Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Lake Macquarie Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Lake Macquarie

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,343 per month in Brisbane vs $2,039 in Lake Macquarie, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,321 per month in Brisbane vs $3,275 in Lake Macquarie, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,298 per month in Brisbane vs $4,511 in Lake Macquarie, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 15% more than Lake Macquarie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Brisbane and Lake Macquarie sit above the global median – Brisbane by 75%, Lake Macquarie by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.40 A$22.97

$13.20 A$18.49

24.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 A$98.9

$79.1 A$111

-10.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 A$13.60

$9.68 A$13.55

0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.62 A$5.07

$3.33 A$4.66

8.71%

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

$2.80 A$3.92

$2.30 A$3.22

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$3.00

$1.90 A$2.65

12.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 A$8.96

$6.38 A$8.93

0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 A$11.00

$7.19 A$10.07

9.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 A$2.24

$1.44 A$2.02

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.24

$1.43 A$2.00

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 A$2.65

$1.22 A$1.70

54.92%

Eggs

$4.31 A$6.04

$3.18 A$4.46

35.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 A$11.16

$7.25 A$10.15

9.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 A$11.79

$6.17 A$8.64

36.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 A$18.68

$11.74 A$16.44

13.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 A$4.74

$3.03 A$4.25

11.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.99

$2.66 A$3.73

7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.83

$3.05 A$4.27

-10.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 A$5.95

$4.52 A$6.33

-5.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.55

$1.93 A$2.70

31.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.20

$1.66 A$2.33

37.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.03

$1.35 A$1.89

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 A$1.83

$1.19 A$1.66

9.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.47 A$45.45

$27.89 A$39.04

16.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 A$19.74

$7.84 A$10.97

79.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 A$6.57

$2.64 A$3.70

77.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 A$5.97

$2.16 A$3.02

97.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.48

$2.09 A$2.92

-83.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.10 A$37.94

$88.9 A$124

-69.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.24

$1.91 A$2.67

21.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 A$2.14

$1.61 A$2.25

-4.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.98 A$47.58

$47.61 A$66.7

-28.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.65

$1.21 A$1.69

-2.48%

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

$28.5K A$39.9K

$25.6K A$35.9K

11.29%

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

$22.6K A$31.6K

$20.2K A$28.2K

11.85%

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

$147 A$206

$199 A$279

-26.30%

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

$25.95 A$36.32

$10.28 A$14.40

152.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 A$75.9

$42.36 A$59.3

27.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.57 A$68.0

$48.59 A$68.0

-0.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.34 A$24.28

$15.54 A$21.75

11.58%

Cinema Ticket

$12.89 A$18.04

$9.35 A$13.08

37.86%

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

$1,597 A$2,235

$1,490 A$2,086

7.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,723 A$12.2K

$9,997 A$14.0K

-12.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 A$101

$74.0 A$104

-2.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.20 A$60.5

$33.34 A$46.68

29.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 A$128

$78.4 A$110

17.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$143

$133 A$186

-23.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 A$2,219

$1,263 A$1,769

25.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 A$1,764

$995 A$1,394

26.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,658 A$3,722

$2,012 A$2,817

32.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 A$2,652

$2,088 A$2,923

-9.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,202 A$11.5K

$5,959 A$8,342

37.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 A$7,538

$5,650 A$7,910

-4.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,267 A$5,974

$5,114 A$7,160

-16.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

4.35

43.45%

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

Last update for Brisbane: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lake Macquarie: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,585 in Brisbane versus $1,263 in Lake Macquarie. 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 20% higher in Lake Macquarie, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Brisbane versus $79.0 in Lake Macquarie. Groceries tell a different story – $333 in Brisbane vs $262 in Lake Macquarie – so Lake Macquarie 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 Lake Macquarie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 15% more than Lake Macquarie, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,515 per month in Brisbane and $3,058 in Lake Macquarie. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $71.0 in Brisbane and $79.0 in Lake Macquarie. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Lake Macquarie, where all-in costs run around $2,039, than in Brisbane at $2,343. In Lake Macquarie it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lake Macquarie – 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 Lake Macquarie. 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.