Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairns and Brisbane Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairns and Brisbane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,317 per month in Cairns vs $2,285 in Brisbane, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,472 per month in Cairns vs $3,328 in Brisbane, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,627 per month in Cairns vs $4,372 in Brisbane, rent included.

Cairns costs about 1% more than Brisbane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cairns and Brisbane sit above the global median – Cairns by 73%, Brisbane by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.59 A$16.15

$15.97 A$22.26

-27.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 A$113

$70.8 A$98.7

14.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 A$15.16

$9.50 A$13.24

14.53%

Cappuccino

$3.75 A$5.23

$3.65 A$5.08

2.74%

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

$2.84 A$3.96

$2.67 A$3.72

6.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 A$3.21

$2.13 A$2.97

7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.43 A$8.96

$6.32 A$8.80

1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 A$9.70

$8.02 A$11.18

-13.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.42

$1.54 A$2.14

12.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 A$3.40

$2.28 A$3.18

7.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.74

$1.86 A$2.60

44.09%

Eggs

$4.00 A$5.58

$4.48 A$6.25

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.40

$8.24 A$11.48

-0.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$12.90

$8.09 A$11.28

14.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 A$17.78

$13.33 A$18.57

-4.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.15

$3.38 A$4.71

-11.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.10

$2.73 A$3.81

-18.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.83

$2.71 A$3.78

1.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.39 A$10.30

$4.29 A$5.98

72.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.11

$2.52 A$3.52

-11.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.30 A$3.21

1.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 A$3.16

$2.14 A$2.98

6.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 A$3.99

$1.24 A$1.72

130.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.71 A$40.01

$32.55 A$45.36

-11.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 A$16.02

$12.85 A$17.90

-10.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 A$4.74

$4.66 A$6.50

-27.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 A$4.86

$4.18 A$5.83

-16.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 A$4.56

$0.31 A$0.44

954.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 A$90.5

$27.52 A$38.35

135.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 A$9.26

$2.29 A$3.20

189.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 A$4.44

$1.58 A$2.20

101.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.95 A$47.31

$34.11 A$47.54

-0.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 A$1.53

$1.24 A$1.73

-11.29%

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

$22.8K A$31.8K

$29.1K A$40.5K

-21.53%

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

$19.1K A$26.7K

$22.6K A$31.5K

-15.18%

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

$149 A$207

$146 A$204

1.75%

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

$37.35 A$52.1

$25.26 A$35.20

47.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 A$81.6

$52.5 A$73.2

11.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.65 A$53.9

$49.65 A$69.2

-22.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 A$22.23

$17.25 A$24.04

-7.54%

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 A$18.45

$13.23 A$18.43

0.08%

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

$1,636 A$2,280

$1,591 A$2,218

2.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.6K

$8,689 A$12.1K

36.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.6 A$116

$70.3 A$97.9

18.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 A$92.8

$44.49 A$62.0

49.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$141

$91.4 A$127

10.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 A$194

$100 A$139

38.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 A$1,714

$1,616 A$2,252

-23.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 A$1,548

$1,241 A$1,729

-10.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 A$2,769

$2,670 A$3,720

-25.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 A$2,601

$1,939 A$2,701

-3.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,707 A$9,347

$8,525 A$11.9K

-21.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,132 A$7,151

$5,824 A$8,116

-11.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,549 A$6,338

$4,294 A$5,984

5.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.96

6.24

11.54%

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

Last update for Cairns: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 in Cairns versus $1,616 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 6% higher in Cairns, 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 $81.0 in Cairns versus $71.0 in Brisbane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $327 – 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

Cairns vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cairns costs about 1% more than Brisbane, 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 $3,476 per month in Cairns and $3,427 in Brisbane. 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.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Cairns, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Cairns and $71.0 in Brisbane. 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 Brisbane, where all-in costs run around $2,285, than in Cairns at $2,317. In Brisbane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cairns it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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, Cairns makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.