Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakenham and Brisbane

For one person, living costs are similar in Pakenham and in Brisbane: $2,643 and $2,630 a month, rent and utilities included.

125

Cost of Living Index in Pakenham
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Pakenham Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Brisbane
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Brisbane Living Index

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Pakenham

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,643

/mo nomad

Brisbane

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,630

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,643 per month in Pakenham vs $2,630 in Brisbane, rent included.

Pakenham $2,643
Brisbane $2,630

A couple spends around $3,761 per month in Pakenham vs $3,801 in Brisbane, rent included.

Pakenham $3,761
Brisbane $3,801

A family of three spends $4,880 per month in Pakenham vs $4,972 in Brisbane, rent included.

Pakenham $4,880
Brisbane $4,972

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

Both Pakenham and Brisbane sit above the global median – Pakenham by 94%, Brisbane by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.34 A$24.65

$17.61 A$25.04

-1.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.4 A$119

$80.0 A$114

4.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 A$17.17

$11.43 A$16.25

5.69%

Cappuccino

$4.02 A$5.71

$4.51 A$6.42

-10.86%

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

$3.21 A$4.56

$2.95 A$4.20

8.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 A$3.51

$2.39 A$3.40

3.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.56 A$13.60

$8.61 A$12.24

11.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.47 A$12.05

$8.36 A$11.89

1.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 A$1.71

$1.62 A$2.30

-25.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 A$4.08

$2.65 A$3.77

8.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 A$3.71

$2.32 A$3.30

12.50%

Eggs

$5.61 A$7.98

$4.94 A$7.02

13.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 A$12.08

$9.08 A$12.91

-6.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.78 A$13.91

$9.12 A$12.97

7.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.29 A$21.74

$14.34 A$20.39

6.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.66

$4.14 A$5.89

-3.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.73

$3.07 A$4.36

-14.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.45

$3.05 A$4.33

2.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 A$6.75

$4.89 A$6.95

-3.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 A$4.25

$2.81 A$4.00

6.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 A$3.65

$2.48 A$3.52

3.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 A$3.45

$2.41 A$3.42

0.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.32

$1.19 A$1.69

36.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.16 A$35.78

$38.54 A$54.8

-34.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 A$17.96

$12.65 A$17.98

-0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.48 A$7.79

$5.22 A$7.42

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 A$7.35

$4.87 A$6.92

6.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 A$4.38

$0.34 A$0.48

805.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 A$105

$20.97 A$29.82

251.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 A$6.19

$3.05 A$4.34

42.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 A$2.03

$1.89 A$2.69

-24.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.36 A$43.17

$40.76 A$58.0

-25.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$2.04

$1.45 A$2.06

-1.38%

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

$29.1K A$41.3K

$29.7K A$42.2K

-2.12%

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

$26.4K A$37.6K

$25.6K A$36.4K

3.28%

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

$236 A$335

$158 A$224

49.53%

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

$28.14 A$40.02

$26.05 A$37.05

8.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 A$82.2

$61.1 A$86.9

-5.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.3 A$91.5

$61.2 A$87.0

5.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.50 A$27.73

$22.36 A$31.79

-12.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.55 A$24.95

$13.95 A$19.84

25.81%

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

$2,515 A$3,576

$2,044 A$2,907

23.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K A$43.2K

$12.9K A$18.3K

135.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 A$114

$82.4 A$117

-2.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.90 A$71.0

$43.63 A$62.0

14.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 A$169

$113 A$161

4.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$189

$111 A$158

20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 A$2,080

$1,944 A$2,764

-24.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 A$1,805

$1,431 A$2,035

-11.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 A$3,054

$3,484 A$4,955

-38.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 A$2,637

$2,240 A$3,186

-17.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,533 A$7,867

$9,322 A$13.3K

-40.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,458 A$7,761

$7,003 A$9,958

-22.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,144 A$5,893

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 Pakenham: October 24, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pakenham

$1.3K 48%

Brisbane

$1.4K 54.4% 12.8% $162

Groceries & Markets

Pakenham

$372 14.1%

Brisbane

$362 13.8% 2.8% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pakenham

$322 12.2%

Brisbane

$245 9.3% 23.9% $77

Eating Out

Pakenham

$311 11.8%

Brisbane

$310 11.8% 0% $0.1

Clothing & Footwear

Pakenham

$172 6.5%

Brisbane

$158 6% 8.3% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Pakenham

$99 3.8%

Brisbane

$89 3.4% 10.4% $10

Getting Around

Pakenham

$98 3.7%

Brisbane

$35 1.3% 64.3% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,463 in Pakenham 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 $83 in Pakenham versus $80 in Brisbane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $362 – making Brisbane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Pakenham

🇦🇺 Brisbane

🕒 Local time

22:04 10:04 PM

21:04 9:04 PM

1 h behind Pakenham

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

54,118

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

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Between locations

Pakenham Brisbane 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Pakenham
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

Pakenham vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,964 per month in Pakenham 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 Pakenham, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,463 there versus $1,944 in Brisbane.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Pakenham, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $2,515 per month in Pakenham and $2,044 in Brisbane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,643 in Pakenham and $2,630 in Brisbane. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Brisbane has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,630 in Brisbane to $2,643 in Pakenham. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.