Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Orange, NSW

For one person, living is cheaper in Orange, NSW: $1,758 a month against $2,630 in Brisbane, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Brisbane, Australia
Orange, NSW, Australia
Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,630
/mo nomad
Orange, NSW
🇦🇺 Australia
$1,758
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brisbane and in Orange, NSW

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brisbane and in Orange, NSW actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,630 per month in Brisbane vs $1,758 in Orange, NSW, rent included.

  • Brisbane $2,630
  • Orange, NSW $1,758

A couple spends around $3,801 per month in Brisbane vs $2,957 in Orange, NSW, rent included.

  • Brisbane $3,801
  • Orange, NSW $2,957

A family of three spends $4,972 per month in Brisbane vs $4,156 in Orange, NSW, rent included.

  • Brisbane $4,972
  • Orange, NSW $4,156

Brisbane costs about 50% more than Orange, NSW, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Brisbane and Orange, NSW sit above the global median – Brisbane by 93%, Orange, NSW by 29%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brisbane
Orange, NSW
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61 A$25.04
$14.12 A$20.08
24.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.0 A$114
$77.9 A$111
2.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 A$16.25
$10.49 A$14.93
8.96%
Cappuccino
$4.51 A$6.42
$3.41 A$4.85
32.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 A$4.20
$3.11 A$4.42
-5.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 A$3.40
$2.26 A$3.21
5.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.61 A$12.25
$7.19 A$10.23
19.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.36 A$11.89
$6.87 A$9.77
21.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
Orange, NSW
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 A$2.30
$1.14 A$1.63
42.11%
White Bread (500g)
$2.65 A$3.77
$2.86 A$4.06
-7.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.32 A$3.30
$2.05 A$2.91
13.17%
Eggs
$4.94 A$7.03
$3.82 A$5.43
29.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.08 A$12.91
$8.32 A$11.83
9.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 A$12.98
$8.62 A$12.26
5.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.34 A$20.39
$14.17 A$20.16
1.20%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 A$5.89
$3.03 A$4.32
36.63%
Banana (1kg)
$3.07 A$4.36
$2.45 A$3.48
25.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.05 A$4.33
$3.34 A$4.75
-8.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.89 A$6.95
$3.78 A$5.38
29.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.81 A$4.00
$1.80 A$2.56
56.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.48 A$3.53
$2.47 A$3.51
0.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.41 A$3.43
$1.98 A$2.81
21.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 A$1.69
$1.76 A$2.51
-32.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$38.54 A$54.8
$34.92 A$49.66
10.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.65 A$17.99
$11.42 A$16.24
10.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.22 A$7.42
$2.73 A$3.88
91.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87 A$6.93
$4.90 A$6.97
-0.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Brisbane
Orange, NSW
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 A$0.48
$2.79 A$3.97
-87.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.97 A$29.83
$83.2 A$118
-74.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.05 A$4.34
$2.45 A$3.49
24.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 A$2.69
$1.59 A$2.26
18.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.76 A$58.0
$35.72 A$50.8
14.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 A$2.06
$1.34 A$1.90
8.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K A$42.3K
$29.6K A$42.1K
0.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K A$36.4K
$24.8K A$35.3K
3.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
Orange, NSW
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 A$224
$162 A$231
-2.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.05 A$37.06
$17.88 A$25.42
45.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.1 A$87.0
$51.0 A$72.5
19.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
Orange, NSW
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 A$87.0
$52.0 A$74.0
17.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.36 A$31.80
$17.57 A$24.99
27.26%
Cinema Ticket
$13.95 A$19.84
$13.23 A$18.81
5.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brisbane
Orange, NSW
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,044 A$2,908
$2,148 A$3,056
-4.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K A$18.3K
$22.5K A$32.0K
-42.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
Orange, NSW
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.4 A$117
$55.7 A$79.2
47.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.63 A$62.1
$61.4 A$87.3
-28.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 A$161
$148 A$210
-23.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 A$158
$111 A$158
0.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
Orange, NSW
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,944 A$2,765
$825 A$1,173
135.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 A$2,036
$596 A$848
140.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,484 A$4,956
$1,437 A$2,044
142.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,240 A$3,187
$1,510 A$2,147
48.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,322 A$13.3K
$5,655 A$8,043
64.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,003 A$9,961
$5,344 A$7,601
31.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brisbane
Orange, NSW
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,144 A$5,894
$4,713 A$6,703
-12.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.81
5.23
11.09%

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

Last update for Brisbane: October 24, 2026

Last update for Orange, NSW: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
$1.4K
Orange, NSW
$596 58.4% $835
Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
$362
Orange, NSW
$322 11% $40
Eating Out
Brisbane
$310
Orange, NSW
$256 17.4% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
$245
Orange, NSW
$231 5.6% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
$158
Orange, NSW
$169 7.1% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
$89
Orange, NSW
$79 11.8% $11
Getting Around
Brisbane
$35
Orange, NSW
$105 201% $70

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,944 in Brisbane versus $825 in Orange, NSW. 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 14% higher in Orange, NSW, 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 $80 in Brisbane versus $78 in Orange, NSW. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $322 – making Orange, NSW the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🇦🇺 Orange, NSW
🕒 Local time
17:04 5:04 PM
18:04 6:04 PM
1 h ahead of Brisbane
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,287,896
40,127
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brisbane Orange, NSW 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Brisbane
  • Orange, NSW

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Orange, NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Brisbane or Orange, NSW?
Brisbane costs about 50% more than Orange, NSW, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Brisbane and in Orange, NSW?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,945 per month in Brisbane and $2,637 in Orange, NSW. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Brisbane or Orange, NSW?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Orange, NSW, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $825 there versus $1,944 in Brisbane.
Are groceries more expensive in Brisbane or in Orange, NSW?
Groceries cost about 12% more in Brisbane, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do dining costs compare in Brisbane and in Orange, NSW?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Brisbane and $78 in Orange, NSW. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Brisbane or in Orange, NSW?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,630 in Brisbane and $1,758 in Orange, NSW, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Brisbane or Orange, NSW?
It depends on your priorities. Brisbane has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,758 in Orange, NSW to $2,630 in Brisbane. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Brisbane compared to Orange, NSW?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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