Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Brisbane Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Brisbane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,281 per month in Perth vs $2,300 in Brisbane, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,392 per month in Perth vs $3,347 in Brisbane, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,504 per month in Perth vs $4,395 in Brisbane, rent included.

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

Both Perth and Brisbane sit above the global median – Perth by 70%, Brisbane by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.44 A$23.01

$16.30 A$22.82

0.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 A$111

$72.0 A$101

10.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 A$14.71

$9.53 A$13.34

10.28%

Cappuccino

$3.65 A$5.11

$3.69 A$5.17

-1.08%

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)

$7.91 A$11.08

$6.68 A$9.35

18.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 A$8.87

$7.87 A$11.02

-19.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.05

$1.60 A$2.23

-8.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.27

$2.31 A$3.23

1.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.82

$1.83 A$2.56

9.84%

Eggs

$4.48 A$6.27

$4.50 A$6.31

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 A$11.64

$8.42 A$11.79

-1.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 A$11.71

$8.22 A$11.51

1.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.87 A$19.41

$13.47 A$18.85

2.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.79

$3.39 A$4.74

0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 A$4.22

$2.89 A$4.05

4.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 A$4.11

$2.61 A$3.65

12.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 A$6.55

$4.23 A$5.93

10.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.51

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 A$2.52

$2.28 A$3.20

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 A$2.79

$2.22 A$3.11

-10.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.05

$1.30 A$1.82

12.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.67 A$44.34

$32.02 A$44.83

-1.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 A$14.96

$14.31 A$20.04

-25.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.82 A$5.34

$4.71 A$6.60

-18.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 A$5.87

$4.11 A$5.75

1.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 A$4.26

$0.34 A$0.48

794.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 A$101

$27.34 A$38.28

163.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 A$5.61

$2.32 A$3.25

72.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 A$3.13

$1.59 A$2.23

40.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.44 A$69.2

$34.04 A$47.65

45.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.63

$1.23 A$1.73

-5.69%

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

$29.3K A$41.0K

$28.4K A$39.7K

3.11%

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

$23.9K A$33.5K

$22.6K A$31.6K

6.14%

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

$157 A$220

$147 A$206

6.98%

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

$27.62 A$38.67

$25.93 A$36.30

6.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 A$77.8

$54.2 A$75.9

2.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.18 A$57.7

$49.36 A$69.1

-16.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 A$22.20

$17.40 A$24.36

-8.85%

Cinema Ticket

$16.40 A$22.96

$13.21 A$18.49

24.15%

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

$1,792 A$2,509

$1,595 A$2,233

12.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.7K

$8,929 A$12.5K

33.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$98.4

$71.7 A$100

-1.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.26 A$67.6

$42.94 A$60.1

12.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$141

$92.5 A$129

9.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 A$150

$102 A$143

5.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 A$2,104

$1,636 A$2,291

-8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 A$1,612

$1,242 A$1,739

-7.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,520 A$3,528

$2,631 A$3,683

-4.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 A$2,546

$1,931 A$2,704

-5.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,479 A$9,070

$8,175 A$11.4K

-20.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,911 A$6,875

$5,407 A$7,570

-9.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,214 A$5,900

$4,271 A$5,980

-1.34%

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 Perth: April 21, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,503 in Perth 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.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Brisbane, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Perth versus $72 in Brisbane. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Perth vs $334 in Brisbane – so Perth 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

Perth vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 1% more than Perth, 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 $3,421 per month in Perth 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 Perth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 Perth and $72.0 in Brisbane. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,281 in Perth and $2,300 in Brisbane. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Perth – 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 Perth. 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.