Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Muswellbrook Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Muswellbrook

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,285 per month in Brisbane vs $2,196 in Muswellbrook, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,328 per month in Brisbane vs $3,224 in Muswellbrook, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,372 per month in Brisbane vs $4,252 in Muswellbrook, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 4% more than Muswellbrook, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Muswellbrook sit above the global median – Brisbane by 71%, Muswellbrook by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 A$22.38

$16.88 A$23.65

-5.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 A$99.2

$77.8 A$109

-9.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 A$13.31

$8.47 A$11.86

12.16%

Cappuccino

$3.65 A$5.11

$3.51 A$4.92

3.99%

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

$2.67 A$3.74

$2.97 A$4.16

-10.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.98

$2.04 A$2.86

4.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.85

$6.67 A$9.35

-5.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 A$11.24

$6.47 A$9.06

23.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 A$2.15

$1.36 A$1.91

13.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 A$3.20

$2.33 A$3.26

-2.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 A$2.61

$2.10 A$2.94

-11.43%

Eggs

$4.48 A$6.28

$3.79 A$5.32

18.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 A$11.54

$9.26 A$12.98

-11.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 A$11.34

$7.88 A$11.05

2.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 A$18.67

$14.27 A$20.00

-6.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 A$4.74

$3.17 A$4.44

6.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.83

$2.68 A$3.75

1.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 A$3.80

$2.71 A$3.79

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$6.02

$3.70 A$5.19

15.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.54

$2.65 A$3.71

-4.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.22

$2.19 A$3.07

5.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$3.00

$2.08 A$2.92

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.04 A$1.46

19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.55 A$45.61

$28.98 A$40.61

12.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 A$18.00

$14.38 A$20.15

-10.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.54

$4.13 A$5.79

12.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 A$5.86

$3.18 A$4.46

31.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 A$0.44

$2.65 A$3.71

-88.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 A$38.56

$64.9 A$90.9

-57.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 A$3.21

$2.26 A$3.16

1.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 A$2.21

$1.62 A$2.27

-2.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.11 A$47.80

$37.68 A$52.8

-9.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.74

$1.13 A$1.58

9.73%

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

$29.1K A$40.7K

$9,733 A$13.6K

198.54%

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

$22.6K A$31.6K

$17.2K A$24.1K

30.98%

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

$146 A$205

$129 A$180

13.61%

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

$25.26 A$35.40

$29.11 A$40.79

-13.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 A$73.6

$57.5 A$80.6

-8.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 A$69.6

$48.34 A$67.7

2.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 A$24.17

$15.87 A$22.23

8.70%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 A$18.53

$12.46 A$17.47

6.18%

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

$1,591 A$2,230

$898 A$1,258

77.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,689 A$12.2K

$11.9K A$16.7K

-27.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$98.5

$66.2 A$92.8

6.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.49 A$62.3

$44.82 A$62.8

-0.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 A$128

$91.6 A$128

-0.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 A$140

$109 A$153

-8.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 A$2,265

$1,274 A$1,785

26.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 A$1,739

$1,061 A$1,487

16.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 A$3,741

$2,021 A$2,832

32.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,939 A$2,716

$1,691 A$2,370

14.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,525 A$11.9K

$5,584 A$7,824

52.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,824 A$8,161

$5,072 A$7,107

14.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,294 A$6,017

$6,343 A$8,888

-32.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.75

-7.56%

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

Last update for Brisbane: June 1, 2026

Last update for Muswellbrook: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,616 in Brisbane versus $1,274 in Muswellbrook. 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 48% higher in Muswellbrook, 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 $78.0 in Muswellbrook. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Brisbane vs $321 in Muswellbrook – so Muswellbrook 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 Muswellbrook: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 4% more than Muswellbrook, 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 $3,294 in Muswellbrook. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $78.0 in Muswellbrook. 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 Muswellbrook, where all-in costs run around $2,196, than in Brisbane at $2,285. In Muswellbrook it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Muswellbrook – 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 Muswellbrook. 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.