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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,342 per month in Brisbane vs $2,165 in Muswellbrook, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,309 per month in Brisbane vs $3,178 in Muswellbrook, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,277 per month in Brisbane vs $4,191 in Muswellbrook, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 A$23.42

$17.04 A$24.41

-4.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.8 A$103

$76.7 A$110

-6.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 A$14.29

$8.68 A$12.43

14.86%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.21

$3.44 A$4.93

5.52%

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

$2.66 A$3.81

$2.97 A$4.25

-10.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.23

$2.06 A$2.95

9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.55

$6.40 A$9.16

4.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 A$10.92

$6.32 A$9.06

20.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.31

$1.35 A$1.94

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.31

$2.21 A$3.17

4.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 A$2.59

$2.09 A$2.99

-13.40%

Eggs

$4.47 A$6.41

$3.92 A$5.61

14.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 A$11.65

$9.38 A$13.44

-13.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 A$11.66

$7.84 A$11.24

3.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 A$19.58

$14.06 A$20.14

-2.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.61

$3.12 A$4.46

3.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.07

$2.66 A$3.81

6.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.92

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 A$6.04

$3.66 A$5.25

15.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.64

$2.61 A$3.74

-2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 A$3.25

$2.11 A$3.02

7.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$2.05 A$2.94

5.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.84

$1.03 A$1.48

24.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.03 A$47.32

$29.59 A$42.40

11.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 A$17.98

$13.92 A$19.94

-9.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.57

$4.02 A$5.76

13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$6.02

$3.13 A$4.48

34.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.50

$2.65 A$3.80

-86.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.71 A$38.27

$66.0 A$94.6

-59.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.33

$2.32 A$3.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 A$2.18

$1.61 A$2.31

-5.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.81 A$48.44

$37.52 A$53.8

-9.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.72

$1.15 A$1.65

4.35%

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

$29.0K A$41.5K

$9,856 A$14.1K

193.72%

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

$22.2K A$31.8K

$17.3K A$24.8K

28.14%

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

$144 A$207

$132 A$188

9.79%

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

$26.00 A$37.26

$28.82 A$41.29

-9.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$76.5

$57.8 A$82.9

-7.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.12 A$70.4

$48.79 A$69.9

0.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 A$24.79

$15.44 A$22.11

12.05%

Cinema Ticket

$12.85 A$18.42

$12.81 A$18.36

0.31%

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

$1,605 A$2,300

$898 A$1,287

78.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,910 A$12.8K

$11.9K A$17.1K

-25.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 A$103

$64.6 A$92.6

11.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.95 A$61.5

$45.41 A$65.1

-5.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 A$131

$89.5 A$128

1.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$147

$108 A$155

-5.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 A$2,325

$1,274 A$1,825

27.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 A$1,786

$1,059 A$1,517

17.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 A$3,701

$1,983 A$2,842

30.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 A$2,706

$1,693 A$2,426

11.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,235 A$11.8K

$6,429 A$9,211

28.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,623 A$8,056

$5,703 A$8,170

-1.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,180 A$5,988

$6,239 A$8,939

-33.01%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Muswellbrook: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,623 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 49% 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 $72.0 in Brisbane versus $77.0 in Muswellbrook. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Brisbane vs $317 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 8% 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 $3,514 per month in Brisbane and $3,248 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 4% 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 $72.0 in Brisbane and $77.0 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 $2,165, than in Brisbane at $2,342. 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.