Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Vaughan Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Vaughan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,613 per month in Brisbane vs $2,605 in Vaughan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,966 per month in Brisbane vs $3,794 in Vaughan, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,318 per month in Brisbane vs $4,982 in Vaughan, rent included.

Brisbane and Vaughan have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Brisbane and Vaughan sit above the global median – Brisbane by 90%, Vaughan by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.77 A$24.66

$17.52 CA$24.16

1.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.6 A$115

$68.4 CA$94.3

20.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 A$15.86

$10.20 CA$14.06

11.96%

Cappuccino

$4.43 A$6.15

$3.76 CA$5.19

17.82%

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

$3.03 A$4.21

$2.07 CA$2.85

46.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 A$3.61

$1.66 CA$2.29

56.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.55 A$11.86

$6.38 CA$8.79

34.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.43 A$11.71

$6.37 CA$8.78

32.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 A$2.38

$2.04 CA$2.82

-15.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 A$3.75

$2.21 CA$3.05

22.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 A$3.35

$2.76 CA$3.80

-12.68%

Eggs

$5.10 A$7.08

$3.55 CA$4.89

43.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 A$12.90

$9.59 CA$13.23

-3.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.11 A$12.64

$12.12 CA$16.71

-24.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 A$19.62

$13.82 CA$19.06

2.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 A$5.96

$3.45 CA$4.76

24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.31

$1.29 CA$1.78

141.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.12

$3.62 CA$4.99

-17.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 A$6.90

$3.48 CA$4.80

42.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 A$3.99

$1.67 CA$2.30

72.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.38

$1.58 CA$2.18

54.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 A$3.53

$2.29 CA$3.15

10.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 A$1.69

$1.22 CA$1.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$39.99 A$55.5

$12.87 CA$17.75

210.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.69 A$17.61

$12.20 CA$16.82

4.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.31 A$7.38

$2.02 CA$2.79

162.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 A$7.09

$1.41 CA$1.94

262.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.48

$2.81 CA$3.88

-87.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.53 A$29.89

$106 CA$147

-79.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 A$4.26

$3.11 CA$4.28

-1.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.55

$1.25 CA$1.72

47.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.92 A$59.6

$22.01 CA$30.36

95.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.98

$1.05 CA$1.45

36.19%

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

$27.7K A$38.5K

$24.4K CA$33.7K

13.61%

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

$29.1K A$40.4K

$19.3K CA$26.6K

51.30%

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

$172 A$239

$113 CA$156

52.78%

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

$27.89 A$38.72

$29.25 CA$40.34

-4.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 A$88.3

$51.7 CA$71.3

23.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 A$88.3

$32.54 CA$44.88

95.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.02 A$29.19

$21.61 CA$29.80

-2.73%

Cinema Ticket

$16.39 A$22.76

$10.33 CA$14.25

58.66%

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

$2,166 A$3,007

$908 CA$1,252

138.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K A$18.1K

$17.6K CA$24.3K

-25.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 A$119

$44.43 CA$61.3

92.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.31 A$61.5

$37.74 CA$52.0

17.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 A$161

$109 CA$150

6.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 A$152

$109 CA$150

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 A$2,769

$1,677 CA$2,313

18.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 A$1,952

$1,490 CA$2,055

-5.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,433 A$4,766

$2,708 CA$3,734

26.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,404 A$3,337

$2,543 CA$3,507

-5.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,276 A$11.5K

$8,977 CA$12.4K

-7.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,834 A$8,099

$6,450 CA$8,895

-9.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,250 A$5,899

$3,035 CA$4,186

40.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

5.39

8.53%

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

Last update for Brisbane: August 31, 2026

Last update for Vaughan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,995 in Brisbane versus $1,677 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 40% higher in Brisbane. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Brisbane versus $68.0 in Vaughan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $325 – making Vaughan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,919 per month in Brisbane and $3,908 in Vaughan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 13% more in Brisbane, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $2,166 per month in Brisbane and $908 in Vaughan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,613 in Brisbane and $2,605 in Vaughan. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Vaughan – 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 Vaughan. 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.