Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Nowra NSW Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Nowra NSW

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,668 per month in Brisbane vs $2,701 in Nowra NSW, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,910 per month in Brisbane vs $3,890 in Nowra NSW, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,152 per month in Brisbane vs $5,079 in Nowra NSW, rent included.

Brisbane is about 1% cheaper than Nowra NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Nowra NSW sit above the global median – Brisbane by 94%, Nowra NSW by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 A$25.64

$20.23 A$28.21

-9.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 A$111

$92.8 A$129

-14.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.70 A$16.32

$10.76 A$15.00

8.74%

Cappuccino

$4.45 A$6.21

$4.07 A$5.67

9.34%

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

$3.03 A$4.23

$3.18 A$4.43

-4.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 A$3.65

$2.75 A$3.84

-4.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.77 A$12.23

$8.54 A$11.91

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.60 A$11.99

$10.00 A$13.94

-14.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.46

$1.27 A$1.76

38.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 A$3.94

$3.05 A$4.25

-7.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.33

$2.67 A$3.72

-10.49%

Eggs

$5.15 A$7.18

$5.35 A$7.46

-3.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 A$12.90

$12.46 A$17.37

-25.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 A$12.90

$11.09 A$15.46

-16.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 A$19.92

$16.70 A$23.28

-14.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 A$5.87

$4.04 A$5.64

4.21%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.40

$3.20 A$4.47

-1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 A$4.17

$3.59 A$5.00

-16.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 A$6.76

$5.36 A$7.47

-9.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$3.31 A$4.61

-16.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.41

$2.88 A$4.02

-14.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 A$3.37

$2.82 A$3.93

-14.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 A$1.83

$1.53 A$2.14

-14.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$40.09 A$55.9

$45.82 A$63.9

-12.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 A$18.01

$15.29 A$21.32

-15.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.44 A$7.58

$4.77 A$6.65

14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 A$7.15

$5.70 A$7.95

-10.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.48

$3.11 A$4.34

-88.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.40 A$29.83

$87.7 A$122

-75.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 A$4.20

$4.28 A$5.97

-29.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.57

$1.67 A$2.33

10.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.17 A$60.2

$44.29 A$61.8

-2.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.01

$1.36 A$1.89

5.88%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$27.4K A$38.2K

4.92%

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

$28.6K A$39.8K

$30.8K A$43.0K

-7.28%

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

$170 A$237

$190 A$265

-10.39%

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

$27.80 A$38.75

$28.24 A$39.37

-1.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 A$87.9

$57.7 A$80.5

9.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 A$88.7

$56.3 A$78.4

13.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 A$30.51

$17.67 A$24.64

23.83%

Cinema Ticket

$16.29 A$22.72

$17.23 A$24.02

-5.46%

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

$2,148 A$2,995

$2,500 A$3,485

-14.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K A$18.2K

$20.7K A$28.9K

-37.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 A$121

$78.0 A$109

11.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.20 A$61.6

$58.9 A$82.2

-25.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 A$158

$125 A$174

-8.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 A$154

$135 A$188

-18.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,054 A$2,864

$1,517 A$2,116

35.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 A$2,029

$1,103 A$1,537

31.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,464 A$4,829

$2,491 A$3,473

39.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,425 A$3,380

$2,052 A$2,861

18.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,514 A$11.9K

$6,305 A$8,790

35.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,339 A$8,838

$6,018 A$8,391

5.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,229 A$5,895

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.95

-1.34%

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

Last update for Brisbane: September 7, 2026

Last update for Nowra NSW: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,054 in Brisbane versus $1,517 in Nowra NSW. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Brisbane versus $93.0 in Nowra NSW. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $410 – 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 Nowra NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nowra NSW costs about 1% more than Brisbane, 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 $4,003 per month in Brisbane and $4,051 in Nowra NSW. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 10% more in Nowra NSW, 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 $80.0 in Brisbane and $93.0 in Nowra NSW. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,668 in Brisbane and $2,701 in Nowra NSW. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Brisbane – 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 Brisbane. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nowra NSW makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.