Cost of Living Comparison Between Newcastle and Brisbane Cost of Living Comparison Between Newcastle and Brisbane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,281 per month in Newcastle vs $2,285 in Brisbane, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,366 per month in Newcastle vs $3,328 in Brisbane, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,452 per month in Newcastle vs $4,372 in Brisbane, rent included.

Newcastle and Brisbane have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Newcastle and Brisbane sit above the global median – Newcastle by 70%, Brisbane by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 A$25.05

$15.97 A$22.38

11.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.9 A$130

$70.8 A$99.2

31.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 A$11.60

$9.50 A$13.31

-12.84%

Cappuccino

$3.44 A$4.81

$3.65 A$5.11

-5.75%

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

$2.94 A$4.12

$2.67 A$3.74

10.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 A$2.93

$2.13 A$2.98

-1.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.53 A$9.15

$6.32 A$8.85

3.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 A$9.01

$8.02 A$11.24

-19.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 A$1.88

$1.54 A$2.15

-12.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.28

$2.28 A$3.20

2.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 A$3.09

$1.86 A$2.61

18.28%

Eggs

$3.88 A$5.44

$4.48 A$6.28

-13.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 A$12.48

$8.24 A$11.54

8.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 A$11.07

$8.09 A$11.34

-2.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.19 A$19.89

$13.33 A$18.67

6.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$3.38 A$4.74

-6.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.67

$2.73 A$3.83

-4.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.78

$2.71 A$3.80

-0.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.64 A$5.10

$4.29 A$6.02

-15.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.78

$2.52 A$3.54

7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.96

$2.30 A$3.22

-8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.02

$2.14 A$3.00

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 A$1.44

$1.24 A$1.73

-16.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.72 A$40.24

$32.55 A$45.61

-11.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.91 A$15.29

$12.85 A$18.00

-15.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.10 A$5.74

$4.66 A$6.54

-12.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 A$4.47

$4.18 A$5.86

-23.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 A$3.54

$0.31 A$0.44

716.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$201

$27.52 A$38.56

420.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 A$3.13

$2.29 A$3.21

-2.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 A$2.01

$1.58 A$2.21

-8.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.21 A$52.1

$34.11 A$47.80

9.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 A$1.56

$1.24 A$1.74

-10.48%

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

$28.4K A$39.8K

$29.1K A$40.7K

-2.16%

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

$21.9K A$30.7K

$22.6K A$31.6K

-3.05%

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

$190 A$266

$146 A$205

29.63%

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

$29.46 A$41.27

$25.26 A$35.40

16.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 A$79.2

$52.5 A$73.6

7.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 A$60.8

$49.65 A$69.6

-12.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.13 A$24.01

$17.25 A$24.17

-0.70%

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 A$17.59

$13.23 A$18.53

-5.14%

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

$908 A$1,272

$1,591 A$2,230

-42.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K A$17.0K

$8,689 A$12.2K

39.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 A$107

$70.3 A$98.5

8.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.15 A$63.3

$44.49 A$62.3

1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 A$126

$91.4 A$128

-1.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 A$152

$100 A$140

8.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 A$2,005

$1,616 A$2,265

-11.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 A$1,510

$1,241 A$1,739

-13.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,372 A$3,324

$2,670 A$3,741

-11.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 A$2,293

$1,939 A$2,716

-15.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K A$19.4K

$8,525 A$11.9K

62.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,055 A$8,485

$5,824 A$8,161

3.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,187 A$4,466

$4,294 A$6,017

-25.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

6.24

8.17%

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

Last update for Newcastle: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,431 in Newcastle 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 35% higher in Brisbane. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Newcastle versus $71.0 in Brisbane. Groceries tell a different story – $313 in Newcastle vs $327 in Brisbane – so Newcastle wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Newcastle vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,422 per month in Newcastle 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 Newcastle, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Brisbane, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $908 per month in Newcastle and $1,591 in Brisbane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Newcastle, where all-in costs run around $2,281, than in Brisbane at $2,285. In Newcastle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Newcastle – 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 Newcastle. 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.