Brisbane vs Melbourne Cost of Living
Brisbane (Australia) · Overall index 63.5 — Melbourne (Australia) · Overall index 65.3
Summary
- Overall, Melbourne is 3% more expensive than Brisbane.
- Utilities & household in Melbourne is 9% more expensive than in Brisbane.
- Groceries in Melbourne is 4% more expensive than in Brisbane.
| Item | Brisbane | Melbourne | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +2% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,790 | $2,062 | +15% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,190 | $1,117 | -6% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,744 | $3,536 | -6% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,353 | $2,437 | +4% |
| Groceries | +4% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.95 | $0.97 | +2% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.92 | $3.2 | +10% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.8 | $3.75 | -1% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.56 | $3.69 | +4% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $10.2 | $10.3 | +1% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.82 | $10.3 | +5% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.8 | $15.1 | -4% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.16 | $4.14 | 0% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.63 | $1.56 | -4% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.84 | $4.16 | +8% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.91 | $5.03 | +2% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.54 | $2.75 | +8% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.3 | $2.45 | +7% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.86 | $1.98 | +6% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2 | $2.08 | +4% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $12.6 | $13.8 | +10% |
| Transport | -1% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.11 | $1.9 | -10% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $87.3 | $93 | +7% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.64 | $2.96 | +12% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.4 | $1.32 | -6% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.75 | $0.76 | +1% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $21,025 | $19,348 | -8% |
| Dining out | +1% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $17.6 | $17 | -3% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $91.8 | $92.3 | +1% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.45 | $9.69 | +15% |
| Cappuccino | $4.38 | $4.01 | -8% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.8 | $1.91 | +6% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.69 | $5.35 | -6% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $6.69 | $6.13 | -8% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.53 | $1.8 | +18% |
| Telecom | +3% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $51.9 | $47.6 | -8% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $57.4 | $60.5 | +5% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.25 | $0.3 | +20% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $13.9 | $13.5 | -3% |
| Utilities & household | +9% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $124 | $155 | +25% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.17 | $0.19 | +12% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.4 | $4.24 | +25% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.1 | $1.3 | +18% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $18.4 | $19.4 | +5% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $70.2 | $74.6 | +6% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $11.1 | $13.5 | +22% |
| Men's haircut | $23.3 | $24.3 | +4% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $21.3 | $18.5 | -13% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,795 | $1,717 | -4% |
3,411 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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