Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nowra NSW and Brisbane

For one person, living costs are similar in Nowra NSW and in Brisbane: $2,649 and $2,630 a month, rent and utilities included.

Nowra NSW, Australia
Brisbane, Australia
Nowra NSW
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,649
/mo nomad
Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,630
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,649 per month in Nowra NSW vs $2,630 in Brisbane, rent included.

  • Nowra NSW $2,649
  • Brisbane $2,630

A couple spends around $3,808 per month in Nowra NSW vs $3,801 in Brisbane, rent included.

  • Nowra NSW $3,808
  • Brisbane $3,801

A family of three spends $4,968 per month in Nowra NSW vs $4,972 in Brisbane, rent included.

  • Nowra NSW $4,968
  • Brisbane $4,972

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

Both Nowra NSW and Brisbane sit above the global median – Nowra NSW by 95%, Brisbane by 93%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nowra NSW
Brisbane
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.83 A$29.74
$17.61 A$25.15
18.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.7 A$128
$80.0 A$114
12.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.57 A$15.10
$11.43 A$16.32
-7.52%
Cappuccino
$4.04 A$5.77
$4.51 A$6.45
-10.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 A$4.42
$2.95 A$4.22
4.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 A$3.58
$2.39 A$3.42
4.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.65 A$12.36
$8.61 A$12.30
0.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.96 A$14.22
$8.36 A$11.94
19.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nowra NSW
Brisbane
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 A$1.84
$1.62 A$2.31
-20.37%
White Bread (500g)
$2.99 A$4.27
$2.65 A$3.79
12.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.57 A$3.67
$2.32 A$3.32
10.78%
Eggs
$5.28 A$7.54
$4.94 A$7.05
6.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.82 A$16.89
$9.08 A$12.97
30.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.72 A$13.88
$9.12 A$13.03
6.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.33 A$21.90
$14.34 A$20.47
6.90%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 A$5.71
$4.14 A$5.91
-3.38%
Banana (1kg)
$3.21 A$4.58
$3.07 A$4.38
4.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 A$4.95
$3.05 A$4.35
13.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.02 A$7.17
$4.89 A$6.98
2.66%
Potato (1kg)
$3.15 A$4.50
$2.81 A$4.01
12.10%
Onion (1kg)
$2.87 A$4.09
$2.48 A$3.54
15.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.48 A$3.55
$2.41 A$3.44
2.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 A$1.99
$1.19 A$1.70
16.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$44.62 A$63.7
$38.54 A$55.0
15.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.82 A$19.73
$12.65 A$18.06
9.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.59 A$6.55
$5.22 A$7.45
-12.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.49 A$7.84
$4.87 A$6.95
12.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Nowra NSW
Brisbane
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.69 A$3.85
$0.34 A$0.48
691.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$81.1 A$116
$20.97 A$29.95
286.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.06 A$5.79
$3.05 A$4.35
33.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 A$2.27
$1.89 A$2.70
-15.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$43.76 A$62.5
$40.76 A$58.2
7.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 A$1.87
$1.45 A$2.07
-9.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K A$39.8K
$29.7K A$42.4K
-6.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K A$37.5K
$25.6K A$36.6K
2.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nowra NSW
Brisbane
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 A$262
$158 A$225
16.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.16 A$38.79
$26.05 A$37.21
4.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.6 A$80.8
$61.1 A$87.3
-7.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nowra NSW
Brisbane
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.5 A$76.3
$61.2 A$87.3
-12.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.21 A$21.71
$22.36 A$31.93
-31.98%
Cinema Ticket
$15.48 A$22.10
$13.95 A$19.93
10.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nowra NSW
Brisbane
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,496 A$3,564
$2,044 A$2,919
22.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.2K A$28.8K
$12.9K A$18.4K
56.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nowra NSW
Brisbane
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.4 A$111
$82.4 A$118
-6.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.0 A$80.0
$43.63 A$62.3
28.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 A$153
$113 A$162
-5.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 A$192
$111 A$158
21.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nowra NSW
Brisbane
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,293 A$1,847
$1,944 A$2,776
-33.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,307 A$1,866
$1,431 A$2,044
-8.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,454 A$3,504
$3,484 A$4,976
-29.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,904 A$2,719
$2,240 A$3,200
-15.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,702 A$9,572
$9,322 A$13.3K
-28.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,378 A$7,680
$7,003 A$10.0K
-23.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nowra NSW
Brisbane
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,144 A$5,918
-
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 Nowra NSW: October 25, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nowra NSW
$1.3K
Brisbane
$1.4K 9.6% $125
Groceries & Markets
Nowra NSW
$386
Brisbane
$362 6.2% $24
Eating Out
Nowra NSW
$332
Brisbane
$310 6.6% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nowra NSW
$267
Brisbane
$245 8.3% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Nowra NSW
$169
Brisbane
$158 6.6% $11
Getting Around
Nowra NSW
$104
Brisbane
$35 66.5% $69
Sport & Entertainment
Nowra NSW
$84
Brisbane
$89 5.5% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,293 in Nowra NSW 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90 in Nowra NSW versus $80 in Brisbane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $362 – making Brisbane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Nowra NSW
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🕒 Local time
20:41 8:41 PM
19:41 7:41 PM
1 h behind Nowra NSW
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,598
2,287,896
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nowra NSW Brisbane 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Nowra NSW
  • 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
Nowra NSW vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Nowra NSW and in Brisbane?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,974 per month in Nowra NSW and $3,945 in Brisbane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Nowra NSW or Brisbane?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nowra NSW, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,293 there versus $1,944 in Brisbane.
Are groceries more expensive in Nowra NSW or in Brisbane?
Groceries cost about 7% more in Nowra NSW, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do childcare costs compare in Nowra NSW and in Brisbane?
Kindergarten costs $2,496 per month in Nowra NSW and $2,044 in Brisbane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Nowra NSW or in Brisbane?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,649 in Nowra NSW and $2,630 in Brisbane. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Nowra NSW or Brisbane?
It depends on your priorities. Brisbane has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,630 in Brisbane to $2,649 in Nowra NSW. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Nowra NSW compared to Brisbane?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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