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 $2,342 per month in Brisbane vs $1,990 in Sunshine Coast, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,309 per month in Brisbane vs $3,013 in Sunshine Coast, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,277 per month in Brisbane vs $4,036 in Sunshine Coast, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 18% more than Sunshine Coast, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Brisbane and Sunshine Coast sit above the global median – Brisbane by 75%, Sunshine Coast by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 A$23.42

$14.37 A$20.59

13.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.8 A$103

$65.7 A$94.1

9.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 A$14.29

$9.06 A$12.98

10.04%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.21

$3.41 A$4.89

6.45%

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

$2.66 A$3.81

$2.15 A$3.08

23.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.23

$2.31 A$3.31

-2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.55

$6.64 A$9.51

0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 A$10.92

$7.00 A$10.03

8.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.31

$1.27 A$1.82

27.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.31

$1.86 A$2.67

24.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 A$2.59

$1.82 A$2.60

-0.55%

Eggs

$4.47 A$6.41

$4.29 A$6.14

4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 A$11.65

$7.29 A$10.44

11.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 A$11.66

$8.92 A$12.77

-8.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 A$19.58

$12.21 A$17.50

11.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.61

$2.76 A$3.96

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.07

$2.30 A$3.30

23.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.92

$3.59 A$5.14

-23.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 A$6.04

$3.89 A$5.57

8.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.64

$1.95 A$2.80

30.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 A$3.25

$1.77 A$2.53

28.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.10

$2.01 A$2.88

7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.84

$1.74 A$2.49

-26.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.03 A$47.32

$23.49 A$33.66

40.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 A$17.98

$17.12 A$24.53

-26.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.57

$5.01 A$7.18

-8.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 A$6.02

$5.51 A$7.89

-23.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.50

$1.38 A$1.98

-74.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.71 A$38.27

$36.86 A$52.8

-27.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.33

$1.96 A$2.81

18.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 A$2.18

$1.41 A$2.02

7.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.81 A$48.44

$34.09 A$48.85

-0.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.72

$1.16 A$1.67

3.45%

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

$29.0K A$41.5K

$29.4K A$42.1K

-1.51%

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

$22.2K A$31.8K

$21.7K A$31.0K

2.33%

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

$144 A$207

$129 A$185

11.84%

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

$26.00 A$37.26

$28.57 A$40.94

-9.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$76.5

$43.44 A$62.2

22.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.12 A$70.4

$48.94 A$70.1

0.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 A$24.79

$15.35 A$22.00

12.70%

Cinema Ticket

$12.85 A$18.42

$13.23 A$18.96

-2.87%

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

$1,605 A$2,300

$287 A$411

459.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,910 A$12.8K

$7,245 A$10.4K

22.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 A$103

$61.3 A$87.9

17.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.95 A$61.5

$47.41 A$67.9

-9.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 A$131

$88.6 A$127

2.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$147

$94.6 A$136

8.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 A$2,325

$1,105 A$1,583

46.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 A$1,786

$923 A$1,322

35.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 A$3,701

$1,783 A$2,555

44.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 A$2,706

$1,607 A$2,303

17.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,235 A$11.8K

$5,551 A$7,953

48.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,623 A$8,056

$5,028 A$7,203

11.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,180 A$5,988

$3,419 A$4,898

22.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.25

-0.16%

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

Last update for Brisbane: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sunshine Coast: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,623 in Brisbane versus $1,105 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 22% 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 $72.0 in Brisbane versus $66.0 in Sunshine Coast. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Brisbane vs $329 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 Eating Out. 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 $2,985 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 0% 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 $72.0 in Brisbane and $66.0 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 $1,990, than in Brisbane at $2,342. 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.