Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manukau and Brisbane

For one person, living is cheaper in Manukau: $1,753 a month against $2,520 in Brisbane, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

85

Cost of Living Index in Manukau
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Manukau Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Brisbane
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Brisbane Living Index

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Manukau

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,753

/mo nomad

Brisbane

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,520

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,753 per month in Manukau vs $2,520 in Brisbane, rent included.

Manukau $1,753
Brisbane $2,520

A couple spends around $2,707 per month in Manukau vs $3,730 in Brisbane, rent included.

Manukau $2,707
Brisbane $3,730

A family of three spends $3,661 per month in Manukau vs $4,940 in Brisbane, rent included.

Manukau $3,661
Brisbane $4,940

Manukau is about 30% cheaper than Brisbane, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Manukau and Brisbane sit above the global median – Manukau by 30%, Brisbane by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.90 NZ$21.04

$17.58 A$25.29

-32.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 NZ$119

$69.8 A$101

-3.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 NZ$14.77

$11.18 A$16.09

-25.31%

Cappuccino

$3.39 NZ$6.00

$4.26 A$6.13

-20.42%

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

$2.00 NZ$3.54

$2.88 A$4.15

-30.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 NZ$3.07

$2.50 A$3.60

-30.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 NZ$10.80

$8.55 A$12.30

-28.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 NZ$9.83

$8.10 A$11.66

-31.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 NZ$2.50

$1.62 A$2.33

-12.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 NZ$2.28

$2.66 A$3.83

-51.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.18

$2.20 A$3.17

-18.18%

Eggs

$5.19 NZ$9.18

$4.93 A$7.10

5.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.64 NZ$9.97

$9.03 A$12.99

-37.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.23 NZ$12.79

$9.04 A$13.01

-20.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.66 NZ$20.63

$13.86 A$19.94

-15.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 NZ$4.52

$4.11 A$5.92

-37.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.61

$3.00 A$4.32

-32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 NZ$5.16

$2.91 A$4.18

0.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 NZ$9.99

$4.87 A$7.01

16.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.45

$2.74 A$3.95

-28.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 NZ$2.42

$2.44 A$3.51

-43.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NZ$3.51

$2.40 A$3.46

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NZ$1.60

$1.22 A$1.76

-26.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.28 NZ$44.71

$38.84 A$55.9

-34.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 NZ$17.91

$12.35 A$17.78

-17.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 NZ$5.00

$5.12 A$7.37

-44.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 NZ$5.89

$4.90 A$7.04

-32.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 NZ$3.14

$0.36 A$0.52

391.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.2 NZ$161

$20.68 A$29.76

340.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 NZ$4.04

$3.05 A$4.39

-25.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 NZ$3.50

$1.77 A$2.55

11.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.55 NZ$55.8

$41.12 A$59.2

-23.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$3.01

$1.45 A$2.08

17.24%

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

$24.8K NZ$43.8K

$26.7K A$38.4K

-7.18%

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

$22.3K NZ$39.4K

$27.8K A$39.9K

-19.72%

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

$56.2 NZ$99.3

$159 A$228

-64.63%

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

$26.35 NZ$46.60

$25.86 A$37.21

1.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.91 NZ$88.3

$60.3 A$86.8

-17.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.03 NZ$67.3

$61.9 A$89.1

-38.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.88 A$32.93

Cinema Ticket

$12.81 NZ$22.65

$17.41 A$25.06

-26.42%

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

$675 NZ$1,194

$1,928 A$2,774

-64.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K NZ$34.8K

$12.6K A$18.1K

56.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 NZ$109

$84.4 A$121

-26.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 NZ$65.5

$44.85 A$64.5

-17.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 NZ$165

$110 A$159

-15.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NZ$194

$109 A$157

0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 NZ$1,690

$1,927 A$2,773

-50.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$817 NZ$1,444

$1,325 A$1,906

-38.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NZ$2,821

$3,276 A$4,714

-51.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 NZ$2,552

$2,266 A$3,261

-36.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,910 NZ$8,683

$8,315 A$12.0K

-40.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,309 NZ$5,852

$5,955 A$8,569

-44.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 NZ$3,085

$4,100 A$5,900

-57.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.81

1.55%

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

Last update for Manukau: October 11, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manukau

$817 46.6%

Brisbane

$1.3K 52.6% 62.2% $508

Groceries & Markets

Manukau

$276 15.8%

Brisbane

$357 14.2% 29.3% $81

Eating Out

Manukau

$218 12.4%

Brisbane

$306 12.1% 40.5% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Manukau

$136 7.8%

Brisbane

$157 6.2% 15.4% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manukau

$132 7.6%

Brisbane

$245 9.7% 85% $113

Getting Around

Manukau

$110 6.3%

Brisbane

$34 1.4% 69.2% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Manukau

$64 3.6%

Brisbane

$97 3.8% 52% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Manukau 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 135% 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 $67.0 in Manukau versus $70.0 in Brisbane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $357 – making Manukau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Manukau

🇦🇺 Brisbane

🕒 Local time

20:48 8:48 PM

17:48 5:48 PM

3 h behind Manukau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

362,000

2,287,896

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Manukau Brisbane 2,300 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Manukau
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

Manukau vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 44% more than Manukau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,629 per month in Manukau and $3,781 in Brisbane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 29% more in Brisbane, 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 $67.0 in Manukau and $70.0 in Brisbane. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Manukau, where all-in costs run around $1,753, than in Brisbane at $2,520. In Manukau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manukau – 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 Manukau. 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.