Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Manukau Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Manukau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,285 per month in Brisbane vs $1,827 in Manukau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,328 per month in Brisbane vs $2,853 in Manukau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,372 per month in Brisbane vs $3,879 in Manukau, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 25% more than Manukau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Manukau sit above the global median – Brisbane by 71%, Manukau by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 A$22.26

$14.78 NZ$24.95

8.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 A$98.7

$78.8 NZ$133

-10.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 A$13.24

$8.79 NZ$14.84

8.08%

Cappuccino

$3.65 A$5.08

$3.43 NZ$5.79

6.41%

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

$2.67 A$3.72

$1.53 NZ$2.58

74.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.97

$1.24 NZ$2.10

71.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.80

$5.27 NZ$8.89

19.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 A$11.18

$5.42 NZ$9.15

47.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 A$2.14

$1.83 NZ$3.09

-15.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.13 NZ$3.60

7.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 A$2.60

$1.96 NZ$3.31

-5.10%

Eggs

$4.48 A$6.25

$4.89 NZ$8.26

-8.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 A$11.48

$5.76 NZ$9.72

43.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 A$11.28

$9.00 NZ$15.20

-10.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 A$18.57

$13.23 NZ$22.34

0.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 A$4.71

$2.88 NZ$4.86

17.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.81

$2.23 NZ$3.76

22.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 A$3.78

$3.28 NZ$5.53

-17.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$5.98

$4.12 NZ$6.95

4.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.52

$1.10 NZ$1.86

129.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.21

$1.64 NZ$2.76

40.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.91 NZ$3.23

12.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.72

$1.25 NZ$2.10

-0.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.55 A$45.36

$25.38 NZ$42.85

28.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 A$17.90

$5.32 NZ$8.99

141.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.50

$2.96 NZ$5.00

57.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 A$5.83

$3.81 NZ$6.44

9.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 A$0.44

$2.34 NZ$3.96

-86.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 A$38.35

$63.9 NZ$108

-56.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 A$3.20

$2.14 NZ$3.62

7.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 A$2.20

$1.94 NZ$3.28

-18.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.11 A$47.54

$35.11 NZ$59.3

-2.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.64 NZ$2.77

-24.39%

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

$29.1K A$40.5K

$27.9K NZ$47.0K

4.29%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$21.8K NZ$36.8K

3.67%

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

$146 A$204

$142 NZ$239

3.31%

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

$25.26 A$35.20

$30.14 NZ$50.9

-16.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 A$73.2

$49.43 NZ$83.5

6.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 A$69.2

$42.47 NZ$71.7

16.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 A$24.04

$12.10 NZ$20.42

42.56%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 A$18.43

$14.32 NZ$24.18

-7.61%

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

$1,591 A$2,218

$897 NZ$1,515

77.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,689 A$12.1K

$13.7K NZ$23.1K

-36.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$97.9

$48.17 NZ$81.3

45.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.49 A$62.0

$48.39 NZ$81.7

-8.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 A$127

$100 NZ$170

-8.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 A$139

$123 NZ$207

-18.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 A$2,252

$978 NZ$1,652

65.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 A$1,729

$785 NZ$1,326

58.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 A$3,720

$1,599 NZ$2,700

66.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,939 A$2,701

$1,449 NZ$2,446

33.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,525 A$11.9K

$4,223 NZ$7,130

101.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,824 A$8,116

$3,012 NZ$5,086

93.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,294 A$5,984

$3,183 NZ$5,374

34.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.37

-2.04%

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

Last update for Brisbane: June 1, 2026

Last update for Manukau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,616 in Brisbane versus $978 in Manukau. 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 35% 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 $79.0 in Manukau. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Brisbane vs $293 in Manukau – so Manukau 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 Manukau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 25% more than Manukau, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,427 per month in Brisbane and $2,741 in Manukau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% 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 Manukau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Manukau, where all-in costs run around $1,827, than in Brisbane at $2,285. In Manukau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manukau – 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 Manukau. 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.