Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Grafton Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Grafton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,342 per month in Brisbane vs $2,131 in Grafton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,309 per month in Brisbane vs $3,102 in Grafton, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,277 per month in Brisbane vs $4,072 in Grafton, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 10% more than Grafton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Grafton sit above the global median – Brisbane by 75%, Grafton by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 A$23.42

$16.25 A$23.28

0.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.8 A$103

$72.0 A$103

-0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 A$14.29

$9.50 A$13.61

4.95%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.21

$3.23 A$4.63

12.38%

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

$2.66 A$3.81

$2.67 A$3.83

-0.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.23

$2.25 A$3.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.55

$6.39 A$9.15

4.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 A$10.92

$7.70 A$11.04

-1.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.31

$1.07 A$1.53

51.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.31

$2.29 A$3.27

0.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 A$2.59

$1.89 A$2.71

-4.23%

Eggs

$4.47 A$6.41

$3.32 A$4.75

34.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 A$11.65

$8.18 A$11.72

-0.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 A$11.66

$7.13 A$10.22

14.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 A$19.58

$13.72 A$19.66

-0.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.61

$2.57 A$3.68

25.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.07

$1.28 A$1.83

121.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.92

$2.74 A$3.93

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 A$6.04

$4.20 A$6.02

0.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.64

$2.00 A$2.86

27.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 A$3.25

$2.06 A$2.95

10.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$1.61 A$2.31

34.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.84

$1.02 A$1.46

25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.03 A$47.32

$27.55 A$39.47

19.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 A$17.98

$12.28 A$17.59

2.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.57

$4.58 A$6.56

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$6.02

$4.24 A$6.08

-0.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.50

$2.68 A$3.83

-86.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.71 A$38.27

$66.0 A$94.6

-59.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.33

$2.30 A$3.30

0.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 A$2.18

$1.51 A$2.16

0.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.81 A$48.44

$33.79 A$48.42

0.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.72

$1.18 A$1.69

1.69%

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

$29.0K A$41.5K

$28.9K A$41.4K

0.17%

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

$22.2K A$31.8K

$22.3K A$32.0K

-0.68%

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

$144 A$207

$148 A$212

-2.25%

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

$26.00 A$37.26

$25.44 A$36.45

2.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$76.5

$45.18 A$64.7

18.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.12 A$70.4

$48.33 A$69.2

1.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 A$24.79

$15.85 A$22.70

9.15%

Cinema Ticket

$12.85 A$18.42

$11.21 A$16.06

14.63%

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

$1,605 A$2,300

$647 A$927

148.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,910 A$12.8K

$2,951 A$4,228

201.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 A$103

$70.5 A$101

2.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.95 A$61.5

$43.17 A$61.8

-0.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 A$131

$92.7 A$133

-1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$147

$100 A$143

2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 A$2,325

$1,251 A$1,792

29.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 A$1,786

$1,082 A$1,550

15.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 A$3,701

$2,002 A$2,869

29.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 A$2,706

$1,677 A$2,402

12.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,235 A$11.8K

$5,997 A$8,592

37.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,623 A$8,056

$5,225 A$7,486

7.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,180 A$5,988

$2,443 A$3,500

71.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

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

Last update for Brisbane: July 12, 2026

Last update for Grafton: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,623 in Brisbane versus $1,251 in Grafton. 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 71% 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 $72.0 in Grafton. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Brisbane vs $293 in Grafton – so Grafton wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Grafton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 10% more than Grafton, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. 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 $3,197 in Grafton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $72.0 in Grafton. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Grafton, where all-in costs run around $2,131, than in Brisbane at $2,342. In Grafton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Grafton – 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 Grafton. 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.