Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Mildura Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Mildura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,343 per month in Brisbane vs $2,173 in Mildura, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,321 per month in Brisbane vs $3,273 in Mildura, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,298 per month in Brisbane vs $4,372 in Mildura, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 8% more than Mildura, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Mildura sit above the global median – Brisbane by 75%, Mildura by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.40 A$22.97

$16.36 A$22.91

0.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 A$98.9

$76.9 A$108

-8.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 A$13.60

$9.67 A$13.54

0.52%

Cappuccino

$3.62 A$5.07

$3.52 A$4.93

2.84%

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

$2.80 A$3.92

$2.51 A$3.51

11.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$3.00

$2.37 A$3.32

-9.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 A$8.96

$6.62 A$9.26

-3.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 A$11.00

$6.92 A$9.69

13.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 A$2.24

$1.93 A$2.71

-17.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.24

$2.55 A$3.58

-9.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 A$2.65

$2.01 A$2.81

-5.97%

Eggs

$4.31 A$6.04

$7.36 A$10.30

-41.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 A$11.16

$8.58 A$12.01

-7.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 A$11.79

$8.44 A$11.82

-0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 A$18.68

$13.45 A$18.83

-0.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 A$4.74

$3.35 A$4.69

1.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.99

$2.84 A$3.97

0.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.83

$2.89 A$4.05

-5.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 A$5.95

$4.18 A$5.85

1.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.55

$2.48 A$3.48

2.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.20

$2.12 A$2.97

7.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.03

$2.09 A$2.92

3.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 A$1.83

$1.51 A$2.11

-13.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.47 A$45.45

$31.31 A$43.84

3.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 A$19.74

$14.55 A$20.37

-3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 A$6.57

$4.59 A$6.43

2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 A$5.97

$5.37 A$7.52

-20.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.48

$2.53 A$3.55

-86.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.10 A$37.94

$65.7 A$92.0

-58.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.24

$3.48 A$4.87

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 A$2.14

$1.53 A$2.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.98 A$47.58

$32.95 A$46.13

3.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.65

$1.27 A$1.78

-7.09%

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

$28.5K A$39.9K

-0.02%

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

$22.6K A$31.6K

$22.3K A$31.2K

1.13%

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

$147 A$206

$187 A$261

-21.33%

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

$25.95 A$36.32

$26.85 A$37.59

-3.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 A$75.9

$41.45 A$58.0

30.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.57 A$68.0

$47.85 A$67.0

1.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.34 A$24.28

$15.47 A$21.66

12.09%

Cinema Ticket

$12.89 A$18.04

$13.09 A$18.33

-1.53%

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

$1,597 A$2,235

$1,619 A$2,267

-1.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,723 A$12.2K

$12.0K A$16.8K

-27.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 A$101

$66.7 A$93.4

7.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.20 A$60.5

$50.7 A$71.0

-14.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 A$128

$98.6 A$138

-6.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$143

$109 A$152

-6.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 A$2,219

$1,291 A$1,808

22.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 A$1,764

$990 A$1,386

27.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,658 A$3,722

$2,123 A$2,972

25.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 A$2,652

$1,723 A$2,412

9.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,202 A$11.5K

$5,989 A$8,385

36.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 A$7,538

$5,006 A$7,008

7.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,267 A$5,974

$3,550 A$4,970

20.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.34

-1.58%

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

Last update for Brisbane: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mildura: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,585 in Brisbane versus $1,291 in Mildura. 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 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 $77.0 in Mildura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $358 – making Brisbane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mildura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 8% more than Mildura, 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 $3,515 per month in Brisbane and $3,260 in Mildura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% 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 $71.0 in Brisbane and $77.0 in Mildura. 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 Mildura, where all-in costs run around $2,173, than in Brisbane at $2,343. In Mildura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mildura – 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 Mildura. 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.