Cost of living in Brisbane
Queensland's capital. Rents have risen sharply since 2021 with strong interstate migration; utility costs are higher than southern capitals due to air-conditioning load.
The numbers
| Item | AUD | Period | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median unit rent | $580 | weekly | $30,160 |
| Median house rent | $650 | weekly | $33,800 |
| Weekly groceries (one person) | $145 | weekly | $7,540 |
| Public transport | $175 | monthly | $2,100 |
| Utilities | $250 | monthly | $3,000 |
| Essential outlay (unit rent baseline) | - | $42,800 | |
Check your budget in Brisbane
The graduate budget calculator applies the 50/30/20 framework to your take-home weekly wage. Pick Brisbane from the dropdown to see whether the $580 median weekly unit rent fits the 50 percent needs envelope on a graduate salary.
Careers that can comfortably afford median unit rent here
We define "comfortable" as weekly take-home pay at least twice the median unit rent in Brisbane. Take-home pay is estimated with the 2024-25 ATO resident tax scale, the 2% Medicare levy and HECS-HELP compulsory repayment.
$1850/week before tax
$2750/week before tax
$2500/week before tax
$1800/week before tax
$1950/week before tax
$2000/week before tax
$3000/week before tax
$1900/week before tax
$2200/week before tax
$1850/week before tax
$1700/week before tax
$1700/week before tax
$1700/week before tax
$2500/week before tax
$1900/week before tax
$2200/week before tax
$2500/week before tax
$1700/week before tax