Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Mandurah

For one person, living is cheaper in Mandurah: $2,382 a month against $2,630 in Brisbane, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Brisbane outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Brisbane, Australia
Mandurah, Australia
Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,630
/mo nomad
Mandurah
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,382
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brisbane and in Mandurah

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

A single person spends $2,630 per month in Brisbane vs $2,382 in Mandurah, rent included.

  • Brisbane $2,630
  • Mandurah $2,382

A couple spends around $3,801 per month in Brisbane vs $3,505 in Mandurah, rent included.

  • Brisbane $3,801
  • Mandurah $3,505

A family of three spends $4,972 per month in Brisbane vs $4,629 in Mandurah, rent included.

  • Brisbane $4,972
  • Mandurah $4,629

Brisbane costs about 10% more than Mandurah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Brisbane and Mandurah sit above the global median – Brisbane by 93%, Mandurah by 75%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brisbane
Mandurah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61 A$25.03
$21.00 A$29.84
-16.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.0 A$114
$83.4 A$119
-4.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 A$16.24
$11.28 A$16.03
1.33%
Cappuccino
$4.51 A$6.42
$4.62 A$6.57
-2.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 A$4.20
$2.78 A$3.95
6.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 A$3.40
$2.26 A$3.21
5.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.61 A$12.24
$6.16 A$8.75
39.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.36 A$11.88
$8.23 A$11.70
1.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
Mandurah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 A$2.30
$1.69 A$2.40
-4.14%
White Bread (500g)
$2.65 A$3.77
$2.51 A$3.57
5.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.32 A$3.30
$1.96 A$2.78
18.37%
Eggs
$4.94 A$7.02
$4.96 A$7.05
-0.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.08 A$12.90
$9.48 A$13.47
-4.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 A$12.97
$9.51 A$13.51
-4.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.34 A$20.38
$13.80 A$19.61
3.91%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 A$5.88
$3.41 A$4.85
21.41%
Banana (1kg)
$3.07 A$4.36
$3.08 A$4.38
-0.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.05 A$4.33
$3.55 A$5.05
-14.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.89 A$6.95
$4.83 A$6.87
1.24%
Potato (1kg)
$2.81 A$4.00
$1.61 A$2.29
74.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.48 A$3.52
$0.81 A$1.15
206.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.41 A$3.42
$2.01 A$2.85
19.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 A$1.69
$1.35 A$1.93
-11.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$38.54 A$54.8
$42.37 A$60.2
-9.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.65 A$17.98
$12.83 A$18.24
-1.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.22 A$7.41
$4.42 A$6.28
18.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87 A$6.92
$3.39 A$4.81
43.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Brisbane
Mandurah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 A$0.48
$3.63 A$5.16
-90.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.97 A$29.81
$92.5 A$131
-77.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.05 A$4.33
$3.58 A$5.09
-14.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 A$2.69
$1.42 A$2.02
33.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.76 A$57.9
$40.90 A$58.1
-0.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 A$2.06
$1.30 A$1.85
11.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K A$42.2K
$29.8K A$42.4K
-0.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K A$36.4K
$27.5K A$39.1K
-6.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
Mandurah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 A$224
$207 A$294
-23.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.05 A$37.03
$20.96 A$29.79
24.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.1 A$86.9
$63.6 A$90.4
-3.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
Mandurah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 A$86.9
$34.65 A$49.25
76.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.36 A$31.78
$10.46 A$14.87
113.77%
Cinema Ticket
$13.95 A$19.83
$8.89 A$12.64
56.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brisbane
Mandurah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,044 A$2,906
$397 A$564
414.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K A$18.3K
$22.9K A$32.6K
-43.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
Mandurah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.4 A$117
$77.3 A$110
6.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.63 A$62.0
$44.64 A$63.5
-2.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 A$161
$120 A$170
-5.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 A$158
$77.4 A$110
43.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
Mandurah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,944 A$2,763
$1,386 A$1,970
40.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 A$2,035
$1,106 A$1,571
29.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,484 A$4,953
$2,485 A$3,532
40.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,240 A$3,185
$1,776 A$2,525
26.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,322 A$13.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,003 A$9,954
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brisbane
Mandurah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,144 A$5,890
$4,262 A$6,058
-2.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.81
5.7
1.93%

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

Last update for Brisbane: October 24, 2026

Last update for Mandurah: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
$1.4K
Mandurah
$1.1K 22.8% $326
Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
$362
Mandurah
$346 4.3% $16
Eating Out
Brisbane
$310
Mandurah
$325 4.6% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
$245
Mandurah
$292 19.1% $47
Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
$158
Mandurah
$144 9% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
$89
Mandurah
$52 41.1% $37
Getting Around
Brisbane
$35
Mandurah
$118 238% $83

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,944 in Brisbane versus $1,386 in Mandurah. 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 3% higher in Mandurah, 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 $80 in Brisbane versus $83 in Mandurah. Groceries tell a different story – $362 in Brisbane vs $346 in Mandurah – so Mandurah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🇦🇺 Mandurah
🕒 Local time
10:31 10:31 AM
08:31 8:31 AM
2 h behind Brisbane
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,287,896
107,643
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brisbane Mandurah 3,620 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Brisbane
  • Mandurah

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 Mandurah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Brisbane or Mandurah?
Brisbane costs about 10% more than Mandurah, 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 Mandurah?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,945 per month in Brisbane and $3,573 in Mandurah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Brisbane or Mandurah?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mandurah, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,386 there versus $1,944 in Brisbane.
Are groceries more expensive in Brisbane or in Mandurah?
Groceries cost about 4% more in Brisbane, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do dining costs compare in Brisbane and in Mandurah?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Brisbane and $83 in Mandurah. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Brisbane or in Mandurah?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,630 in Brisbane and $2,382 in Mandurah. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Mandurah – 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 Mandurah?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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