Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Lansing, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Lansing, MI: $2,165 a month against $2,518 in Brisbane, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,518
/mo nomad
Lansing, MI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,165
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brisbane and in Lansing, MI

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

A single person spends $2,518 per month in Brisbane vs $2,165 in Lansing, MI, rent included.

  • Brisbane $2,518
  • Lansing, MI $2,165

A couple spends around $3,720 per month in Brisbane vs $3,137 in Lansing, MI, rent included.

  • Brisbane $3,720
  • Lansing, MI $3,137

A family of three spends $4,922 per month in Brisbane vs $4,110 in Lansing, MI, rent included.

  • Brisbane $4,922
  • Lansing, MI $4,110

Brisbane costs about 16% more than Lansing, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Brisbane and Lansing, MI sit above the global median – Brisbane by 86%, Lansing, MI by 60%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brisbane
Lansing, MI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.39 A$25.02
$16.80 $16.80
3.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.9 A$102
$64.2 $64.2
10.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.09 A$15.95
$11.98 $11.98
-7.43%
Cappuccino
$4.43 A$6.38
$5.52 $5.52
-19.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 A$4.17
$2.85 $2.85
1.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 A$3.49
$2.02 $2.02
20.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.42 A$12.12
$4.89 $4.89
72.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.31 A$11.96
$6.17 $6.17
34.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
Lansing, MI
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 A$2.40
$0.84 $0.84
98.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 A$3.92
$3.03 $3.03
-10.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.29 A$3.29
$4.64 $4.64
-50.65%
Eggs
$4.82 A$6.94
$2.71 $2.71
77.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.06 A$13.03
$11.21 $11.21
-19.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.18 A$13.21
$11.44 $11.44
-19.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.21 A$20.45
$16.67 $16.67
-14.76%
Apples (1kg)
$4.31 A$6.20
$3.34 $3.34
29.04%
Banana (1kg)
$3.04 A$4.38
$1.52 $1.52
100.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.00 A$4.32
$4.46 $4.46
-32.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.75 A$6.84
$3.64 $3.64
30.49%
Potato (1kg)
$2.72 A$3.92
$2.47 $2.47
10.12%
Onion (1kg)
$2.34 A$3.37
$2.99 $2.99
-21.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.42 A$3.48
$2.11 $2.11
14.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 A$1.71
$2.49 $2.49
-52.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$38.67 A$55.7
$9.84 $9.84
292.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.66 A$18.21
$15.55 $15.55
-18.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.40 A$7.77
$2.38 $2.38
126.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.13 A$7.38
$3.50 $3.50
46.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Brisbane
Lansing, MI
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 A$0.53
$1.52 $1.52
-75.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.72 A$29.81
$30.38 $30.38
-31.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.92 A$4.20
$2.95 $2.95
-1.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.86 A$2.68
$1.52 $1.52
22.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.05 A$59.1
$10.02 $10.02
309.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.40 A$2.01
$1.00 $1.00
40.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K A$42.8K
$30.5K $30.5K
-2.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K A$37.4K
$25.2K $25.2K
3.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
Lansing, MI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$159 A$229
$231 $231
-31.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.52 A$38.16
$59.8 $59.8
-55.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.6 A$87.2
$51.6 $51.6
17.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
Lansing, MI
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.9 A$87.6
$28.12 $28.12
116.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.22 A$31.97
$22.30 $22.30
-0.36%
Cinema Ticket
$14.14 A$20.34
$12.10 $12.10
16.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brisbane
Lansing, MI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,952 A$2,808
$640 $640
204.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$18.3K
$32.3K $32.3K
-60.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
Lansing, MI
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.3 A$120
$55.6 $55.6
49.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.69 A$62.9
$40.96 $40.96
6.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 A$163
$82.8 $82.8
36.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 A$160
$121 $121
-8.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
Lansing, MI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,939 A$2,790
$1,063 $1,063
82.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,322 A$1,902
$922 $922
43.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,408 A$4,904
$1,556 $1,556
118.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,242 A$3,226
$1,434 $1,434
56.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,271 A$11.9K
$1,615 $1,615
412.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,920 A$8,518
$1,508 $1,508
292.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brisbane
Lansing, MI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,183 A$6,020
$3,292 $3,292
27.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.81
6.49
-10.48%

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

Last update for Brisbane: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lansing, MI: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
$1.3K
Lansing, MI
$922 30.2% $400
Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
$363
Lansing, MI
$373 2.6% $9.6
Eating Out
Brisbane
$306
Lansing, MI
$293 4.2% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
$246
Lansing, MI
$343 39.1% $96
Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
$158
Lansing, MI
$135 14.5% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
$89
Lansing, MI
$52 41.3% $37
Getting Around
Brisbane
$34
Lansing, MI
$47 36.7% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,939 in Brisbane versus $1,063 in Lansing, MI. 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 27% 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 $71.0 in Brisbane versus $64.0 in Lansing, MI. Groceries tell a different story – $363 in Brisbane vs $373 in Lansing, MI – so Brisbane wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🇺🇸 Lansing, MI
🕒 Local time
16:26 4:26 PM
02:26 2:26 AM
14 h behind Brisbane
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,287,896
112,644
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brisbane Lansing, MI 14,620 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Brisbane
  • Lansing, MI

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 Lansing, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Brisbane or Lansing, MI?
Brisbane costs about 16% more than Lansing, MI, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. 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 Lansing, MI?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,777 per month in Brisbane and $3,247 in Lansing, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Brisbane or Lansing, MI?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lansing, MI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Brisbane or in Lansing, MI?
Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Brisbane – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
How do dining costs compare in Brisbane and in Lansing, MI?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Brisbane and $64.0 in Lansing, MI. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Brisbane or in Lansing, MI?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lansing, MI, where all-in costs run around $2,165, than in Brisbane at $2,518. In Lansing, MI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Lansing, MI – 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 Lansing, MI?
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.
Should I move to Brisbane or to Lansing, MI?
If budget matters most, go with Lansing, MI. 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.

Brisbane vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?