Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Hedland and Brisbane

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Hedland: $2,517 a month against $2,644 in Brisbane, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Brisbane outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Port Hedland, Australia
Brisbane, Australia
Port Hedland
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,517
/mo nomad
Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,644
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,517 per month in Port Hedland vs $2,644 in Brisbane, rent included.

  • Port Hedland $2,517
  • Brisbane $2,644

A couple spends around $3,643 per month in Port Hedland vs $3,821 in Brisbane, rent included.

  • Port Hedland $3,643
  • Brisbane $3,821

A family of three spends $4,770 per month in Port Hedland vs $4,999 in Brisbane, rent included.

  • Port Hedland $4,770
  • Brisbane $4,999

Port Hedland is about 5% cheaper than Brisbane, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Port Hedland and Brisbane sit above the global median – Port Hedland by 86%, Brisbane by 96%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port Hedland
Brisbane
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.47 A$25.00
$17.81 A$25.50
-1.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.3 A$121
$85.4 A$122
-1.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.68 A$15.29
$11.28 A$16.14
-5.32%
Cappuccino
$4.05 A$5.79
$4.45 A$6.37
-8.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 A$4.20
$2.80 A$4.01
4.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 A$3.28
$2.45 A$3.51
-6.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.83 A$11.21
$8.60 A$12.31
-8.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.70 A$11.02
$8.36 A$11.97
-7.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port Hedland
Brisbane
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 A$2.26
$1.76 A$2.52
-10.23%
White Bread (500g)
$2.76 A$3.96
$2.57 A$3.67
7.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.23 A$3.19
$2.18 A$3.13
2.29%
Eggs
$4.84 A$6.92
$4.95 A$7.08
-2.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.06 A$12.97
$9.58 A$13.71
-5.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.27 A$13.27
$9.01 A$12.90
2.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.47 A$20.71
$14.00 A$20.04
3.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.73 A$5.33
$4.21 A$6.03
-11.40%
Banana (1kg)
$3.06 A$4.38
$3.18 A$4.55
-3.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.33 A$4.76
$2.79 A$4.00
19.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.73 A$6.77
$4.83 A$6.91
-2.07%
Potato (1kg)
$2.67 A$3.82
$2.80 A$4.01
-4.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.41 A$3.45
$2.36 A$3.37
2.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.39 A$3.43
$2.36 A$3.38
1.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 A$2.28
$1.19 A$1.70
33.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$42.72 A$61.2
$39.08 A$56.0
9.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 A$20.10
$12.84 A$18.37
9.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.82 A$6.90
$5.27 A$7.55
-8.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.17 A$7.39
$4.91 A$7.03
5.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Port Hedland
Brisbane
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.81 A$4.03
$0.36 A$0.52
680.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$84.0 A$120
$21.39 A$30.61
292.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.47 A$4.97
$2.61 A$3.73
32.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 A$2.29
$1.88 A$2.69
-14.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.98 A$58.7
$41.67 A$59.6
-1.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 A$1.86
$1.48 A$2.11
-12.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K A$42.8K
$29.0K A$41.5K
3.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K A$38.0K
$25.9K A$37.1K
2.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Hedland
Brisbane
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$206 A$294
$160 A$229
28.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.81 A$39.82
$26.65 A$38.16
4.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.3 A$82.0
$61.2 A$87.7
-6.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port Hedland
Brisbane
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 A$80.7
$61.1 A$87.4
-7.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.67 A$25.29
$22.66 A$32.43
-22.02%
Cinema Ticket
$14.12 A$20.22
$14.15 A$20.25
-0.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port Hedland
Brisbane
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,113 A$3,025
$1,982 A$2,837
6.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.7K A$29.7K
$26.8K A$38.4K
-22.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port Hedland
Brisbane
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.7 A$108
$85.1 A$122
-11.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.5 A$78.1
$46.37 A$66.4
17.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 A$155
$111 A$159
-2.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 A$175
$110 A$157
11.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port Hedland
Brisbane
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,387 A$1,985
$1,957 A$2,802
-29.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,210 A$1,733
$1,441 A$2,063
-16.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,223 A$3,182
$3,481 A$4,983
-36.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,843 A$2,638
$2,234 A$3,197
-17.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,770 A$8,259
$9,571 A$13.7K
-39.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,965 A$7,108
$6,938 A$9,932
-28.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port Hedland
Brisbane
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,106 A$7,309
$4,134 A$5,918
23.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
5.84
1.03%

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

Last update for Port Hedland: November 1, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Port Hedland
$1.2K
Brisbane
$1.4K 19.1% $231
Groceries & Markets
Port Hedland
$367
Brisbane
$362 1.3% $4.9
Eating Out
Port Hedland
$296
Brisbane
$310 5% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Hedland
$291
Brisbane
$248 14.8% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Port Hedland
$162
Brisbane
$158 2.4% $3.8
Getting Around
Port Hedland
$107
Brisbane
$35 67.4% $72
Sport & Entertainment
Port Hedland
$85
Brisbane
$89 5.6% $4.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,387 in Port Hedland versus $1,957 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 23% higher in Port Hedland, 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 $84 in Port Hedland versus $85 in Brisbane. Groceries tell a different story – $367 in Port Hedland vs $362 in Brisbane – so Brisbane wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Port Hedland
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🕒 Local time
05:39 5:39 AM
07:39 7:39 AM
2 h ahead of Port Hedland
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,298
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 = 0.699 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Port Hedland Brisbane 3,580 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Port Hedland
  • 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
Port Hedland vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Port Hedland or Brisbane?
Brisbane costs about 5% more than Port Hedland, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Port Hedland and in Brisbane?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,776 per month in Port Hedland and $3,965 in Brisbane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Port Hedland or Brisbane?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Hedland, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,387 there versus $1,957 in Brisbane.
How much does it cost to live in Port Hedland compared to Brisbane?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,517 in Port Hedland and $2,644 in Brisbane. That makes Port Hedland about 5% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Port Hedland compared to Brisbane?
Public transport costs about 75% less in Brisbane. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Port Hedland or in Brisbane?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,517 in Port Hedland and $2,644 in Brisbane. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Port Hedland or Brisbane?
It depends on your priorities. Brisbane has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,517 in Port Hedland to $2,644 in Brisbane. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Port Hedland 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.

Port Hedland vs other spots: cost of living compared

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