Brisbane cost of living — how it compares to other cities
The ABS publishes CPI at capital-city level, so these figures cover Brisbane as a whole, not individual suburbs. The trend chart below overlays the national figure or any other capital; the city comparisons go category by category.
Brisbane vs other capitals
Side-by-side CPI comparison against Brisbane, category by category.
Annual change by category
Most recent quarter, Brisbane. Select a category to see its trend.
Brisbane CPI rose most in Housing (+13.2%) and fell most in Transport (-0.7%) over the year to the most recent quarter.
Show data table
| Category | Annual change |
|---|---|
| Recreation and culture | +2.3% |
| Insurance and financial services | +3.2% |
| Communication | +1.8% |
| Clothing and footwear | +3.5% |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | +3.3% |
| Furnishings, household equipment and services | +0.9% |
| Housing | +13.2% |
| Health | +4.0% |
| Transport | -0.7% |
| Education | +4.7% |
| Alcohol and tobacco | +6.9% |
Headline CPI over time
Brisbane against the national figure, annual change.
Brisbane annual CPI moved from 5.2% in 2023-Q3 to 4.7% in 2025-Q3, against 3.2% nationally most recently.
Show data table
| Year | Brisbane | National |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-Q3 | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| 2023-Q4 | 4.2% | 4.1% |
| 2024-Q1 | 3.4% | 3.6% |
| 2024-Q2 | 3.4% | 3.8% |
| 2024-Q3 | 1.8% | 2.8% |
| 2024-Q4 | 1.8% | 2.4% |
| 2025-Q1 | 2.7% | 2.4% |
| 2025-Q2 | 2.5% | 2.1% |
| 2025-Q3 | 4.7% | 3.2% |
What this means for you
Rough monthly spend in four broad categories returns an indicative basket comparison against official CPI. Illustrative only — not a precise measure of your costs.