Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Burnie and Brisbane

For one person, living is cheaper in Burnie: $1,646 a month against $2,520 in Brisbane, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Burnie
🇦🇺 Australia
$1,646
/mo nomad
Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,520
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Burnie and in Brisbane

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Burnie and in Brisbane actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,646 per month in Burnie vs $2,520 in Brisbane, rent included.

  • Burnie $1,646
  • Brisbane $2,520

A couple spends around $2,474 per month in Burnie vs $3,730 in Brisbane, rent included.

  • Burnie $2,474
  • Brisbane $3,730

A family of three spends $3,301 per month in Burnie vs $4,940 in Brisbane, rent included.

  • Burnie $3,301
  • Brisbane $4,940

Burnie is about 35% cheaper than Brisbane, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Burnie and Brisbane sit above the global median – Burnie by 22%, Brisbane by 87%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Burnie
Brisbane
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.62 A$26.80
$17.58 A$25.29
5.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.2 A$133
$69.8 A$101
32.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 A$8.06
$11.18 A$16.09
-49.91%
Cappuccino
$3.88 A$5.58
$4.26 A$6.13
-8.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 A$4.87
$2.88 A$4.15
17.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 A$2.53
$2.50 A$3.60
-29.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.25 A$6.11
$8.55 A$12.30
-50.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.83 A$8.39
$8.10 A$11.66
-28.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Burnie
Brisbane
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 A$2.66
$1.62 A$2.33
14.20%
White Bread (500g)
$2.43 A$3.50
$2.66 A$3.83
-8.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.87 A$2.69
$2.20 A$3.17
-15.00%
Eggs
$5.04 A$7.25
$4.93 A$7.10
2.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.90 A$14.24
$9.03 A$12.99
9.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.17 A$8.87
$9.04 A$13.01
-31.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.30 A$24.89
$13.86 A$19.94
24.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.81 A$4.04
$4.11 A$5.92
-31.63%
Banana (1kg)
$2.73 A$3.92
$3.00 A$4.32
-9.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.14 A$3.08
$2.91 A$4.18
-26.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.84 A$4.08
$4.87 A$7.01
-41.68%
Potato (1kg)
$2.52 A$3.63
$2.74 A$3.95
-8.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.11 A$3.03
$2.44 A$3.51
-13.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.14 A$3.08
$2.40 A$3.46
-10.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 A$2.39
$1.22 A$1.76
36.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$36.64 A$52.7
$38.84 A$55.9
-5.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.64 A$21.06
$12.35 A$17.78
18.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.46 A$4.97
$5.12 A$7.37
-32.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.43 A$7.82
$4.90 A$7.04
10.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Burnie
Brisbane
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.89 A$2.72
$0.36 A$0.52
425.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$20.68 A$29.76
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 A$3.84
$3.05 A$4.39
-12.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 A$2.96
$1.77 A$2.55
15.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.09 A$59.1
$41.12 A$59.2
-0.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 A$1.86
$1.45 A$2.08
-11.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K A$38.7K
$26.7K A$38.4K
0.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K A$44.8K
$27.8K A$39.9K
12.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Burnie
Brisbane
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 A$302
$159 A$228
32.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.19 A$30.49
$25.86 A$37.21
-18.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.00 A$69.1
$60.3 A$86.8
-20.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Burnie
Brisbane
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$61.9 A$89.1
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.88 A$32.93
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.19 A$20.42
$17.41 A$25.06
-18.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Burnie
Brisbane
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,007 A$2,888
$1,928 A$2,774
4.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.0K A$30.2K
$12.6K A$18.1K
66.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Burnie
Brisbane
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.3 A$111
$84.4 A$121
-8.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.96 A$34.48
$44.85 A$64.5
-46.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 A$149
$110 A$159
-6.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.6 A$138
$109 A$157
-12.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Burnie
Brisbane
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$815 A$1,173
$1,927 A$2,773
-57.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$584 A$840
$1,325 A$1,906
-55.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,117 A$1,607
$3,276 A$4,714
-65.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$833 A$1,199
$2,266 A$3,261
-63.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$8,315 A$12.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,955 A$8,569
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Burnie
Brisbane
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,999 A$7,193
$4,100 A$5,900
21.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.6
5.81
-3.61%

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

Last update for Burnie: October 12, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Burnie
$584
Brisbane
$1.3K 127% $741
Groceries & Markets
Burnie
$334
Brisbane
$357 7.1% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Burnie
$279
Brisbane
$245 12.1% $34
Eating Out
Burnie
$266
Brisbane
$306 15% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Burnie
$135
Brisbane
$157 16.2% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Burnie
$28 *
Brisbane
$97 241% $68
Getting Around
Burnie
$21 *
Brisbane
$34 66% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $815 in Burnie versus $1,927 in Brisbane. 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 Burnie, 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 $92.0 in Burnie versus $70.0 in Brisbane. Groceries tell a different story – $334 in Burnie vs $357 in Brisbane – so Burnie wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Burnie
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🕒 Local time
02:47 2:47 AM
01:47 1:47 AM
1 h behind Burnie
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
20,267
2,287,896
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Burnie Brisbane 1,640 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Burnie
  • Brisbane

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
Burnie vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Burnie or Brisbane?
Brisbane costs about 53% more than Burnie, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Burnie and in Brisbane?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,469 per month in Burnie and $3,781 in Brisbane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Burnie or Brisbane?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Burnie, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Burnie compared to Brisbane?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,646 in Burnie and $2,520 in Brisbane. That's a gap of about 53%.
How do childcare costs compare in Burnie and in Brisbane?
Kindergarten costs $2,007 per month in Burnie and $1,928 in Brisbane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Burnie or in Brisbane?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Burnie, where all-in costs run around $1,646, than in Brisbane at $2,520. In Burnie it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Burnie – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Burnie compared to Brisbane?
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.
Should I move to Burnie or to Brisbane?
If budget matters most, go with Burnie. 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.

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