Cost of Living Comparison Between Townsville and Johnson City, TN Cost of Living Comparison Between Townsville and Johnson City, TN

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,170 per month in Townsville vs $2,069 in Johnson City, TN, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,298 per month in Townsville vs $3,019 in Johnson City, TN, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,425 per month in Townsville vs $3,968 in Johnson City, TN, rent included.

Townsville costs about 5% more than Johnson City, TN, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Townsville and Johnson City, TN sit above the global median – Townsville by 62%, Johnson City, TN by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 A$16.19

$12.78 $12.78

-9.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 A$84.4

$49.26 $49.26

22.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 A$13.45

$11.80 $11.80

-18.22%

Cappuccino

$3.20 A$4.45

$3.79 $3.79

-15.57%

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

$2.49 A$3.47

$2.10 $2.10

18.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$1.74 $1.74

27.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 A$9.27

$5.06 $5.06

31.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 A$7.14

$5.85 $5.85

-12.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 A$2.10

$1.00 $1.00

51.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 A$2.86

$3.83 $3.83

-46.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 A$2.30

$3.06 $3.06

-46.08%

Eggs

$4.05 A$5.64

$3.28 $3.28

23.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 A$10.52

$7.49 $7.49

0.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 A$11.69

$8.43 $8.43

-0.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.84 A$16.50

$13.30 $13.30

-10.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 A$5.40

$4.01 $4.01

-3.24%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 A$4.22

$1.62 $1.62

87.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 A$4.65

$3.96 $3.96

-15.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 A$6.10

$3.61 $3.61

21.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.69

$2.44 $2.44

8.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.37

$3.65 $3.65

-33.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 A$2.89

$1.86 $1.86

11.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 A$2.71

$2.22 $2.22

-12.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.71 A$33.04

$7.33 $7.33

223.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.77 A$15.00

$13.20 $13.20

-18.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 A$4.53

$1.62 $1.62

100.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.82 A$10.89

$4.09 $4.09

91.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 A$2.74

$2.56 $2.56

-23.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 A$101

$37.08 $37.08

95.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 A$5.01

$5.40 $5.40

-33.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 A$2.01

$1.48 $1.48

-2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.02 A$66.9

$64.1 $64.1

-25.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 A$1.54

$0.78 $0.78

42.31%

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

$22.4K A$31.2K

$29.9K $29.9K

-25.24%

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

$19.2K A$26.8K

$22.4K $22.4K

-14.16%

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

$152 A$212

$151 $151

0.76%

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

$35.36 A$49.27

$74.6 $74.6

-52.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 A$81.3

$52.1 $52.1

12.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.34 A$59.0

$47.39 $47.39

-10.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.46 A$20.15

$20.31 $20.31

-28.80%

Cinema Ticket

$15.56 A$21.68

$12.94 $12.94

20.25%

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

$1,180 A$1,644

$909 $909

29.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.6K

$14.7K $14.7K

-18.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.8 A$132

$39.32 $39.32

141.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 A$85.7

$36.77 $36.77

67.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 A$137

$62.7 $62.7

57.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 A$163

$116 $116

0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 A$1,695

$1,182 $1,182

2.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 A$1,531

$1,023 $1,023

7.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,320 A$3,233

$2,035 $2,035

14.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 A$2,660

$1,636 $1,636

16.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,065 A$7,058

$2,156 $2,156

134.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,084 A$5,691

$2,218 $2,218

84.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,185 A$5,831

$3,409 $3,409

22.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.06

6.15

-1.46%

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

Last update for Townsville: June 1, 2026

Last update for Johnson City, TN: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,216 in Townsville versus $1,182 in Johnson City, TN. 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 Townsville, 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 $61.0 in Townsville versus $49.00 in Johnson City, TN. Groceries tell a different story – $329 in Townsville vs $333 in Johnson City, TN – so Townsville 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

Townsville vs Johnson City, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Townsville is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,255 per month in Townsville and $3,104 in Johnson City, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Johnson City, TN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Townsville and $49.00 in Johnson City, TN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,170 in Townsville and $2,069 in Johnson City, TN. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Johnson City, TN, where all-in costs run around $2,069, than in Townsville at $2,170. In Johnson City, TN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Townsville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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