Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Wagga Wagga Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Wagga Wagga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,343 per month in Brisbane vs $2,175 in Wagga Wagga, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,321 per month in Brisbane vs $2,895 in Wagga Wagga, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,298 per month in Brisbane vs $3,616 in Wagga Wagga, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 8% more than Wagga Wagga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Wagga Wagga sit above the global median – Brisbane by 75%, Wagga Wagga by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.40 A$22.97

$12.76 A$17.86

28.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 A$98.9

$89.3 A$125

-20.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 A$13.60

$9.97 A$13.96

-2.51%

Cappuccino

$3.62 A$5.07

$3.47 A$4.86

4.32%

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

$2.80 A$3.92

$2.68 A$3.76

4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$3.00

$2.22 A$3.11

-3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 A$8.96

$6.59 A$9.22

-2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 A$11.00

$7.67 A$10.73

2.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 A$2.24

$1.42 A$1.98

12.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.24

$2.70 A$3.78

-14.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 A$2.65

$1.85 A$2.58

2.16%

Eggs

$4.31 A$6.04

$4.03 A$5.65

6.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 A$11.16

$10.20 A$14.27

-21.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 A$11.79

$6.69 A$9.36

25.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 A$18.68

$14.89 A$20.84

-10.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 A$4.74

$3.19 A$4.46

6.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.99

$2.93 A$4.10

-2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.83

$3.09 A$4.32

-11.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 A$5.95

$4.70 A$6.59

-9.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.55

$2.36 A$3.31

7.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.20

$2.09 A$2.93

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.03

$2.48 A$3.47

-12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 A$1.83

$1.27 A$1.78

2.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.47 A$45.45

$31.26 A$43.76

3.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 A$19.74

$15.23 A$21.33

-7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 A$6.57

$5.20 A$7.29

-9.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 A$5.97

$5.84 A$8.18

-26.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.48

$2.54 A$3.56

-86.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.10 A$37.94

$65.2 A$91.3

-58.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.24

$4.11 A$5.76

-43.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 A$2.14

$1.82 A$2.55

-15.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.98 A$47.58

$15.74 A$22.03

115.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.65

$1.13 A$1.58

4.42%

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

$28.5K A$39.9K

0.06%

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

$22.6K A$31.6K

$23.0K A$32.2K

-1.92%

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

$147 A$206

$121 A$170

20.97%

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

$25.95 A$36.32

$23.18 A$32.45

11.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 A$75.9

$53.2 A$74.5

1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.57 A$68.0

$48.99 A$68.6

-0.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.34 A$24.28

$15.82 A$22.14

9.61%

Cinema Ticket

$12.89 A$18.04

$13.47 A$18.85

-4.31%

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

$1,597 A$2,235

$1,292 A$1,809

23.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,723 A$12.2K

$13.4K A$18.7K

-34.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 A$101

$71.8 A$100

0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.20 A$60.5

$57.5 A$80.6

-24.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 A$128

$99.8 A$140

-8.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$143

$113 A$159

-10.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 A$2,219

$1,279 A$1,791

23.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 A$1,764

$1,086 A$1,521

15.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,658 A$3,722

$1,372 A$1,921

93.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 A$2,652

$1,052 A$1,473

80.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,202 A$11.5K

$3,606 A$5,049

127.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 A$7,538

$2,510 A$3,514

114.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,267 A$5,974

$3,620 A$5,068

17.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.29

-0.79%

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

Last update for Brisbane: April 27, 2026

Last update for Wagga Wagga: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,585 in Brisbane versus $1,279 in Wagga Wagga. 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 18% 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 $89.0 in Wagga Wagga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $347 – making Brisbane 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 Wagga Wagga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 8% more than Wagga Wagga, 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 $3,515 per month in Brisbane and $3,262 in Wagga Wagga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wagga Wagga, 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 $71.0 in Brisbane and $89.0 in Wagga Wagga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Wagga Wagga, where all-in costs run around $2,175, than in Brisbane at $2,343. In Wagga Wagga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wagga Wagga – 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 Wagga Wagga. 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.