Brisbane vs Sydney Cost of Living
Brisbane (Australia) · Overall index 63.5 — Sydney (Australia) · Overall index 73.6
Summary
- Overall, Sydney is 16% more expensive than Brisbane.
- Rent in Sydney is 36% more expensive than in Brisbane.
- Groceries in Sydney is 13% more expensive than in Brisbane.
| Item | Brisbane | Sydney | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +36% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,790 | $2,565 | +43% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,190 | $1,647 | +38% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,744 | $5,117 | +37% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,353 | $3,039 | +29% |
| Groceries | +13% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.95 | $1.21 | +27% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.92 | $3.39 | +16% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.8 | $3.94 | +4% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.56 | $4.39 | +23% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $10.2 | $11.4 | +12% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.82 | $12.4 | +26% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.8 | $17.4 | +10% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.16 | $5.02 | +21% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.63 | $1.93 | +18% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.84 | $4.29 | +12% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.91 | $5.4 | +10% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.54 | $2.41 | -5% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.3 | $2.68 | +17% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.86 | $2.13 | +15% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2 | $2.34 | +17% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $12.6 | $12.2 | -3% |
| Transport | +11% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.11 | $2.2 | +4% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $87.3 | $108 | +24% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.64 | $3.3 | +25% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.4 | $1.42 | +1% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.75 | $0.85 | +13% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $21,025 | $21,959 | +4% |
| Dining out | +10% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $17.6 | $20.9 | +19% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $91.8 | $92.8 | +1% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.45 | $9.43 | +12% |
| Cappuccino | $4.38 | $4.57 | +4% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.8 | $2.1 | +17% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.69 | $5.5 | -3% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $6.69 | $7.76 | +16% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.53 | $1.81 | +18% |
| Telecom | +2% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $51.9 | $49.8 | -4% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $57.4 | $52.8 | -8% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.25 | $0.31 | +24% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $13.9 | $14.2 | +2% |
| Utilities & household | +11% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $124 | $149 | +20% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.17 | $0.21 | +24% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.4 | $3.73 | +10% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.1 | $1.38 | +25% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $18.4 | $18.6 | +1% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $70.2 | $66.5 | -5% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $11.1 | $12.6 | +14% |
| Men's haircut | $23.3 | $29.2 | +25% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $21.3 | $20.8 | -2% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,795 | $1,990 | +11% |
3,544 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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