Brisbane
Australia · Oceania · 2.6M people
Subtropical river city, cheaper than Sydney with a growing skyline.
Ranked #54 of 303 overall · -27.47, 153.03
Overview
Brisbane sits in Australia, on the Oceanian continent, home to roughly 2.6 million people. It has a reputation as a solid, practical choice for raising a family. It's known for warm, sun-heavy weather for most of the year. People who choose to settle in Brisbane tend to point to a strong sense of safety, a climate most people find easy to live with, and solid infrastructure for remote work as the deciding factors. Within the 13 cities we track in Oceania, the regional average sits at 6.9/10, which puts Brisbane's 7.1/10 comfortably ahead of the regional norm. On CityMatch, Brisbane scores 7.1/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #54 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is internet & connectivity at 9/10, while cost of living is its softest spot at 5/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Costs add up faster than average.
Low crime, easy to feel at ease.
Air quality is acceptable most of the year.
A car helps for anything off the main routes.
Pleasant weather most of the year.
Reliable access to quality care.
Remote work is a non-issue here.
Is Brisbane right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
Internet and connectivity score 9/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
A 8/10 safety score puts Brisbane among the more reassuring cities to walk around, day or night.
Climate scores 8/10 — genuinely pleasant weather is one of the clearer reasons people choose Brisbane.
Trade-offs
Cost of living is the toughest line item, at 5/10 — budget accordingly, especially on rent.
Transport is the soft spot at 5/10 — plan on a car or regular rideshares rather than relying on public transit alone.
Is Brisbane safe?
Safety is a genuine strength of Brisbane, at 8/10. It's the kind of city where petty crime and serious crime alike are less of a daily concern than in most of the 303 cities we track.
At night
Walking at night is generally low-stress here, though sticking to lit, populated streets is always sensible advice anywhere.
For tourists
Tourists rarely report serious issues beyond the ordinary pickpocket risk that exists in any well-visited city — normal vigilance in crowded areas is enough.
For families
Combined with a healthcare score of 8/10 and environment score of 7/10, Brisbane looks like a genuinely solid pick for raising a family.
For solo travelers
Cities scoring this well on safety (8/10) are generally considered comfortable for solo travelers, though — as anywhere — checking current, specific local advice before a trip is always worth the ten minutes it takes.
On public transport
Transport is reasonably safe day-to-day; late-night service quality and crowd levels are worth checking if you'll rely on it after dark.
Practical tips
- →Standard city awareness is genuinely enough here — no need for unusual precautions.
- →Keep half an eye on belongings in busy tourist spots, the same as anywhere.
What's the climate like in Brisbane?
Climate is one of Brisbane's clearer strengths at 8/10 — the kind of weather that makes outdoor plans a default rather than a gamble.
Seasonal character
Tagged as a warm-climate city in our data — expect mild winters and a long stretch of pleasant, sun-heavy weather rather than a sharp seasonal divide.
Comfort level
Comfort level is high enough that climate rarely dictates day-to-day plans — a rare trait among the cities we track.
Best time to live here
With a climate this consistent, there isn't a single "best" window — most of the year works.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Brisbane
Put together, quality of life in Brisbane is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: brisbane tends to run at a calmer, more settled pace, the kind of rhythm that suits routine and family life more than nightlife, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's worth planning around.
Pace & lifestyle
Brisbane tends to run at a calmer, more settled pace, the kind of rhythm that suits routine and family life more than nightlife.
Nature & outdoors
Between an environment score of 7/10 and a climate score of 8/10, spending time outdoors is genuinely easy here, helped further by its coastal or warm-climate setting.
Getting around
Transport (5/10) has real gaps — plan on a mix of public options, walking and rideshares depending on where you end up living.
Culture & leisure
Brisbane isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Brisbane tends to suit people who prioritize internet & connectivity and safety over cost of living — see "Who Brisbane suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Brisbane?
Brisbane scores 7/10 on environment — decent air quality most of the year, without being a specific standout.
Public spaces
Public space quality isn't separately measured in our data; the environment score above is the closest proxy we have, and it points to an unremarkable, workable baseline.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Brisbane suits
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 7.4/10 here).
Safety-first mover
Safety-first movers — people relocating somewhere unfamiliar who weigh personal safety above all (fit score 7.4/10 here).
Digital nomad
Digital nomads — remote workers who need fast internet and an affordable, pleasant base (fit score 7.2/10 here).
Young family
Young familys — households with kids prioritizing safety, healthcare and clean air (fit score 7.2/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
Affordability is a real consideration here: Brisbane scores 5/10 on cost of living, meaning a comfortable lifestyle requires a proper budget.
Safety
Safety is one of Brisbane's clearest strengths, scoring 8/10 — the kind of place where walking home at night or letting kids out alone doesn't require much second-guessing.
Climate
The climate is a major selling point: Brisbane scores 8/10, with the kind of mild, sunny conditions that make outdoor life a year-round option rather than a summer-only one.
Quality of life
Brisbane scores 7.1/10 overall, but that average hides a real spread: internet & connectivity (9/10) is genuinely strong, while cost of living (5/10) pulls the picture down considerably. The average across all seven criteria is 7.1/10.
Transport
Getting around Brisbane takes some planning: transport scores 5/10, and a car or rideshare budget is worth factoring in for anything off the main routes.
Internet & remote work
Remote work is well supported here: Brisbane scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, with fast, reliable connections in most neighborhoods.
Why choose Brisbane?
The short version: choose Brisbane for its internet & connectivity, and go in with clear eyes about cost of living. Its 7.1/10 overall score reflects that balance rather than an unqualified recommendation.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Brisbane safe?
Yes — Brisbane scores 8/10 on safety, among the higher end of the 303 cities we track. Normal city awareness is enough for most visitors and residents.
What budget do I need to live in Brisbane?
Brisbane scores 5/10 on affordability, on the pricier side of our database. Plan a proper budget, particularly for rent.
Is Brisbane good for families?
Brisbane works well for families: safety (8/10), healthcare (8/10) and environment (7/10) average out to a strong combination for raising kids.
Is Brisbane a good city for students?
Brisbane isn't an obvious student pick: affordability (5/10) and transport (5/10) average out lower than the cities we specifically tag for students.
Is Brisbane suitable for digital nomads?
Brisbane isn't specifically marketed to remote workers, but the fundamentals are there: internet scores 9/10 and cost of living 5/10.
What's the climate like in Brisbane?
Brisbane scores 8/10 on climate — mild, pleasant conditions for most of the year, one of the better climate scores in our database.
Is Brisbane pleasant to live in year-round?
Largely yes — with a climate score of 8/10 and an environment (air quality) score of 7/10, Brisbane holds up well across seasons.
Is Brisbane a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 7.0/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Brisbane?
Yes — Brisbane scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Brisbane a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 8.0/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Brisbane?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Gold Coast and Perth are the closest matches to Brisbane in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Brisbane worth living in?
Reasonably — Brisbane scores 7.1/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Brisbane?
Based on its score profile, Brisbane suits people who value internet & connectivity and safety more than the average mover — see the "Who Brisbane suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Brisbane walkable, and is public transport good?
Not especially — Brisbane scores just 5/10 on transport, so expect to lean on a car, bike or rideshares more than public transit alone.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Brisbane?
Internet & connectivity is Brisbane's standout strength, scoring 9/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Brisbane?
Cost of living is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 5/10 — the lowest of Brisbane's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.