Brisbane, Australia Cost of Living

Australia is situated in Oceania, a continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean.  It has a generally arid to semiarid climate and is temperate in the south and east, while tropical in the north.  The terrain is mostly low plateau with deserts, with fertile plains in the southeast.

Brisbane is Australia’s third largest city and the state capital of Queensland. It has a population of around 1.8 million people and is Australia's fastest growing city.

Brisbane itself has a wonderful outdoor climate and is known as “The Sunshine State”, with Summer temps averaging 29°C (84°F), while winter daytime temps average 21°C (70°F), however be aware it can also rain a lot, as the devastating 2011 floods are testimony to. 

Brisbane's economy is diverse. White-collar industries include information technology, financial services, higher education and public sector administration generally concentrated in and around the central business district and recently established office areas in the inner suburbs. Blue-collar industries, including petroleum refining, stevedoring, paper milling, metalworking and QR railway workshops, tend to be located on the lower reaches of the Brisbane River and in new industrial zones on the urban fringe. Tourism is an important part of the Brisbane economy, both in its own right and as a gateway to other areas of Queensland.

The city is built around Brisbane River where there is a manmade lagoon at South Bank Parklands which offers sunbathing and swimming.  The city is young and vibrant with modern architectural buildings, it is easy to navigate as it is set out in a grid like format.  This is a shoppers’ paradise, with five major shopping centers, two department stores and four shopping arcades. 

The city has a bustling night life with alfresco dining all year round, highlights are the areas of Fortitude Valley and New Farm. There are also a variety of choices of local parks, normally within walking distance of residences and many offer free to use barbeque facilities. In contrast to the compact city living, the suburbs are spacious with wide open acres of land which allow for wonderful outdoor entertainment type living and lie only 40 minutes from the brawling city. Both the SunshineCoast and the Gold Coast are within approximately an hour and a quarter’s drive from Brisbane, which is a major attraction for holiday makers.

Brisbane has an overall cost of living index which equates it with high cost of living locations. 

The cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is as follows:

Alcohol & Tobacco 39 out of 300

Clothing 178 out of 300

Communication 211 out of 300

Education 26 out of 300

Furniture & Appliance 138 out of 300

Grocery 52 out of 300

Healthcare 20 out of 300

Household 41 out of 300

Miscellaneous 173 out of 300

Personal Care 17 out of 300

Recreation and Culture 36 out of 300

Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotel 44 out of 300

Transport 72 out of 300

Brisbane is ranked as a minimal hardship location with a hardship index of 10%

Steven is Chief Instigator at http://www.xpatulator.com a website that provides cost of living index information and calculates what you need to earn in a different location to compensate for cost of living, hardship, and exchange rate differences. The complete cost of living rank for all 300 locations for all 13 baskets is available here