Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Townsville Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Townsville

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,285 per month in Brisbane vs $2,170 in Townsville, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,328 per month in Brisbane vs $3,298 in Townsville, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,372 per month in Brisbane vs $4,425 in Townsville, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 5% more than Townsville, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Townsville sit above the global median – Brisbane by 71%, Townsville by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 A$22.26

$11.62 A$16.19

37.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 A$98.7

$60.6 A$84.4

16.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 A$13.24

$9.65 A$13.45

-1.55%

Cappuccino

$3.65 A$5.08

$3.20 A$4.45

14.06%

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

$2.67 A$3.72

$2.49 A$3.47

7.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.97

$2.21 A$3.08

-3.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 A$8.80

$6.65 A$9.27

-4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 A$11.18

$5.12 A$7.14

56.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 A$2.14

$1.51 A$2.10

1.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.05 A$2.86

11.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 A$2.60

$1.65 A$2.30

12.73%

Eggs

$4.48 A$6.25

$4.05 A$5.64

10.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 A$11.48

$7.55 A$10.52

9.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 A$11.28

$8.39 A$11.69

-3.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 A$18.57

$11.84 A$16.50

12.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 A$4.71

$3.88 A$5.40

-12.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.81

$3.03 A$4.22

-9.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 A$3.78

$3.34 A$4.65

-18.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 A$5.98

$4.38 A$6.10

-2.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.52

$2.65 A$3.69

-4.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.21

$2.42 A$3.37

-4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.08 A$2.89

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.72

$1.94 A$2.71

-36.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.55 A$45.36

$23.71 A$33.04

37.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 A$17.90

$10.77 A$15.00

19.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.50

$3.25 A$4.53

43.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 A$5.83

$7.82 A$10.89

-46.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 A$0.44

$1.97 A$2.74

-84.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 A$38.35

$72.5 A$101

-62.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 A$3.20

$3.59 A$5.01

-36.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 A$2.20

$1.44 A$2.01

9.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.11 A$47.54

$48.02 A$66.9

-28.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.11 A$1.54

11.71%

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

$29.1K A$40.5K

$22.4K A$31.2K

29.95%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$19.2K A$26.8K

17.34%

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

$146 A$204

$152 A$212

-3.68%

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

$25.26 A$35.20

$35.36 A$49.27

-28.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 A$73.2

$58.4 A$81.3

-10.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 A$69.2

$42.34 A$59.0

17.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 A$24.04

$14.46 A$20.15

19.29%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 A$18.43

$15.56 A$21.68

-14.97%

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

$1,591 A$2,218

$1,180 A$1,644

34.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,689 A$12.1K

$11.9K A$16.6K

-26.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$97.9

$94.8 A$132

-25.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.49 A$62.0

$61.5 A$85.7

-27.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 A$127

$98.6 A$137

-7.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 A$139

$117 A$163

-14.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 A$2,252

$1,216 A$1,695

32.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 A$1,729

$1,098 A$1,531

12.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 A$3,720

$2,320 A$3,233

15.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,939 A$2,701

$1,909 A$2,660

1.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,525 A$11.9K

$5,065 A$7,058

68.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,824 A$8,116

$4,084 A$5,691

42.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,294 A$5,984

$4,185 A$5,831

2.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.06

2.97%

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

Last update for Brisbane: June 1, 2026

Last update for Townsville: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,616 in Brisbane versus $1,216 in Townsville. 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 3% 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 $71.0 in Brisbane versus $61.0 in Townsville. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Brisbane vs $329 in Townsville – 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 Townsville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 5% more than Townsville, 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 $3,427 per month in Brisbane and $3,255 in Townsville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% 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 $71.0 in Brisbane and $61.0 in Townsville. 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 Townsville, where all-in costs run around $2,170, than in Brisbane at $2,285. In Townsville it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Townsville – 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 Townsville. 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.