Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Sunshine Coast Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Sunshine Coast

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,668 per month in Brisbane vs $2,267 in Sunshine Coast, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,910 per month in Brisbane vs $3,485 in Sunshine Coast, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,152 per month in Brisbane vs $4,703 in Sunshine Coast, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 18% more than Sunshine Coast, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Sunshine Coast sit above the global median – Brisbane by 94%, Sunshine Coast by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 A$25.64

$17.82 A$24.84

3.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 A$111

$76.5 A$107

4.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.70 A$16.32

$10.62 A$14.80

10.17%

Cappuccino

$4.45 A$6.21

$4.30 A$5.99

3.49%

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

$3.03 A$4.23

$2.87 A$4.00

5.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 A$3.65

$2.85 A$3.98

-8.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.77 A$12.23

$7.99 A$11.14

9.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.60 A$11.99

$9.50 A$13.25

-9.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.46

$1.37 A$1.91

28.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 A$3.94

$1.94 A$2.71

45.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.33

$2.11 A$2.94

13.27%

Eggs

$5.15 A$7.18

$4.77 A$6.64

7.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 A$12.90

$11.35 A$15.82

-18.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 A$12.90

$8.44 A$11.77

9.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 A$19.92

$21.39 A$29.82

-33.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 A$5.87

$3.11 A$4.33

35.37%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.40

$2.63 A$3.66

20.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 A$4.17

$3.12 A$4.35

-4.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 A$6.76

$4.04 A$5.63

20.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.12 A$2.95

30.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.41

$1.74 A$2.43

40.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 A$3.37

$2.25 A$3.13

7.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 A$1.83

$2.42 A$3.38

-45.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$40.09 A$55.9

$48.97 A$68.3

-18.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 A$18.01

$16.03 A$22.34

-19.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.44 A$7.58

$5.37 A$7.49

1.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 A$7.15

$6.33 A$8.82

-19.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.48

$1.53 A$2.14

-77.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.40 A$29.83

$41.88 A$58.4

-48.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 A$4.20

$2.25 A$3.14

33.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.57

$1.61 A$2.24

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.17 A$60.2

$36.86 A$51.4

17.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.01

$1.28 A$1.79

12.50%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$31.6K A$44.1K

-9.16%

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

$28.6K A$39.8K

$31.7K A$44.2K

-9.96%

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

$170 A$237

$142 A$199

19.48%

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

$27.80 A$38.75

$44.03 A$61.4

-36.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 A$87.9

$68.7 A$95.8

-8.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 A$88.7

$51.9 A$72.3

22.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 A$30.51

$17.55 A$24.47

24.67%

Cinema Ticket

$16.29 A$22.72

$15.82 A$22.06

2.97%

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

$2,148 A$2,995

$2,155 A$3,004

-0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K A$18.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 A$121

$65.8 A$91.8

32.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.20 A$61.6

$115 A$160

-61.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 A$158

$103 A$144

10.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 A$154

$103 A$144

7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,054 A$2,864

$1,239 A$1,728

65.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 A$2,029

$1,049 A$1,463

38.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,464 A$4,829

$1,942 A$2,707

78.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,425 A$3,380

$1,762 A$2,457

37.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,514 A$11.9K

$5,667 A$7,901

50.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,339 A$8,838

$5,264 A$7,339

20.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,229 A$5,895

$3,544 A$4,941

19.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.75

2.09%

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

Last update for Brisbane: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sunshine Coast: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,054 in Brisbane versus $1,239 in Sunshine Coast. 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 19% 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 $80.0 in Brisbane versus $76.0 in Sunshine Coast. Groceries tell a different story – $371 in Brisbane vs $384 in Sunshine Coast – so Brisbane 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 Sunshine Coast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 18% more than Sunshine Coast, 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 $3,400 in Sunshine Coast. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Brisbane – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Brisbane and $76.0 in Sunshine Coast. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Sunshine Coast, where all-in costs run around $2,267, than in Brisbane at $2,668. In Sunshine Coast it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sunshine Coast – 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 Sunshine Coast. 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.