Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Stafford Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Stafford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,348 per month in Brisbane vs $2,166 in Stafford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Brisbane vs $3,265 in Stafford, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,374 per month in Brisbane vs $4,364 in Stafford, rent included.

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

Both Brisbane and Stafford sit above the global median – Brisbane by 74%, Stafford by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 A$23.13

$20.18 £14.96

-18.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 A$99.4

$74.7 £55.3

-4.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 A$13.41

$11.00 £8.15

-12.91%

Cappuccino

$3.70 A$5.18

$4.87 £3.61

-24.02%

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

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.09 £1.55

26.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.99

$1.76 £1.30

21.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 A$8.95

$3.83 £2.84

67.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 A$11.00

$4.11 £3.05

91.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 A$2.15

$1.71 £1.27

-9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 A$3.19

$1.73 £1.28

31.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 A$2.62

$1.88 £1.40

-0.53%

Eggs

$4.44 A$6.22

$3.58 £2.65

24.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 A$11.22

$12.00 £8.89

-33.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.17 A$11.44

$5.58 £4.13

46.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.61 A$19.06

$9.63 £7.14

41.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.53

$3.32 £2.46

-2.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.82

$1.38 £1.03

97.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.67

$3.94 £2.92

-33.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 A$6.15

$4.23 £3.14

3.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.46

$1.39 £1.03

77.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.27

$1.32 £0.98

76.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 A$3.03

$1.27 £0.94

70.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.75

$1.50 £1.11

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.32 A$45.25

$13.71 £10.16

135.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 A$19.58

$9.22 £6.83

51.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.54

$2.57 £1.90

81.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 A$5.92

$3.55 £2.63

19.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.48

$4.29 £3.18

-91.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.21 A$38.10

$88.5 £65.6

-69.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 A$3.28

$5.51 £4.08

-57.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 A$2.12

$1.57 £1.17

-3.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.02 A$47.62

$34.61 £25.65

-1.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.74

$1.96 £1.45

-36.73%

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

$28.7K A$40.2K

$38.9K £28.8K

-26.22%

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

$22.0K A$30.8K

$40.9K £30.3K

-46.16%

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

$144 A$202

$293 £217

-50.90%

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

$25.28 A$35.40

$19.82 £14.68

27.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 A$75.2

$42.69 £31.63

25.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.21 A$67.5

$43.57 £32.29

10.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 A$24.30

$19.64 £14.55

-11.61%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 A$17.94

$13.75 £10.19

-6.76%

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

$1,641 A$2,298

$1,963 £1,455

-16.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,873 A$12.4K

$20.6K £15.3K

-57.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 A$102

$72.5 £53.7

0.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.30 A$60.6

$41.39 £30.67

4.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 A$131

$87.3 £64.7

6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$143

$33.46 £24.80

204.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 A$2,242

$1,140 £845

40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 A$1,751

$965 £715

29.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,625 A$3,675

$1,610 £1,193

63.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,911 A$2,675

$1,661 £1,231

15.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,031 A$11.2K

$3,904 £2,893

105.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,374 A$7,524

$3,460 £2,564

55.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,215 A$5,901

$3,014 £2,233

39.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

5.5

13.45%

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

Last update for Brisbane: April 14, 2026

Last update for Stafford: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,602 in Brisbane versus $1,140 in Stafford. 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 40% 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 in Brisbane versus $75 in Stafford. Groceries tell a different story – $330 in Brisbane vs $279 in Stafford – so Stafford 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 Stafford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 8% more than Stafford, 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 $3,522 per month in Brisbane and $3,248 in Stafford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $75.0 in Stafford. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stafford, where all-in costs run around $2,166, than in Brisbane at $2,348. In Stafford it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stafford – 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 Stafford. 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.