Cost of Living Comparison Between Northam and Brisbane Cost of Living Comparison Between Northam and Brisbane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,149 per month in Northam vs $2,300 in Brisbane, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,223 per month in Northam vs $3,347 in Brisbane, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,296 per month in Northam vs $4,395 in Brisbane, rent included.

Northam is about 7% cheaper than Brisbane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Northam and Brisbane sit above the global median – Northam by 60%, Brisbane by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.31 A$22.83

$16.30 A$22.82

0.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$72.0 A$101

9.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 A$14.31

$9.53 A$13.34

7.24%

Cappuccino

$3.72 A$5.21

$3.69 A$5.17

0.81%

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

$2.59 A$3.62

$2.74 A$3.83

-5.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.77

$2.13 A$2.98

-7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 A$10.61

$6.68 A$9.35

13.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.62 A$9.27

$7.87 A$11.02

-15.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.03

$1.60 A$2.23

-9.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 A$3.39

$2.31 A$3.23

4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.74

$1.83 A$2.56

7.10%

Eggs

$4.14 A$5.80

$4.50 A$6.31

-8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 A$8.36

$8.42 A$11.79

-29.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.56 A$11.99

$8.22 A$11.51

4.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.60 A$19.04

$13.47 A$18.85

0.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 A$3.61

$3.39 A$4.74

-23.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.05

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.16

$2.61 A$3.65

13.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 A$6.42

$4.23 A$5.93

8.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.54

$2.51 A$3.51

0.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.48

$2.28 A$3.20

-22.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 A$2.71

$2.22 A$3.11

-12.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 A$0.92

$1.30 A$1.82

-49.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.91 A$44.67

$32.02 A$44.83

-0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.61 A$5.05

$14.31 A$20.04

-74.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.78 A$5.29

$4.71 A$6.60

-19.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 A$5.76

$4.11 A$5.75

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 A$3.70

$0.34 A$0.48

676.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 A$89.3

$27.34 A$38.28

133.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 A$5.68

$2.32 A$3.25

75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 A$3.11

$1.59 A$2.23

39.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.53 A$67.9

$34.04 A$47.65

42.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.62

$1.23 A$1.73

-5.69%

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

$29.1K A$40.7K

$28.4K A$39.7K

2.41%

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

$24.5K A$34.3K

$22.6K A$31.6K

8.59%

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

$155 A$218

$147 A$206

5.60%

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

$22.72 A$31.81

$25.93 A$36.30

-12.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 A$76.2

$54.2 A$75.9

0.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.22 A$68.9

$49.36 A$69.1

-0.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.51 A$21.71

$17.40 A$24.36

-10.86%

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 A$22.74

$13.21 A$18.49

22.94%

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

$1,803 A$2,524

$1,595 A$2,233

13.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.7K

$8,929 A$12.5K

33.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 A$100

$71.7 A$100

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.27 A$67.6

$42.94 A$60.1

12.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$143

$92.5 A$129

10.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$102 A$143

2.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 A$1,782

$1,636 A$2,291

-22.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 A$1,463

$1,242 A$1,739

-15.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 A$2,803

$2,631 A$3,683

-23.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 A$2,391

$1,931 A$2,704

-11.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,236 A$8,730

$8,175 A$11.4K

-23.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,040 A$7,056

$5,407 A$7,570

-6.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,271 A$5,980

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.24

2.88%

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

Last update for Northam: April 22, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,273 in Northam versus $1,636 in Brisbane. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Northam versus $72 in Brisbane. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Northam vs $334 in Brisbane – so Northam 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

Northam vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 7% more than Northam, 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 $3,224 per month in Northam and $3,450 in Brisbane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $79.0 in Northam and $72.0 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 Northam, where all-in costs run around $2,149, than in Brisbane at $2,300. In Northam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Northam – 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 Northam. 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.