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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,583 per month in Cairns vs $2,613 in Brisbane, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,813 per month in Cairns vs $3,966 in Brisbane, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,042 per month in Cairns vs $5,318 in Brisbane, rent included.

Cairns is about 1% cheaper than Brisbane, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cairns and Brisbane sit above the global median – Cairns by 88%, Brisbane by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 A$25.30

$17.77 A$24.85

1.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 A$142

$82.6 A$115

23.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.76 A$17.85

$11.42 A$15.98

11.73%

Cappuccino

$4.60 A$6.44

$4.43 A$6.20

3.84%

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

$3.23 A$4.52

$3.03 A$4.24

6.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 A$3.87

$2.60 A$3.64

6.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 A$9.97

$8.55 A$11.95

-16.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.38 A$11.72

$8.43 A$11.80

-0.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 A$2.76

$1.72 A$2.40

14.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.70 A$3.78

2.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.66

$2.41 A$3.38

8.71%

Eggs

$5.44 A$7.61

$5.10 A$7.14

6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 A$13.34

$9.30 A$13.00

2.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 A$19.97

$9.11 A$12.74

56.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 A$21.41

$14.13 A$19.77

8.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 A$5.72

$4.30 A$6.01

-4.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$3.11 A$4.35

-9.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 A$5.14

$2.97 A$4.15

23.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.83 A$8.15

$4.97 A$6.95

17.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.74

$2.88 A$4.02

-6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 A$3.61

$2.44 A$3.41

5.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 A$3.99

$2.54 A$3.56

12.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 A$3.62

$1.22 A$1.71

112.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.99 A$62.9

$39.99 A$55.9

12.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 A$20.27

$12.69 A$17.74

14.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 A$4.98

$5.31 A$7.43

-32.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 A$7.71

$5.11 A$7.14

7.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$4.97

$0.35 A$0.48

914.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.04 A$22.44

$21.53 A$30.12

-25.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 A$3.77

$3.07 A$4.29

-12.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 A$2.77

$1.84 A$2.57

7.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.74 A$61.2

$42.92 A$60.0

1.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.71

$1.43 A$1.99

-13.99%

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

$31.4K A$43.9K

$27.7K A$38.8K

13.02%

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

$42.2K A$59.1K

$29.1K A$40.8K

44.95%

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

$165 A$231

$172 A$241

-3.98%

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

$35.34 A$49.43

$27.89 A$39.01

26.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 A$96.8

$63.6 A$89.0

8.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.13 A$64.5

$63.6 A$89.0

-27.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.53 A$39.91

$21.02 A$29.41

35.73%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 A$20.36

$16.39 A$22.93

-11.23%

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

$2,156 A$3,016

$2,166 A$3,030

-0.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K A$19.9K

$13.0K A$18.2K

9.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.2 A$130

$85.6 A$120

8.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.3 A$102

$44.31 A$62.0

65.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$174

$116 A$162

7.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$109 A$153

25.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 A$2,122

$1,995 A$2,791

-23.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 A$1,755

$1,406 A$1,967

-10.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,315 A$3,239

$3,433 A$4,803

-32.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,985 A$2,777

$2,404 A$3,363

-17.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,709 A$9,385

$8,276 A$11.6K

-18.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,173 A$7,237

$5,834 A$8,160

-11.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,565 A$6,385

$4,250 A$5,944

7.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

5.85

8.03%

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

Last update for Cairns: August 31, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,517 in Cairns versus $1,995 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 7% higher in Cairns, 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 $102 in Cairns versus $83.0 in Brisbane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $367 – 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

Brisbane costs about 1% more than Cairns, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,875 per month in Cairns and $3,919 in Brisbane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% 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 $102 in Cairns and $83.0 in Brisbane. 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 $2,583 in Cairns and $2,613 in Brisbane. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Cairns – 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 Cairns. 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.