Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Vaughan

For one person, living costs are similar in Brisbane and in Vaughan: $2,520 and $2,554 a month, rent and utilities included.

123

Cost of Living Index in Brisbane
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Brisbane Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Vaughan
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Vaughan Living Index

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Brisbane

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,520

/mo nomad

Vaughan

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,554

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brisbane and in Vaughan

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 Vaughan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,520 per month in Brisbane vs $2,554 in Vaughan, rent included.

Brisbane $2,520
Vaughan $2,554

A couple spends around $3,730 per month in Brisbane vs $3,726 in Vaughan, rent included.

Brisbane $3,730
Vaughan $3,726

A family of three spends $4,940 per month in Brisbane vs $4,898 in Vaughan, rent included.

Brisbane $4,940
Vaughan $4,898

Brisbane is about 1% cheaper than Vaughan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Brisbane and Vaughan sit above the global median – Brisbane by 87%, Vaughan by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 A$25.29

$16.73 CA$23.66

5.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 A$101

$67.5 CA$95.4

3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 A$16.09

$9.99 CA$14.13

11.91%

Cappuccino

$4.26 A$6.13

$3.64 CA$5.15

17.03%

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

$2.88 A$4.15

$1.97 CA$2.78

46.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 A$3.60

$1.56 CA$2.21

60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.55 A$12.30

$6.29 CA$8.89

35.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 A$11.66

$6.07 CA$8.58

33.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.33

$1.94 CA$2.74

-16.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.83

$2.26 CA$3.19

17.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 A$3.17

$2.69 CA$3.80

-18.22%

Eggs

$4.93 A$7.10

$2.99 CA$4.22

64.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 A$12.99

$9.22 CA$13.03

-2.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.04 A$13.01

$12.10 CA$17.10

-25.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.86 A$19.94

$13.60 CA$19.22

1.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 A$5.92

$3.41 CA$4.82

20.53%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.32

$1.26 CA$1.78

138.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 A$4.18

$3.50 CA$4.95

-16.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 A$7.01

$3.21 CA$4.54

51.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.95

$1.59 CA$2.24

72.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.51

$1.59 CA$2.25

53.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 A$3.46

$2.21 CA$3.12

8.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 A$1.76

$1.17 CA$1.66

4.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.84 A$55.9

$12.50 CA$17.68

210.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 A$17.78

$11.92 CA$16.85

3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.12 A$7.37

$1.96 CA$2.78

161.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 A$7.04

$1.43 CA$2.02

242.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 A$0.52

$2.74 CA$3.87

-86.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.68 A$29.76

$104 CA$147

-80.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 A$4.39

$3.06 CA$4.32

-0.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 A$2.55

$1.19 CA$1.69

48.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.12 A$59.2

$21.75 CA$30.74

89.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.08

$1.09 CA$1.54

33.03%

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

$26.7K A$38.4K

$24.1K CA$34.0K

10.95%

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

$27.8K A$39.9K

$18.8K CA$26.6K

47.41%

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

$159 A$228

$110 CA$156

43.90%

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

$25.86 A$37.21

$29.17 CA$41.24

-11.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 A$86.8

$49.57 CA$70.1

21.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.9 A$89.1

$31.67 CA$44.77

95.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.88 A$32.93

$20.84 CA$29.46

9.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.41 A$25.06

$9.76 CA$13.80

78.38%

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

$1,928 A$2,774

$910 CA$1,286

111.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K A$18.1K

$16.9K CA$24.0K

-25.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.4 A$121

$42.04 CA$59.4

100.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.85 A$64.5

$36.75 CA$52.0

22.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 A$159

$106 CA$150

4.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 A$157

$105 CA$148

4.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 A$2,773

$1,669 CA$2,359

15.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 A$1,906

$1,478 CA$2,090

-10.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,276 A$4,714

$2,629 CA$3,716

24.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 A$3,261

$2,416 CA$3,415

-6.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,315 A$12.0K

$8,700 CA$12.3K

-4.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,955 A$8,569

$6,171 CA$8,724

-3.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,100 A$5,900

$2,905 CA$4,107

41.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.81

5.39

7.79%

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

Last update for Brisbane: October 12, 2026

Last update for Vaughan: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Brisbane

$1.3K 52.6%

Vaughan

$1.5K 57.9% 11.6% $153

Groceries & Markets

Brisbane

$357 14.2%

Vaughan

$316 12.4% 11.7% $42

Eating Out

Brisbane

$306 12.1%

Vaughan

$265 10.4% 13.2% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Brisbane

$245 9.7%

Vaughan

$189 7.4% 22.8% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Brisbane

$157 6.2%

Vaughan

$130 5.1% 17% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Brisbane

$97 3.8%

Vaughan

$51 2% 47.1% $46

Getting Around

Brisbane

$34 1.4%

Vaughan

$124 4.9% 265% $90

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,927 in Brisbane versus $1,669 in Vaughan. 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 41% higher in Brisbane, 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 $70.0 in Brisbane versus $67.0 in Vaughan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $316 – making Vaughan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Brisbane

🇨🇦 Vaughan

🕒 Local time

04:52 4:52 AM

14:52 2:52 PM

14 h behind Brisbane

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,287,896

323,103

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Brisbane Vaughan 15,030 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Brisbane
Vaughan

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 Vaughan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vaughan costs about 1% more than Brisbane, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,781 per month in Brisbane and $3,831 in Vaughan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Vaughan – 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 $70.0 in Brisbane and $67.0 in Vaughan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,520 in Brisbane and $2,554 in Vaughan. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Brisbane – 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 Brisbane. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vaughan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.