376

-47.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.12 A$70.4

$18.07 AED 66.4

171.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 A$24.79

$39.29 AED 144

-55.97%

Cinema Ticket

$12.85 A$18.42

$8.76 AED 32.17

46.69%

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

$1,605 A$2,300

$215 AED 788

647.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,910 A$12.8K

$5,178 AED 19.0K

72.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 A$103

$114 AED 419

-36.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.95 A$61.5

$55.0 AED 202

-21.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 A$131

$134 AED 493

-32.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$147

$136 AED 498

-24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 A$2,325

$555 AED 2,039

192.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 A$1,786

$405 AED 1,488

207.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 A$3,701

$1,492 AED 5,480

73.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 A$2,706

$1,081 AED 3,969

74.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,235 A$11.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,623 A$8,056

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,180 A$5,988

$3,648 AED 13.4K

14.59%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,623 in Brisbane versus $555 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 15% 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 $72.0 in Brisbane versus $40.00 in Fujairah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 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 56% 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 $3,514 per month in Brisbane and $2,246 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 24% 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 $72.0 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 $1,498, than in Brisbane at $2,342. 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.