Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakenham and Brisbane Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakenham and Brisbane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,647 per month in Pakenham vs $2,668 in Brisbane, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,830 per month in Pakenham vs $3,910 in Brisbane, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,013 per month in Pakenham vs $5,152 in Brisbane, rent included.

Pakenham is about 1% cheaper than Brisbane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pakenham and Brisbane sit above the global median – Pakenham by 92%, Brisbane by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 A$24.89

$18.39 A$25.64

-2.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.4 A$120

$79.5 A$111

8.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 A$17.17

$11.70 A$16.32

5.30%

Cappuccino

$4.00 A$5.58

$4.45 A$6.21

-10.11%

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

$3.18 A$4.43

$3.03 A$4.23

4.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 A$3.62

$2.62 A$3.65

-0.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.12 A$14.10

$8.77 A$12.23

15.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.53 A$11.89

$8.60 A$11.99

-0.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.75

$1.76 A$2.46

-28.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 A$4.62

$2.82 A$3.94

17.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.08

$2.39 A$3.33

22.18%

Eggs

$5.91 A$8.24

$5.15 A$7.18

14.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 A$12.08

$9.25 A$12.90

-6.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 A$13.18

$9.25 A$12.90

2.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 A$21.77

$14.29 A$19.92

9.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 A$5.89

$4.21 A$5.87

0.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.68

$3.16 A$4.40

-16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.47

$2.99 A$4.17

7.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 A$6.94

$4.85 A$6.76

2.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.42

$2.77 A$3.87

14.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.52

$2.45 A$3.41

3.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.43

$2.42 A$3.37

1.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.35

$1.31 A$1.83

28.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.67 A$35.80

$40.09 A$55.9

-35.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 A$16.69

$12.92 A$18.01

-7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.40 A$7.52

$5.44 A$7.58

-0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.26

$5.12 A$7.15

1.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 A$4.26

$0.35 A$0.48

774.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 A$118

$21.40 A$29.83

296.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 A$5.87

$3.01 A$4.20

39.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$1.96

$1.84 A$2.57

-23.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.50 A$43.91

$43.17 A$60.2

-27.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.44 A$2.01

1.39%

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

$29.3K A$40.9K

$28.7K A$40.0K

2.14%

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

$27.4K A$38.2K

$28.6K A$39.8K

-4.17%

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

$234 A$327

$170 A$237

37.67%

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

$27.76 A$38.70

$27.80 A$38.75

-0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 A$80.6

$63.0 A$87.9

-8.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 A$80.2

$63.6 A$88.7

-9.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 A$25.79

$21.88 A$30.51

-15.45%

Cinema Ticket

$17.88 A$24.93

$16.29 A$22.72

9.76%

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

$2,467 A$3,440

$2,148 A$2,995

14.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.2K A$46.3K

$13.0K A$18.2K

154.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.8 A$113

$86.9 A$121

-7.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 A$71.8

$44.20 A$61.6

16.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 A$175

$113 A$158

10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$190

$110 A$154

23.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 A$2,024

$2,054 A$2,864

-29.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 A$1,805

$1,455 A$2,029

-11.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,258 A$3,148

$3,464 A$4,829

-34.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 A$2,617

$2,425 A$3,380

-22.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,705 A$9,348

$8,514 A$11.9K

-21.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,270 A$7,348

$6,339 A$8,838

-16.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,229 A$5,895

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

5.87

-0.34%

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

Last update for Pakenham: September 7, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,452 in Pakenham versus $2,054 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 $86.0 in Pakenham versus $80.0 in Brisbane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $371 – making Brisbane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Brisbane costs about 1% more than Pakenham, 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 $3,971 per month in Pakenham and $4,003 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Brisbane – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Pakenham and $80.0 in Brisbane. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,647 in Pakenham and $2,668 in Brisbane. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Pakenham – 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 Pakenham. 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.