Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Canberra and Brisbane

For one person, living is cheaper in Brisbane: $2,630 a month against $2,886 in Canberra, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

138

Cost of Living Index in Canberra
Learn more

Canberra Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Brisbane
Learn more

Brisbane Living Index

Jump to prices

Canberra

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,886

/mo nomad

Brisbane

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,630

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Canberra 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 Canberra and in Brisbane actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,886 per month in Canberra vs $2,630 in Brisbane, rent included.

Canberra $2,886
Brisbane $2,630

A couple spends around $4,020 per month in Canberra vs $3,801 in Brisbane, rent included.

Canberra $4,020
Brisbane $3,801

A family of three spends $5,153 per month in Canberra vs $4,972 in Brisbane, rent included.

Canberra $5,153
Brisbane $4,972

Canberra costs about 10% more than Brisbane, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Canberra and Brisbane sit above the global median – Canberra by 112%, Brisbane by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 A$29.53

$17.61 A$25.04

17.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.8 A$128

$80.0 A$114

12.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.43 A$14.83

$11.43 A$16.25

-8.75%

Cappuccino

$3.99 A$5.67

$4.51 A$6.42

-11.53%

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

$3.12 A$4.44

$2.95 A$4.20

5.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 A$3.75

$2.39 A$3.40

10.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.32 A$11.83

$8.61 A$12.24

-3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.11 A$14.37

$8.36 A$11.89

20.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 A$2.12

$1.62 A$2.30

-8.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 A$4.47

$2.65 A$3.77

18.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.59

$2.32 A$3.30

9.05%

Eggs

$5.32 A$7.57

$4.94 A$7.02

7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 A$18.69

$9.08 A$12.91

44.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.98 A$14.19

$9.12 A$12.97

9.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 A$21.44

$14.34 A$20.39

5.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 A$5.72

$4.14 A$5.89

-2.66%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.50

$3.07 A$4.36

3.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 A$5.04

$3.05 A$4.33

16.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 A$7.29

$4.89 A$6.95

4.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.58

$2.81 A$4.00

14.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 A$4.03

$2.48 A$3.52

14.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.53

$2.41 A$3.42

2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 A$2.00

$1.19 A$1.69

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.06 A$62.7

$38.54 A$54.8

14.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.26 A$20.28

$12.65 A$17.98

12.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.81 A$6.85

$5.22 A$7.42

-7.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 A$8.08

$4.87 A$6.92

16.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 A$3.60

$0.34 A$0.48

644.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.8 A$135

$20.97 A$29.82

351.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.68

$3.05 A$4.34

30.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 A$2.35

$1.89 A$2.69

-12.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.56 A$60.5

$40.76 A$58.0

4.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 A$1.89

$1.45 A$2.06

-8.28%

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

$28.0K A$39.8K

$29.7K A$42.2K

-5.80%

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

$26.3K A$37.4K

$25.6K A$36.4K

2.70%

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

$184 A$262

$158 A$224

16.79%

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

$26.57 A$37.78

$26.05 A$37.05

2.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 A$79.5

$61.1 A$86.9

-8.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.4 A$113

$61.2 A$87.0

29.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.81 A$39.55

$22.36 A$31.79

24.37%

Cinema Ticket

$16.02 A$22.78

$13.95 A$19.84

14.84%

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

$2,460 A$3,498

$2,044 A$2,907

20.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K A$29.3K

$12.9K A$18.3K

59.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.1 A$108

$82.4 A$117

-7.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 A$81.7

$43.63 A$62.0

31.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$153

$113 A$161

-5.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$189

$111 A$158

19.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,749 A$2,486

$1,944 A$2,764

-10.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,495 A$2,126

$1,431 A$2,035

4.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 A$4,358

$3,484 A$4,955

-12.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 A$2,813

$2,240 A$3,186

-11.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K A$15.8K

$9,322 A$13.3K

19.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,790 A$11.1K

$7,003 A$9,958

11.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,317 A$6,139

$4,144 A$5,893

4.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

5.81

2.41%

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

Last update for Canberra: October 26, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Canberra

$1.5K 51.8%

Brisbane

$1.4K 54.4% 4.3% $64

Groceries & Markets

Canberra

$397 13.8%

Brisbane

$362 13.8% 8.9% $36

Eating Out

Canberra

$330 11.4%

Brisbane

$310 11.8% 5.9% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Canberra

$267 9.2%

Brisbane

$245 9.3% 8.2% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Canberra

$168 5.8%

Brisbane

$158 6% 6.2% $11

Getting Around

Canberra

$117 4.1%

Brisbane

$35 1.3% 70.3% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Canberra

$111 3.9%

Brisbane

$89 3.4% 20.1% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,749 in Canberra versus $1,944 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 4% higher in Canberra, 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 $90 in Canberra versus $80 in Brisbane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $362 – making Brisbane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Canberra

🇦🇺 Brisbane

🕒 Local time

21:05 9:05 PM

20:05 8:05 PM

1 h behind Canberra

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

466,566 Capital

2,287,896

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.703 USD

1 AUD = 0.632 EUR

1 AUD = 0.703 USD

1 AUD = 0.632 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Canberra Brisbane 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Canberra
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

Canberra vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Canberra costs about 10% more than Brisbane, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,329 per month in Canberra and $3,945 in Brisbane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Canberra, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,749 there versus $1,944 in Brisbane.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Canberra, 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 $90 in Canberra and $80 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 $2,886 in Canberra and $2,630 in Brisbane. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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