Cost of Living Comparison Between Parramatta and Brisbane Cost of Living Comparison Between Parramatta and Brisbane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,011 per month in Parramatta vs $2,668 in Brisbane, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,241 per month in Parramatta vs $3,910 in Brisbane, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,471 per month in Parramatta vs $5,152 in Brisbane, rent included.

Parramatta costs about 13% more than Brisbane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Parramatta and Brisbane sit above the global median – Parramatta by 118%, Brisbane by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 A$25.08

$18.39 A$25.64

-2.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 A$130

$79.5 A$111

17.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.61 A$16.18

$11.70 A$16.32

-0.77%

Cappuccino

$4.21 A$5.87

$4.45 A$6.21

-5.39%

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

$3.30 A$4.60

$3.03 A$4.23

8.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 A$3.90

$2.62 A$3.65

6.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.47 A$11.81

$8.77 A$12.23

-3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 A$10.00

$8.60 A$11.99

-16.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.76 A$2.46

-3.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 A$3.94

$2.82 A$3.94

0.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.40

$2.39 A$3.33

2.09%

Eggs

$5.37 A$7.49

$5.15 A$7.18

4.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 A$18.19

$9.25 A$12.90

41.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.57 A$13.34

$9.25 A$12.90

3.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.19 A$22.58

$14.29 A$19.92

13.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 A$5.31

$4.21 A$5.87

-9.50%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 A$4.30

$3.16 A$4.40

-2.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 A$4.91

$2.99 A$4.17

17.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 A$7.25

$4.85 A$6.76

7.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.56

$2.77 A$3.87

18.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.57

$2.45 A$3.41

4.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 A$3.77

$2.42 A$3.37

11.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.12

$1.31 A$1.83

16.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.29 A$63.1

$40.09 A$55.9

12.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 A$19.86

$12.92 A$18.01

10.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 A$5.99

$5.44 A$7.58

-20.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 A$5.63

$5.12 A$7.15

-21.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 A$0.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$201

$21.40 A$29.83

574.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$4.98

$3.01 A$4.20

18.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.84 A$2.57

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.41 A$57.7

$43.17 A$60.2

-4.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 A$1.90

$1.44 A$2.01

-5.56%

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

$31.2K A$43.6K

$28.7K A$40.0K

8.77%

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

$30.9K A$43.1K

$28.6K A$39.8K

8.17%

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

$223 A$312

$170 A$237

31.34%

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

$28.43 A$39.63

$27.80 A$38.75

2.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 A$81.3

$63.0 A$87.9

-7.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.27 A$50.6

$63.6 A$88.7

-42.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 A$28.54

$21.88 A$30.51

-6.44%

Cinema Ticket

$16.91 A$23.58

$16.29 A$22.72

3.81%

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

$2,240 A$3,123

$2,148 A$2,995

4.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K A$29.5K

$13.0K A$18.2K

62.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 A$114

$86.9 A$121

-6.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 A$81.6

$44.20 A$61.6

32.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 A$159

$113 A$158

0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$186

$110 A$154

21.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 A$2,598

$2,054 A$2,864

-9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 A$2,214

$1,455 A$2,029

9.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,131 A$5,760

$3,464 A$4,829

19.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 A$3,043

$2,425 A$3,380

-9.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,412 A$6,152

$8,514 A$11.9K

-48.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,490 A$4,866

$6,339 A$8,838

-44.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,197 A$5,851

$4,229 A$5,895

-0.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.87

-0.51%

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

Last update for Parramatta: September 8, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,864 in Parramatta 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.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Brisbane, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Parramatta versus $80.0 in Brisbane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 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

Parramatta vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Parramatta costs about 13% more than Brisbane, 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 $4,517 per month in Parramatta 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 Brisbane, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Parramatta, 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 $93.0 in Parramatta 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 $3,011 in Parramatta and $2,668 in Brisbane. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Brisbane – 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 Brisbane. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Parramatta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.