Cost of Living Comparison Between Wollongong and Brandon, MB Cost of Living Comparison Between Wollongong and Brandon, MB

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,945 per month in Wollongong vs $1,702 in Brandon, MB, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,779 per month in Wollongong vs $2,695 in Brandon, MB, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,613 per month in Wollongong vs $3,687 in Brandon, MB, rent included.

Wollongong costs about 14% more than Brandon, MB, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Wollongong and Brandon, MB sit above the global median – Wollongong by 45%, Brandon, MB by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.77 A$20.58

$16.23 CA$22.47

-9.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 A$122

$66.3 CA$91.8

31.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 A$13.91

$7.95 CA$11.00

25.53%

Cappuccino

$3.41 A$4.75

$3.58 CA$4.96

-4.75%

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

$2.67 A$3.72

$1.66 CA$2.29

60.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 A$3.16

$1.62 CA$2.24

40.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 A$8.19

$5.46 CA$7.57

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 A$10.35

$6.56 CA$9.08

13.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.64

$1.60 CA$2.22

-26.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 A$3.19

$2.28 CA$3.15

0.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 A$2.19

$3.49 CA$4.83

-55.01%

Eggs

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.06 CA$4.23

14.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 A$13.55

$10.86 CA$15.04

-10.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 A$11.94

$9.75 CA$13.50

-12.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.43 A$20.10

$14.90 CA$20.63

-3.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.83

$3.74 CA$5.18

-26.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.50

$1.32 CA$1.83

90.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.20

$3.11 CA$4.30

-26.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 A$5.97

$3.55 CA$4.92

20.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 A$2.85

$2.77 CA$3.84

-26.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 A$2.55

$2.51 CA$3.47

-27.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 A$3.32

$2.52 CA$3.50

-5.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 A$1.48

$1.50 CA$2.08

-29.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.30 A$43.62

$15.33 CA$21.23

104.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.61 A$20.35

$12.95 CA$17.93

12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 A$4.19

$3.01 CA$4.16

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 A$4.86

$3.53 CA$4.88

-1.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 A$3.42

$1.26 CA$1.74

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.30 A$65.9

$71.9 CA$99.6

-34.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 A$5.64

$3.19 CA$4.42

26.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 A$2.43

$1.31 CA$1.81

32.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.88 A$57.0

$26.37 CA$36.51

55.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.60

$1.03 CA$1.42

11.65%

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

$28.6K A$39.8K

$23.5K CA$32.5K

21.67%

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

$23.0K A$32.1K

$22.0K CA$30.5K

4.43%

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

$182 A$254

$157 CA$218

15.91%

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

$28.20 A$39.30

$42.22 CA$58.5

-33.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.07 A$67.0

$60.6 CA$83.9

-20.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 A$105

$41.24 CA$57.1

82.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.67 A$21.84

$16.76 CA$23.21

-6.50%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 A$16.06

$12.27 CA$16.99

-6.11%

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

$1,580 A$2,201

$964 CA$1,334

63.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K A$18.6K

$12.2K CA$16.9K

9.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 A$80.6

$47.07 CA$65.2

22.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 A$79.7

$41.21 CA$57.1

38.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 A$137

$79.0 CA$109

24.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 A$153

$86.8 CA$120

26.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 A$1,359

$820 CA$1,135

18.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$793 A$1,105

$595 CA$824

33.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,912 A$2,665

$1,303 CA$1,804

46.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 A$1,465

$1,269 CA$1,757

-17.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,606 A$6,418

$2,359 CA$3,267

95.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,764 A$5,246

$2,359 CA$3,267

59.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,972 A$5,535

$2,472 CA$3,423

60.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

6.02

4.49%

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

Last update for Wollongong: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brandon, MB: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $975 in Wollongong versus $820 in Brandon, MB. 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 61% higher in Wollongong, 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 $87.0 in Wollongong versus $66.0 in Brandon, MB. Groceries tell a different story – $313 in Wollongong vs $337 in Brandon, MB – so Wollongong 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

Wollongong vs Brandon, MB: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Wollongong is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,918 per month in Wollongong and $2,553 in Brandon, MB. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Wollongong – 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 $87.0 in Wollongong and $66.0 in Brandon, MB. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Brandon, MB, where all-in costs run around $1,702, than in Wollongong at $1,945. In Brandon, MB it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wollongong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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