Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Kilkenny

For one person, living is cheaper in Kilkenny: $2,340 a month against $2,630 in Brisbane, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Brisbane, Australia
Kilkenny, Ireland
Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,630
/mo nomad
Kilkenny
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,340
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brisbane and in Kilkenny

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

A single person spends $2,630 per month in Brisbane vs $2,340 in Kilkenny, rent included.

  • Brisbane $2,630
  • Kilkenny $2,340

A couple spends around $3,801 per month in Brisbane vs $3,280 in Kilkenny, rent included.

  • Brisbane $3,801
  • Kilkenny $3,280

A family of three spends $4,972 per month in Brisbane vs $4,221 in Kilkenny, rent included.

  • Brisbane $4,972
  • Kilkenny $4,221

Brisbane costs about 12% more than Kilkenny, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Brisbane and Kilkenny sit above the global median – Brisbane by 93%, Kilkenny by 72%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brisbane
Kilkenny
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61 A$25.04
$16.55 €14.83
6.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.0 A$114
$67.4 €60.4
18.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 A$16.25
$10.02 €8.98
14.07%
Cappuccino
$4.51 A$6.42
$4.28 €3.84
5.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 A$4.20
$2.98 €2.67
-1.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 A$3.40
$2.18 €1.95
9.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.61 A$12.25
$6.57 €5.89
31.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.36 A$11.89
$6.50 €5.83
28.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
Kilkenny
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 A$2.30
$1.33 €1.20
21.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.65 A$3.77
$2.35 €2.11
12.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.32 A$3.30
$1.53 €1.37
51.63%
Eggs
$4.94 A$7.03
$4.38 €3.93
12.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.08 A$12.91
$10.50 €9.41
-13.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 A$12.98
$5.72 €5.13
59.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.34 A$20.39
$6.82 €6.12
110.26%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 A$5.89
$2.27 €2.04
82.38%
Banana (1kg)
$3.07 A$4.36
$2.23 €2.00
37.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.05 A$4.33
$3.03 €2.72
0.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.89 A$6.95
$2.85 €2.55
71.58%
Potato (1kg)
$2.81 A$4.00
$1.23 €1.11
128.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.48 A$3.53
$1.14 €1.02
117.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.41 A$3.43
$0.85 €0.76
183.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 A$1.69
$1.83 €1.64
-34.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$38.54 A$54.8
$20.42 €18.30
88.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.65 A$17.99
$14.18 €12.71
-10.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.22 A$7.42
$3.82 €3.42
36.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87 A$6.93
$4.37 €3.92
11.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Brisbane
Kilkenny
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 A$0.48
$2.71 €2.43
-87.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.97 A$29.83
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.05 A$4.34
$5.34 €4.78
-42.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 A$2.69
$1.41 €1.26
34.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.76 A$58.0
$56.4 €50.6
-27.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 A$2.06
$2.04 €1.83
-28.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K A$42.3K
$38.2K €34.3K
-22.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K A$36.4K
$38.4K €34.4K
-33.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
Kilkenny
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 A$224
$181 €162
-12.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.05 A$37.06
$20.72 €18.57
25.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.1 A$87.0
$51.8 €46.43
17.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
Kilkenny
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 A$87.0
$69.4 €62.2
-11.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.36 A$31.80
$22.38 €20.05
-0.09%
Cinema Ticket
$13.95 A$19.84
$13.53 €12.13
3.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brisbane
Kilkenny
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,044 A$2,908
$877 €786
133.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K A$18.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
Kilkenny
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.4 A$117
$102 €91.1
-19.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.63 A$62.1
$36.88 €33.05
18.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 A$161
$111 €99.8
1.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 A$158
$94.0 €84.3
18.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
Kilkenny
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,944 A$2,765
$1,534 €1,374
26.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 A$2,036
$1,252 €1,122
14.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,484 A$4,956
$2,620 €2,348
33.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,240 A$3,187
$1,818 €1,629
23.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,322 A$13.3K
$8,172 €7,323
14.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,003 A$9,961
$2,279 €2,042
207.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brisbane
Kilkenny
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,144 A$5,894
$2,765 €2,478
49.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.81
3.68
57.88%

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

Last update for Brisbane: October 24, 2026

Last update for Kilkenny: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
$1.4K
Kilkenny
$1.3K 12.5% $180
Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
$362
Kilkenny
$280 22.7% $82
Eating Out
Brisbane
$310
Kilkenny
$280 9.7% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
$245
Kilkenny
$253 3.3% $8.1
Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
$158
Kilkenny
$155 1.8% $2.9
Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
$89
Kilkenny
$96 8.3% $7.4
Getting Around
Brisbane
$35
Kilkenny
$23 * 33.3% $12

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,944 in Brisbane versus $1,534 in Kilkenny. 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 50% higher in Brisbane. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Brisbane versus $67 in Kilkenny. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $280 – making Kilkenny the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🇮🇪 Kilkenny
🕒 Local time
17:06 5:06 PM
07:06 7:06 AM
10 h behind Brisbane
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,287,896
26,500
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.63 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brisbane Kilkenny 16,770 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Brisbane
  • Kilkenny

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 Kilkenny: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Brisbane or Kilkenny?
Brisbane costs about 12% more than Kilkenny, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 Kilkenny?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,945 per month in Brisbane and $3,509 in Kilkenny. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Brisbane or Kilkenny?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kilkenny, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,534 there versus $1,944 in Brisbane.
How much does it cost to live in Brisbane compared to Kilkenny?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,630 in Brisbane and $2,340 in Kilkenny. That makes Kilkenny about 11% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Brisbane and in Kilkenny?
Kindergarten costs $2,044 per month in Brisbane and $877 in Kilkenny. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Kilkenny – 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 Kilkenny?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Brisbane or to Kilkenny?
If budget matters most, go with Kilkenny. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brisbane makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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