Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Kingstown Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Kingstown

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,333 per month in Brisbane vs $1,326 in Kingstown, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,344 per month in Brisbane vs $2,081 in Kingstown, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Brisbane vs $2,836 in Kingstown, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 76% more than Kingstown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Brisbane sits 74% above the global median, while Kingstown is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.00 A$22.77

$7.60 EC$20.51

110.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 A$100

$70.2 EC$190

0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.64 A$13.72

$10.94 EC$29.55

-11.88%

Cappuccino

$3.60 A$5.12

$3.26 EC$8.79

10.43%

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

$2.76 A$3.93

$2.15 EC$5.81

28.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 A$3.08

$2.01 EC$5.42

7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.61 A$9.40

$1.87 EC$5.04

253.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 A$11.33

$2.21 EC$5.95

260.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.31

$3.27 EC$8.82

-50.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 A$3.22

$1.98 EC$5.35

14.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 A$2.58

$1.70 EC$4.60

6.47%

Eggs

$4.37 A$6.22

$4.49 EC$12.13

-2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 A$11.39

$11.70 EC$31.59

-31.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 A$11.62

$4.91 EC$13.27

66.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.70 A$19.50

$12.37 EC$33.41

10.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.84

$8.68 EC$23.43

-60.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 A$4.07

$2.91 EC$7.86

-1.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.85

$8.98 EC$24.24

-69.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 A$6.24

$5.24 EC$14.16

-16.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.58

$4.04 EC$10.92

-37.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 A$3.21

$3.23 EC$8.73

-30.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 A$3.06

$4.16 EC$11.22

-48.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.78

$2.92 EC$7.89

-57.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.92 A$45.43

$4.18 EC$11.29

663.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 A$17.73

$16.69 EC$45.06

-25.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.64

$2.16 EC$5.82

115.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 A$5.73

$2.37 EC$6.41

70.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.49

$1.17 EC$3.16

-70.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.33 A$38.90

$50.3 EC$136

-45.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 A$3.19

$11.19 EC$30.21

-79.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 A$2.22

$1.81 EC$4.88

-13.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.01 A$46.99

$29.45 EC$79.5

12.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.68

$3.19 EC$8.62

-63.01%

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

$28.9K A$41.2K

$38.6K EC$104.2K

-25.05%

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

$22.5K A$32.1K

$29.9K EC$80.8K

-24.65%

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

$145 A$206

$74.3 EC$201

94.42%

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

$25.67 A$36.54

$28.22 EC$76.2

-9.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 A$77.3

$55.7 EC$150

-2.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.91 A$69.6

$32.20 EC$86.9

51.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.47 A$24.86

$4.51 EC$12.18

287.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 A$18.61

$4.67 EC$12.60

180.09%

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

$1,643 A$2,339

$120 EC$324

1268.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,911 A$12.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 A$100

$81.5 EC$220

-13.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.11 A$62.8

$65.1 EC$176

-32.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 A$131

$94.3 EC$254

-2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 A$140

$85.3 EC$230

15.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 A$2,284

$334 EC$902

380.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 A$1,760

$319 EC$862

287.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,572 A$3,661

$566 EC$1,528

354.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,867 A$2,658

$476 EC$1,285

292.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,332 A$11.9K

$593 EC$1,602

1304.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,049 A$8,611

$588 EC$1,588

928.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,322 A$6,152

$1,061 EC$2,865

307.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

7.5

-16.80%

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

Last update for Brisbane: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kingstown: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,605 in Brisbane versus $334 in Kingstown. 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 307% 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 $70.0 in Brisbane versus $70.0 in Kingstown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $416 – making Brisbane 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 Kingstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 76% more than Kingstown, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,499 per month in Brisbane and $1,990 in Kingstown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Brisbane – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Brisbane and $70.0 in Kingstown. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kingstown, where all-in costs run around $1,326, than in Brisbane at $2,333. In Kingstown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kingstown – 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 Kingstown. 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.