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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,300 per month in Brisbane vs $1,305 in Kingstown, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,347 per month in Brisbane vs $2,071 in Kingstown, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,395 per month in Brisbane vs $2,837 in Kingstown, rent included.

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

Brisbane sits 72% above the global median, while Kingstown is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.30 A$22.82

$7.55 EC$20.38

115.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.0 A$101

$70.4 EC$190

2.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 A$13.34

$11.17 EC$30.15

-14.68%

Cappuccino

$3.69 A$5.17

$3.29 EC$8.88

12.16%

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

$2.74 A$3.83

$2.16 EC$5.84

26.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.98

$2.09 EC$5.66

1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 A$9.35

$1.81 EC$4.89

269.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 A$11.02

$2.16 EC$5.82

264.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 A$2.23

$3.23 EC$8.72

-50.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.23

$2.10 EC$5.67

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 A$2.56

$1.65 EC$4.45

10.91%

Eggs

$4.50 A$6.31

$4.55 EC$12.29

-1.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.42 A$11.79

$11.43 EC$30.86

-26.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 A$11.51

$4.77 EC$12.88

72.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 A$18.85

$12.33 EC$33.30

9.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 A$4.74

$8.95 EC$24.15

-62.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.05

$2.91 EC$7.86

-0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 A$3.65

$9.11 EC$24.58

-71.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 A$5.93

$5.35 EC$14.45

-20.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.51

$3.98 EC$10.74

-36.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.20

$3.24 EC$8.75

-29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 A$3.11

$4.11 EC$11.10

-45.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 A$1.82

$2.98 EC$8.06

-56.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.02 A$44.83

$4.13 EC$11.16

675.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.31 A$20.04

$16.41 EC$44.30

-12.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.71 A$6.60

$2.17 EC$5.86

117.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 A$5.75

$2.40 EC$6.49

71.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.48

$1.18 EC$3.18

-71.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.34 A$38.28

$50.6 EC$137

-45.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.25

$11.00 EC$29.69

-78.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 A$2.23

$1.86 EC$5.03

-14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.04 A$47.65

$29.79 EC$80.4

14.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.73

$3.18 EC$8.59

-61.32%

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

$28.4K A$39.7K

$38.5K EC$104.0K

-26.37%

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

$22.6K A$31.6K

$30.8K EC$83.0K

-26.65%

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

$147 A$206

$73.3 EC$198

100.78%

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

$25.93 A$36.30

$29.14 EC$78.7

-11.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 A$75.9

$54.9 EC$148

-1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.36 A$69.1

$32.55 EC$87.9

51.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.40 A$24.36

$4.69 EC$12.66

271.00%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 A$18.49

$4.73 EC$12.77

179.28%

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

$1,595 A$2,233

$122 EC$329

1207.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,929 A$12.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.7 A$100

$79.2 EC$214

-9.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.94 A$60.1

$65.2 EC$176

-34.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 A$129

$91.6 EC$247

0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$143

$86.1 EC$232

18.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 A$2,291

$333 EC$900

390.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 A$1,739

$324 EC$874

283.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 A$3,683

$549 EC$1,483

378.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 A$2,704

$486 EC$1,312

297.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,175 A$11.4K

$589 EC$1,590

1288.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,407 A$7,570

$597 EC$1,611

806.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,271 A$5,980

$1,033 EC$2,789

313.58%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Kingstown: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,636 in Brisbane versus $333 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 314% 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 in Brisbane versus $70 in Kingstown. Groceries tell a different story – $334 in Brisbane vs $418 in Kingstown – so Brisbane 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 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 $3,450 per month in Brisbane and $1,958 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 25% 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 $72.0 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 $1,305, than in Brisbane at $2,300. 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.