Cost of Living Comparison Between Vaughan and Brisbane Cost of Living Comparison Between Vaughan and Brisbane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,570 per month in Vaughan vs $2,342 in Brisbane, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,765 per month in Vaughan vs $3,309 in Brisbane, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,960 per month in Vaughan vs $4,277 in Brisbane, rent included.

Vaughan costs about 10% more than Brisbane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Vaughan and Brisbane sit above the global median – Vaughan by 92%, Brisbane by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.98 CA$21.08

$16.35 A$23.35

-8.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 CA$109

$71.8 A$103

7.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 CA$14.25

$9.97 A$14.24

1.60%

Cappuccino

$3.48 CA$4.90

$3.63 A$5.19

-4.13%

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

$2.12 CA$2.98

$2.66 A$3.80

-20.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$2.25 A$3.22

-22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 CA$8.90

$6.66 A$9.51

-5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 CA$7.35

$7.62 A$10.89

-31.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 CA$2.47

$1.62 A$2.31

8.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 CA$3.00

$2.31 A$3.30

-7.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.17

$1.81 A$2.59

102.76%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.76

$4.47 A$6.39

-24.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 CA$12.16

$8.13 A$11.61

6.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 CA$15.59

$8.14 A$11.62

36.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 CA$8.85

$13.67 A$19.52

-53.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.14

$3.22 A$4.60

-8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.25

$2.84 A$4.05

-43.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.12

$2.74 A$3.91

6.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.79

$4.21 A$6.02

-19.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.67

$2.54 A$3.63

-25.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.81

$2.27 A$3.24

-11.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 CA$2.60

$2.16 A$3.09

-14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.47

$1.28 A$1.83

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.99 CA$18.27

$33.03 A$47.16

-60.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 CA$16.26

$12.55 A$17.92

-7.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$3.01

$4.58 A$6.55

-53.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.97

$4.20 A$6.00

-49.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 CA$3.99

$0.35 A$0.49

708.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$156

$26.71 A$38.14

314.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.32 A$3.32

33.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.99

$1.52 A$2.17

-6.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 CA$31.50

$33.81 A$48.28

-33.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.20 A$1.71

-9.17%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$29.0K A$41.3K

-12.76%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$22.2K A$31.7K

-9.49%

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

$133 CA$188

$144 A$206

-7.71%

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

$33.44 CA$47.06

$26.00 A$37.13

28.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.61 CA$69.8

$53.4 A$76.2

-7.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.30 CA$46.85

$49.12 A$70.2

-32.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 CA$30.79

$17.30 A$24.71

26.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 CA$15.48

$12.85 A$18.36

-14.40%

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

$820 CA$1,153

$1,605 A$2,292

-48.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$8,910 A$12.7K

106.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.70 CA$61.5

$72.0 A$103

-39.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 CA$51.5

$42.95 A$61.3

-14.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$91.2 A$130

-33.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$146

$102 A$146

1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 CA$2,454

$1,623 A$2,318

7.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 CA$2,192

$1,247 A$1,781

24.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 CA$4,269

$2,583 A$3,689

17.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,553 CA$3,593

$1,889 A$2,698

35.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,654 CA$12.2K

$8,235 A$11.8K

5.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,311 CA$8,881

$5,623 A$8,030

12.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,014 CA$4,240

$4,180 A$5,968

-27.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.73

6.24

7.85%

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

Last update for Vaughan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,744 in Vaughan versus $1,623 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 39% 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 $77.0 in Vaughan versus $72.0 in Brisbane. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Vaughan vs $328 in Brisbane – so Vaughan 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

Vaughan vs Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vaughan costs about 10% 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 $3,855 per month in Vaughan and $3,514 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Vaughan – 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 $77.0 in Vaughan and $72.0 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 $2,570 in Vaughan and $2,342 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, Vaughan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.